Omigod, you guys!

Legally Blonde the Musical

Saw the show on: 1/12/08



Where: The Palace Theatre, Broadway



Understudies: Cara Cooper- Serena


When I first heard that Legally Blonde was being turned into a musical, I rolled my eyes and figured it would be a complete flop within the first month. When I listened to the soundtrack, however, I knew I was very, very wrong. Since buying the recording and watching the MTV taping, Legally Blonde has become my new favorite musical. I went to New York mainly to see this show, and if you do get the chance to see it, you will not regret it.

The show's opening number, "Omigod You Guys," starts the show off with a bang with it's heavy drum and guitar introduction, and the immediate energy of the Delta Nu sorority girls gets the audience's attention right from the start. Margot, played by Haven Burton, starts the song off and is then followed by Serena (swing/understudy Cara Cooper) and Pilar (Asmeret Ghebremichael). Although Haven Burton was very good as Margot, I definitely missed having Annaleigh Ashford in the cast. Oh, well, I'm sure she's being recognized rightfully at the Gershwin. The opening number is also the first appearance of Bruiser, Elle's canine companion. He barks on cue and recieves a warm round of applause from the audience, and he obviously steals the scene with the sheer fact that he is adorable. We are also introduced to Elle Woods, played by the amazing Laura Bell Bundy. From the opening number, her talents are obvious, and it is easy to see that the rest of the show will be just as good as the opening. The second number of the show is entitled "Serious," and is a ballad-turned-80's-disco song sung by Warner Huntington III, played by Richard H. Blake. It provides comic relief to the breakup scene between Elle and Warner, but is not one of the memorable song in the show.


"What You Want," the show's third number and Elle's entrance essay to Harvard, is complete with a dance number featuring the entire drumline and cheerleading squad at UCLA and includes the three members of the Harvard admissions committee. This is a big, fun number, and was the right way to go in showing Elle's transition from UCLA to Harvard. Once Elle reaches law school, we are introduced to some of her fellow classmates, Aaron Schulz (Bryce Ryness), Padamadan (Manuel Herrera) and Enid Hoops (Natalie Joy Johnson). The three sing about their road to Harvard ("The Harvard Variations") and we also meet Emmett Forest (the loveable Christian Borle) for the first time. The next number, "Blood in the Water", is sung by Professor Callahan (Michael Rupert). Both "The Harvard Variations" and "Blood in the Water" are well written songs, but are not very memorable. Elle meets Vivienne Kensington (Kate Shindle) and learns that she is Warner's new girlfriend. This causes the girls of Delta Nu to appear in her head as her "Greek Chorus" (because "this is a tragedy, and every tragedy needs a greek chorus!"), and the song "Positive" emerges with amusing lyrics, memorable lines ("Girls, how is this helping? He's not even here! He left while we were shaking junk!") and an entertaining dance break. Elle decides that in order to win Warner back, she must make herself a brunette, which leads us to the Hair Affair salon.

Paulette, played perfectly by Orfeh (of Saturday Night Fever) sings of a redheaded sailor named Brendan in "Ireland" and "Ireland Reprise", and her friendship with Elle begins to evolve. After a party scene where Elle is dressed in the infamous "Bunny Costume" as it was in the film, we are led into "Chip on My Shoulder", a number that moves the plot along, explores Elle and Emmett's growing friendship, and showcases Christian Borle's talents very well. I was especially pleased with this number; it gave Emmett the background and depth that he lacked in the movie. Also, "Chip on My Shoulder" is the first number where Elle and Emmett are given a lot of interaction, and their chemistry together is obvious. By this time, it is close to the Act I finale, although it feels like the entire act has flown by. Closing the act is my personal favorite number of the show, "So Much Better", where Elle sees that she has been chosen to be one of four of Callahan's interns on the Brooke Wyndham trial. "So Much Better" is a fast-paced number filled with key changes, the realization that Elle does not need Warner to suceed, and Laura Bell Bundy's long-held ending note that leaves the audience in awe throughout intermission.

Act II opens with "Whipped into Shape", a number designed to be the workout tape of Callahan's client, exercise queen Brooke Wyndham (Nikki Snelson). This song leaves me in awe every time I watch it: both Brooke and the ensemble do complicated jump rope routines flawlessly as they sing, and I still can't fathom having to belt through the dance as Nikki Snelson does. After meeting with Brooke and recieving a criticism on his appearance from Callahan, Emmett allows Elle to take him shopping (Take it Like a Man). The next number is inevitable: the infamous "Bend and Snap". This song, featuring Serena (Cara Cooper in this production, who did a fabulous job) begins the amusing relationship between Paulette and Kyle B. O'Boyle, the UPS delivery man. The first trial scene is hilarious with a number entitled "There! Right! There!", in which they realize that Nikos, the poolboy (Manuel Herrera) is both gay and European! Unless you've heard the CD or seen the show, you probably wouldn't get that one...

Callahan, Emmett and the interns are celebrating after the trial. Callahan compliments Elle's skills as a lawyer, but after the rest of the group has left, he both kisses and fires her (because she refuses to cooperate by, well, slapping him) and Elle realizes that she was only chosen for her internship because of her appearance. "Legally Blonde", a heartwrenching ballad, is sung perfectly by Laura Bell Bundy. Elle's vulnerability is made clear, and the ending of the song, sung as a duet with Emmett, reveals Emmett's true feelings for Elle through her closed dorm room door. The depression of the ballad is soon forgotten, however, when Vivienne stops Elle in the Hair Affair and convinces her not to leave Harvard "Legally Blonde Remix". This is one of the most well-constructed dance numbers I've ever seen, complete with a joyous Irish dance. I don't know how the cast possibly has the energy to produce a high level dance close to the end of the show, and Kate Shindle's vocals in this number leave the entire audience awestruck.

The trial goes on and we are at the finale too quickly, at Elle's graduation, where Paulette narrates the lives of the principle characters over their past three years at Harvard. Elle then completes her graduation speech by proposing to Emmett, and the entire cast finishes the show off with a reprise of "Omigod You Guys", this time with Elle and Emmett as the center couple.

This show may be fluffy, it may not be the greatest masterpiece in theatre, but it is high-energy, hilarious, heartwarming, and carries messages of feminism, confidence and never giving up. It is the best 2 and a half hours you can spend, and you'll learn that "being true to yourself never goes out of style".