Bailey Hanks, a 20-year-old former Coastal Carolina University student, made her Broadway debut July 23 starring in "Legally Blonde: The Musical" at New York's Palace Theater. The show will run for six months.

Hanks, a native of Anderson, won the MTV reality series "Legally Blonde The Musical: The Search for Elle Woods," beating out 15 finalists for the lead role. She attended the University the fall semester of 2007. She was a member of Gamma Phi Beta sorority.

"Getting to Broadway only happens to a small percentage of performers," said Ken Martin, chair of the Department of Theatre at Coastal Carolina University. "Bailey is a talented and driven young lady who pursued a dream and is now living it. She's proof of what solid training, drive and some good old-fashioned great timing will do for a budding performer."

Hits on the theatre department's Web site doubled last night during the hour after Hanks' victory was announced, Martin said.

Among her previous stage credits are "The Wizard of Oz," "Seussical the Musical," "Annie" and "Bye Bye Birdie." While at Coastal Carolina University studying musical theater last fall, Hanks appeared in "A Year With Frog and Toad."