"Omigod You Guys"...Legally Blonde is Really Good

Date of Performance: October 13 matinee

By: Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin (music and lyrics), Heather Hach (book), Jerry Mitchell (direction and choreography), David Rockwell (scenic design), Gregg Barnes (costume design), Ken Posner & Paul Miller (lighting design), David Brian Brown (hair design)

Starring: Laura Bell Bundy (Elle Woods), Christian Borle (Emmett Forrest), Orfeh (Paulette), Michael Rupert (Professor Callahan), Richard H. Blake (Warner Huntington III), Kate Shindle (Vivienne Kensington), Nikki Snelson (Shandi/Brooke Wyndham)


I'll be the first to admit that when I first heard Legally Blonde, the Reese Witherspoon girl power sleeper hit of 2001, was making a transfer to the Broadway stage, I balked. The idea seemed ridiculous and I hoped the idea would go the way of Donald Trump's musical version of The Apprentice--a-way, that is. However, like Vivienne sings in the song "Legally Blonde: Remix," when I'm wrong I say I'm wrong, and I was wrong about this.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the film's plot, let me bring you up to speed. Elle Woods, a beautiful Delta Nu sister from Malibu, is expecting her modelesque boyfriend Warner Huntington III to propose to her one night during an intimate dinner for two. Instead, he dumps her, explaining that his family's political aspirations for him simply cannot include her; he needs a wife that's "less of a Marilyn, more of Jackie." Elle, heartbroken and determined to win back Warner, follows him to Harvard Law School, only to find he has already replaced her with Vivienne, a serious, scowling brunette. Elle repeatedly tries to win back his affections, along the way befriending awkward Paulette at the local beauty shop and Emmett, her law professor's apprentice. Elle is miraculously chosen by her professor to serve on the defense team for Brooke Wyndham, a fitness guru suspected of killing her much older husband. Elle earns Brooke's trust (they're both Delta Nu sisters) but once she accomplishes this, her professor shows his true reasons for adding her to the team--he's a sleazeball and sees her just as eye candy. Elle's first reaction is to leave the team, but she is convinced by her friends to stay, and eventually defends Brooke successfully, proving that there's more to her than her looks. Now that I think about it, it really shouldn't have been a surprise that this musical is so vibrant and fun. The movie is fluffy and and silly, with a colorful cast of characters, and a heart of gold--ingredients that often blend to make a successful musical. Legally Blonde: The Musical takes a lot of the things we love about the film, but adds its own sparkle; it's like the movie, "only funner."


The score is repetitive and not amazing, but with a good beat and spunky lyrics, whether you like it or not, it will get stuck in your head. Heather Hach's book has both good and bad elements. It succeeds in further exploring several characters including Paulette (Orfeh in the stage version, Jennifer Coolidge in the film), Brooke (Nikki Snelson here, Ali Larter in the film), and Emmett Forrest (Christian Borle of Spamalot fame, blah Luke Wilson in the film.) The book is especially strong regarding Emmett, who is given the backstory of having come from the slums and working his way up. However, it greatly fails with its treatment of Vivienne (Kate Shindle in the stage version, Selma Blair in the film). In the movie, Vivienne and Elle initially do not like one another, but there is a gradual development of friendship and mutual respect. Here, in the musical, Vivienne's turnaround seems too abrupt. There are no events to explain her change of heart, her dumping of Warner, or her defense of Elle. The Vivienne-Elle relationship is one of the most interesting ones in the film, but is sadly too disregarded in the stage version. Some of Hach's other edits and choices are questionable--several of the key jokes from the film have been rewritten, other supporting characters cut (what happened to the nerdy, awkward genius Elle befriended or the female professor who helped mentor her?) and there are less opportunities for Elle to display her intelligence, making it more difficult for Laura Bell Bundy to create a strong character arc.

The costumes are brightly colored and vivid, the sets are well used, and the scene changes and transitions are well designed. Mitchell also includes Elle's sorority sisters in more scenes, cleverly making them the "Greek Chorus" that expresses Elle's thoughts. However, on the downside, for the performance I attended, swing Cara Cooper, replacing Tracy Jai Edwards for the day, seemed to be suffering from bad-wig-itis. Simply horrid. And--it must be said--since this is Jerry Mitchell's directorial debut, the choreography is outstanding.


This is a starmaking role for Laura Bell Bundy, make no doubt about it. Previously seen as an understudy for Galinda in Wicked and probably best known for creating the role of evil Amber Von Tussle in Hairspray, Bundy steps up and makes her presence known, announcing to Broadway that she is a force to be reckoned with. Her Elle definitely pays homage to Reese Witherspoon's but at the same time, remains entirely her own. Blessed with a gorgeous voice, killer comedic timing, and a great physical presence, her Elle is even more endearing than Witherspoon's--a romantic at heart, she's a vulnerable, and sometimes silly girl, and is a character of great warmth, compassion, and ultimately, intelligence. Bundy executes director Jerry Mitchell's choreography flawlessly, sings her heart out, and makes the most of what she's given. She's completely devoted to the material, and rises above the musical's less impressive parts (she helps compensate for Heather Hach's book and does her best to overcome the way Elle is written as a "dumb blonde." She is a huge reason why the show works; she makes us truly care about Elle.


Christian Borle complements Laura Bell well. He definitely does not fit the mold for a typical romantic leading man, but his slightly dorky appearance (and by his own admittance, lack of chin) actually work in his favor. This casting choice was clearly carefully calculated. Having Borle appear as the new leading man in Elle's life helps bring her journey full circle. At the beginning of the show, Elle is in love with a handsome, dreamy playboy who does not respect her. When Elle falls in love with Emmett, it is another expression of her newfound self worth. Emmett may lack the matinee idol looks of Warner, but he respects her and offers her love, support, and friendship--things that are more important and more valuable than wealth and appearance. Emmett in the movie is not given a lot to do; very little is known about him; he just pops in and out to mentor Elle. Emmett here is a more constant presence and he is very early on established as an outsider, explaining more why he forms this unlikely connection and later, attachment to Elle. Bundy and Borle have good chemistry, not so much sexually, but in a more PG/PG-13 way, which given the primary demographic of this show, is probably a good thing. Their scenes together are fun to watch and utterly believable.

Jennifer Coolidge's Paulette is one of the funniest sidekick roles in recent years. It literally put Coolidge on the map, drawing her into the spotlight. Orfeh wisely avoids copying Coolidge, understanding that it's a performance so unique it could never be replicated. Orfeh's Paulette is a mixture of funky, awkward, and brassy and Orfeh belts out her numbers in a rich alto tone. Orfeh makes an enormous impression as Paulette; the minute she appears on stage, she is instantly likeable and warm and she finds humor in dialogue that could come off as flat if given to a less dynamic performer. The casting of Orfeh's actual husband Andy Karl as the UPS Guy adds a fun dimension for the audience...it's easy to see their attraction to one another.


Richard Blake as Warner, Kate Shindle as Vivienne, Nikki Snelson as Brooke and Michael Rupert as Callahan all do fine jobs in their supporting roles, making the most of the their moments, but never drawing too much attention from Bundy's Elle. Extra kudos to Snelson for pulling off such a high note after jump roping for four minutes straight. Haven Burton as Margot and Asmeret Ghebremichael as Pilar are adequate; Burton (who is still struggling with her interactions with Bruiser, played by Chico the dog) seems a little annoyed and mocking of the material while Ghebremichael lacks focus--she has great energy, she just doesn't always channel it well. For a better interpretation of Margot, check out MTV's taping with Annaleigh Ashford, who just left the show to float in Galinda's bubble in Wicked.

High Points:
"Omigod, You Guys"--the opening number WILL ABSOLUTELY get stuck in your head. The music is addictive, the energy infectious.
"Serious"--Echoing a cheesy pop ballad from the early nineties, it is a good number to show off Blake's smooth voice and Bundy's gift of physical comedy.
"Positive"-High energy, great choreography; you'll laugh when they "shake their junk."
"So Much Better"-Act I closer, best number in the show. If you've ever had your heart broken, you understand where she's coming from. It's a great anthem for reclaiming and celebrating your life.
"Legally Blonde"--I wasn't originally a fan of this song (based on the soundtrack), but onstage, the sheer vulnerability and sadness of Laura Bell Bundy and the desperation and longing in Christian Borle was enough to make me a convert.
"Legally Blonde: Remix"--Mitchell's choreography here is dynamite. Though the music is not great, the humor and energy turn this number into an absolute showstopper.
"Bend and Snap"-such a huge part of the movie, it doesn't disappoint here either. Plus, Orfeh's vocals here are amazing.

Low Points:.
"Take It Like a Man"-Gives Bundy and Borle some beautiful moments to share with each other, but its message seems a little weird. In the scene, Elle takes Emmett shopping to get a nice, expensive suit to impress Callahan, but isn't the whole show about being who you are, no exceptions? There's a mixed message sent--it's okay to be pretty and smart, but not just smart?
Too many gay and lesbian jokes. A few is fine, but there were way too many.
"Find My Way"--Good song, don't get me wrong, but as a finale, it was unsatisfying. I was not a fan of the whole "Where Are They Now?" concept.

Whatever you want to say about Legally Blonde, it, like Hairspray, Mary Poppins, and the current revival of Grease, is bringing a whole new group of people, a different kind of audience to Broadway. It is fluffy, but I encourage you not to discount it. It's not a groundbreaking piece, but it is fun, energetic, and at times, remarkably poignant.



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