When Elle Woods is dumped by her boyfriend because she’s not “serious” enough for him, she knows just how to get him back; she’ll get into Harvard Law School and prove in person just how serious she is. East Coast academia is a cold new world for a girl used to sorority life in the California sun, and Elle seems destined to fail, proving that everyone who thinks the worst of her is right. But with encouragement from new and old friends, Elle finds her footing and her drive, just in time for the biggest challenge yet – a murder trial! Can Elle win the case without compromising on who she is?
There are some musicals I wouldn’t want to see over and over
again, and a large part of that is whether the main characters are ones worth caring about. Legally Blonde is a show that’s
fun and energetic, but at its core it’s a
show about doing what you believe in and building supportive friendships along
the way. Elle Woods may be vain and she
may commit to things for the wrong reasons, but she’s a woman with an open
heart, willing to do anything for a friend and willing to accept anyone as a
new friend in an instant. That’s why we
can stick with her through her silliest moments and cheer for her when she
triumphs, and why Legally Blonde continues to be such a popular and enjoyable
show (and one that can draw an audience even if it hasn't been that long since we last saw it).
On paper, Ashland Productions’ Legally Blonde had a big
cast, but I never realized it during the show; the staging and the set design
made such good use of the space that the cast size felt just right for this stage. Director Sharayah Russell made some fun
decisions in what would otherwise be incidental moments, including the magical-feeling
transition into the department store. Filling out the restaurant scene was another smart choice, allowing for
some entertaining background business with the violin player. Russell also found real dogs to play the canine roles, which is always a
treat, and it was delightful to see Elle carrying around a tiny dog in her bag
when Russell could have gotten away with a fake dog. Musically, Legally Blonde is a show
that’s well-suited for a pre-recorded score, although there were some problems with the music
tracks at the performance I attended. Still, the actors kept going smoothly even when the music wasn’t there for
them. It’s a credit to vocal director
Aaron VanDanton that the actors were so well-prepared, and that in such a
belt-heavy show the vocal performances all sounded so healthy and sustainable. Maggie Koller’s choreography (with Cindy Novy
as assistant choreographer) was a highlight of the show; it was high-energy,
modern, and loads of fun. So much of it
too seemed like something the characters could have come up with on their own;
I could imagine a bossy Delta Nu choreographer forcing the sorority girls to
practice these moves for Tiktok (if Tiktok had existed in the early
2000s). I especially liked Koller’s use
of formations in songs like “Omigod You Guys,” and I was really surprised and
delighted by the playful choices in “Positive.”
Scenic designer Adam Oster’s set made use of a few constant features to define the space very nicely, so that some scenes needed very little to created a sense of location. I was struck in the classroom scene by how much small pieces (a lectern, a TA chair) made the setting feel so much more realistic. Flipping the salon walls to create an engaging piece for the opening of the show was another great idea. Jacob Lee Hofer’s lighting was exactly what I want for this show, full and full of color. The sound design was by Born Into Royalty; there were unfortunately the glitches with the musical tracks but the microphones were well-balanced, bringing out the soloists over the ensemble very nicely in all the big numbers. Costume designer Polly DeZurik brought a nice variety to the ensemble groups, giving a sense of different personalities within the Delta Nus and the Harvard students, and I appreciated the little details that took me right back to the early 2000s (especially the shiny fabrics, banana clips, and spiky hair). I particularly liked Paulette’s looks and the way the Greek chorus looks connected with the Delta Nu costumes.
As Elle, Jessica Halverson (last seen as a classic soprano in She Loves Me) showed again how capable of a performer she is. She’s very polished and seemed to breeze through the demanding vocal role, delivering perfectly on every belt. In the Harvard scenes, Halverson had such a clear energy as Elle that it made a great contrast with the other, more reserved students. Her most powerful scene was the Act 1 finale, where her attitude and her vocal power made Elle's triumph infectious. Jack Lambert’s Emmett was as driven as Elle, but in a more quiet and observant way. I enjoyed watching his progression, from in the beginning helping Elle out of pure kindness and sympathy to gradually feeling something more. "Take It Like a Man" was a great scene for watching the chemistry build between Emmett and Elle, and Lambert and Halverson sounded lovely together in the duet.
Barbara Young brought a lot of humor to her scenes as Elle's new friend Paulette; she was especially hilarious "Bend and Snap." Young also showed off impressive vocal skill with her riffs, and sounded lovely in her "Ireland" ballad. Joe Klinker had a ball opposite her as delivery man Kyle, and the audience absolutely ate it up. Klinker was very funny to watch strutting around the stage, playing up the physicality of the role to big laughs. Cindy Novy was engaging to watch throughout as accused murderer Brooke, but especially in her introduction in "Whipped Into Shape." Novy radiated toughness in this physically demanding song, giving a nice ambiguity to the question of whether Brooke might be capable of murder, and this edge made the high-energy dance number even more compelling.
Craig Nielsen’s Callahan radiated entitlement, so sure of himself that he could (and did) say anything and cross any line without fear of repercussion. This is a very sensible, and all too realistic, take on the character. In this context, it wasn't a surprise when Callahan hit on Elle, but only a surprise that he was finally challenged for his behavior. Austin Stole was appropriately unlikeable as the handsome but short-sighted Warner, and he sounded very smooth in the tongue-in-cheek "Serious." As Vivienne, Maddie Napolski was a strong antagonist, disdainful and vindictive. In the final scenes, of course, Vivienne becomes an ally, and Napolski rocked her triumphant solo in “Legally Blonde (Remix).” Amanda Marquis came out strong as the confrontational Enid and hit all of her comedic moments well.
Amani Yassin, Brie Stole, and Marissa Noe were full of energy and attitude as Elle's trio of best friends, and they played well off each other. Representing Elle's past, they were occasionally petty but always supportive, and brought a lot of fun to songs like "Bend and Snap." The whole Greek chorus looked great in their dance numbers, and I especially enjoyed the way they interacted with and manipulated Warner and Vivienne in "Positive."
The ensemble for this show brought so much energy and joy to
each number, and they were so much fun to watch, particularly in the big dance
numbers. As a group, they were consistently
strong, and there were lots of great individual performances in the various featured
roles. Ashley Myers as the brainy and
practical Kate and Myles McKnight as the unpleasantly smug Aaron were two performers who stood out to me for their strong sense of character. Maggie Mogren played Chutney
like a wannabe femme fatale, a surprising but brilliant choice. Overall, I was really impressed by the work
put in by the entire cast and the polish that they had throughout the show.
Legally Blonde is a show that will keep popping up because it’s so much fun, and so long as theaters keep connecting to the themes that give the show its heart, it will be a show worth returning to. Ashland Productions has succeeded here, with a show that is exuberant, full of energy, and altogether full of heart.
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