ORANGE COUNTY, CA -- It's quite encouraging when you see a mildly-popular film property transformed into a wildly entertaining piece of theater, that not only brings a "right now" vibe to the Broadway musical, but also showcases young talent—that in turn attracts a young, fanatic audience. When you sit down to watch the year-old national tour of LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL (now playing at the Orange County Performing Arts Center through September 28) you will very likely be situated next to a pink-clad audience member. Why? Because as Elle Woods—the show's central protagonist—declares with no amount of irony or shame, "pink is my signature color!"
Such is the kind of audience affection this show elicits, and it's not an accident. Like HAIRSPRAY, WICKED and SPRING AWAKENING, this show's DNA seems engineered to appeal to that young, wide-eyed theater-goer (possibly mostly female) that will see this multiple times and spread their love for it to friends, social-networking pals and the blogosphere (why it closed earlier than it should have on Broadway can probably be attributed to the unfortunate economy). But unlike those aforementioned three musicals, this show is set in the language of now: It's hip, features "ethnic movement" (as one square, Harvard admissions counselor exclaims), and has an athletically-gifted, aesthetically-pleasing cast that's giddy from ear to ear.
From the onset, as we see the sorority sisters of Delta Nu (out of UCLA, naturally) excitably proclaim "Omigod! Omigod, you guys!" in the catchy opening number that introduces "Miss Woods-comma-Elle," you already know that your tongue needs to be parked firmly in your cheek. We quickly learn that Elle (portrayed in the tour by
Becky Gulsvig, who understudied Tony® Award nominee
Laura Bell Bundy in the original Broadway Production), may just be your typical fun, self-centered, excitable, fashion-obsessed blonde. But she possesses the kind of street smarts and pop-culturally relevant random factoids that got her far in life (who knew that you can't do a half-loop stitch on China silk?) She may not crack open a book, but she knows more than people assume. There's no denying that Gulsvig is the star of this production, and she peppers her role with interesting acting choices, good comic timing and a voice that is a nice hybrid between today's pop music teen queens and a Broadway show mainstay. By the time she ends the first act with her rousing "So Much Better" the audience can't help but to cheer her on.
But a pleasant surprise is the fearless ensemble cast. Whether singing and dancing as a cheerful collective or separated into bit characters that are memorable and funny at every turn, the company is full of scene-stealing performers.
Natalie Joy Johnson (who originated the role of Enid in the Broadway version) does a terrific turn as salon proprietor Paulette, a portrayal reminiscent of
Jennifer Coolidge's soft-spoken turn in the film version. But unlike Coolidge, Johnson belts the bejesus out of her impressive solo number "Ireland." You will be floored (in a good way) by
Megan Lewis' amazing high note at the climax of "Legally Blonde Remix."
Coleen Sexton is given the demanding task of singing (and belting) while doing a full-on strenuous workout routine during "Whipped Into Shape," and succeeds without losing her breath. Even Elle's BFF's, played with plenty of verve by
Cortney Wolfson,
Crystal Joy, and
Rhiannon Hansen (a finalist from the MTV reality competition series
The Search for Elle Woods), manage to shine whenever they grace a scene.
As for the men in the cast,
D.B. Bonds does an admirable job as Elle's would-be paramour Emmett (he pronounces each lyric with the ease of a pro).
Jeff McLean's matinee good looks (and matching confident vocals) accentuate his cocky role as Warner.
Ken Land is devilish as Professor Callahan (unfortunately, his number "Blood in the Water" is the show's sole speed bump in the story's flow). And in a role that's been charmingly beefed-up (no pun intended) from the film, Kyle—the sexy UPS delivery guy and the object of Paulette's lust—is amusing and crush-worthy (in the aww-shucks vein) in the hands of
Brian Patrick Murphy.
Based on the novel by
Amanda Brown, which was later adapted into the hit 2001 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film that cemented the star power of
Reese Witherspoon, this musical adaptation improves much on its source material. It is unabashedly joyful, primarily because of its robust acting ensemble (maybe that explains the seemingly random, but funny Red Bull product placement... perhaps the cast is required to down them before each performance). The book by
Heather Hach sometimes interrupts the witty and sharp lyrics by
Laurence O'Keefe and
Nell Benjamin. Like the original Broadway production, the tour's choreography (and direction) is by
Jerry Mitchell, who no doubt supervised the seamless changes the tour version required. (This reviewer admittedly misses seeing the two-story sorority house set that opened the original Broadway production).
The plot is by no means complex (even the imaginary "greek chorus" admits that some things "defy logic")...but it doesn't need to be. This isn't Pulitzer material here. However, it is just a great two-and-a-half hours of infectious smiles, crowd-pleasing dance numbers, and a clever, memorable, smart-aleck score (just try getting "Omigod, You Guys!" out of your head once you leave the theater). The show's simple central theme seems overdone and clichéd ("don't judge a book by its cover") but then adds another layer ("books with tattered covers stay on the shelf") which may send mixed messages to the show's mostly youth-centric audience. But in the dual world of Elle Woods—where beauty doesn't necessarily mean automatic happiness nor a lack of brains—a pretty but smart blonde isn't so far-fetched and logic-defying an idea as it may seem.
Photo credit: Becky Gulsvig as Elle Woods in the national tour of LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL by Joan Marcus.
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Tickets to LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL performances that continue through September 20 at the Orange County Performing Arts Center are $20 – $80 and are available online, in-person at the Center’s Box Office at 600 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa, or by calling (714) 556-2787. For inquiries about group ticket discounts for 15 or more, call the Group Sales office at 714.755.0236. The TTY number is 714.556.2746. The 2 p.m. performance on Saturday, September 19 will be sign-language interpreted.
Visit www.ocpac.org for more information.
For more information on the national tour, visit www.LegallyBlondeTheMusical.com.
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