By Briana Lindsay
Legally Blonde is the entertaining tale of Elle Woods (Amelia Rose Moore) and her quest to attend Harvard and win back the love of her life. Along the way, Elle finds her true self and surpasses the expectations of those who doubted her, all while wearing her signature shade of pink.
Being a fan of the 2001 film of the same name, I came into the production with high expectations. The opening number, “Omigod You Guys” was energetic and immediately engrossed the audience. The exuberance of the actresses’ performance allowed them to overcome the lack of strong vocals in the ensemble. Their ability to be uniform as a sorority impressed me, especially since each girl was still capable of being an individual.
Moore’s Elle was bubbly and charming, making for a fond heroine. Each number was sung beautifully and the comic timing of each line was precise. Elle was endearing to the crowd and kept the audience in tune with the story. The gentle serious side of Elle Woods is demonstrated perfectly in the number “Legally Blonde.” Moore fulfills her role in showing a realistic character experiencing outrageous events while always looking fabulous.
Elle’s surprise love interest at Harvard is found in Emmett Forest, played by Michael Anthony Howell. I was amused by how relaxed and laid back Howell’s performance was. Howell was easy to watch and connect with, especially during Emmett’s duet with Elle, showing the course of their blossoming friendship over the semester. I found the subtly of the character to be refreshing in comparison to the many over-the-top performers in the production.
The leads gave brilliant performances in their roles, with help from their hilarious supporting actors. Leah Jacobs as Paulette did a fantastic job as Elle’s friend and mentor. The performance of “Ireland” was a highlight of the production, as well as her adorable bulldog. Nathan Reo’s portrayal of Kyle was completely over-the-top, but it absolutely worked. Grown women from the audience were squealing in excitement during his entrance. Kristina Rene Stone as Enid Hoopes was clever and made the line “you lesbians think you’re so tough,” that much more funny.
I have to congratulate Megan Lyon in her ability to sing while having a vigorous workout at the same time in her performance as Brooke Wyndam, the fitness guru. The number was very physically demanding and the performers did an excellent job, with only a few slight hiccups with the jump ropes.
Russell Watters’ portrayal of Elle’s arrogant ex-lover Warner Huntington III, unfortunately fell flat. Watters fit the character description, however there was an obvious lack of connection between Watters and his romantic interests, particularly during the number “Serious” with Moore. It was difficult to accept that there was any sort relationship among the characters. The lack of chemistry included Warner’s fiancée Vivienne Kensington, played by Tia Galannis.
I was delighted by the execution of the production team. Sean McLaughlin designed the set, and its clever use of stairs and open floor plan was simple and served its purpose. I couldn’t get over the costume design by Jan Harris. Elle and her entourage looked beautiful in every scene, and the look of the ensemble complimented the production. I wanted to take home every pair of shoes the girls wore. The lighting worked well, besides the occasional spotlight mix-up. All the musical numbers had fun choreography that enhanced the show by Aaron Ford. There were slight issues with the mikes. During several scenes, the audience could hear whispering from actors offstage.
Any fellow fans of the hit movie, or “newbies” to the story of Elle Woods will enjoy the production, especially the numbers “Whipped Into Shape”, “Bend and Snap”, and “Gay or European.” The production is bright, entertaining, and will have you wanting to come back again. Congratulations to Aleksndr Arteaga for his amazing production. Now, I’m going to go put on something pink.
Midvale Main Street Theatre
Legally Blonde: The Musical
7711 South Main Street (700 West), Midvale, UT
August 15 – 31, 2013
$15 Regular Admission
$12 Children
$12 Student Rush tickets (available only night of show at the box office with valid student ID)
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