By Paul R. Nickels
Legally Blonde – the Musical is Southern Utah University’sambitious centerpiece of the 2019 – 2020 performance season by the Department of Theater Arts and Dance in Cedar City, Utah. Based on Amanda Brown’s 2001 novel about her own non-typical experiences in law school, the show book is written by Heather Hach with cardio-workout-level music and lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin.
The story line pits an outrageously fashion-centered Elle Woods (Danielle Brady) of Malibu, CA against the button-down brains of the rigidly-regimented ivy-league halls of Harvard, where she attempts to pursue True Love by proving that beauty can have brains too. Along the way, we are treated to painfully pointed sendups of social stereotypes that need mending. Three in particular: the man-hungry coed, the tunnel-visioned social climber/political aspirant, and the do-anything-for-a-price and win-at-any-cost lawyer. Then there is the corduroy-coated nerd, the hapless hairdresser, and oh yeah, the Dumb Blonde.
The first characters we find are three members of Elle’s personal support team, Margot (Heather Winkler), Serena (Raven Flynn), and Pilar (Bridgette Long). They, with Elle, represent the UCLA-cheerleading-get-your-man-at-any-cost femmes fatales squad. The object of Elle’s quest for True Love is to win a wedding ring from long-term boyfriend and governor’s son, Warner Huntington III (Jeremy Allen). Now that they have graduated, Elle expects she can trade in her perfect 4-point-oh Bachelor’s degree in Fashion Merchandising for an MRS degree with Warner. Warner stuns her with the news that, though their school romance has been most entertaining, his career plan requires a wife who will match his aspirations for the senatorial seat he hopes to win by age 30. So off he goes to Harvard, without Elle. Refusing to believe that True Love can be rebuffed, Elle decides she will follow him. With the help of her cheer squad and some serious cramming, Elle makes the entry requirements to be accepted to Harvard. Through sheer abuse of male hormones, she even succeeds in getting admittance to the Harvard School of Law.
In worse stereotypical fashion, Elle shows up in Warner’s law class, dressed to kill in hot pink, and determined to lure Warner back with her feminine wiles. Warner, in equally bad stereotype, has lashed himself to the ladder of success, determined to find a wife who will share his ambition to scale the heights. Enter Vivienne Kensington (Lena Conatser), Warner’s equal in stature and will to win. In autocratic disdain for Elle’s school-girl ploys, she accepts Warner’s ring to show Elle that real women don’t play games. Elle is even kicked out of her first class by the notorious Professor Callahan (Nathan Myers), a stereotype of the lawyer who goes for the win without mercy. A devastated Elle seeks refuge in a beauty salon and meets Paulette (Olivia Sham), a heart-mangled hair-dresser who helps Elle re-assess her assets and her confidence to stay the course. Callahan’s teaching assistant Emmett (Zane Brady), a nerdy but D. Brady’s Elle couldn’t be better. Not only does she look convincingly jaw-dropping in a bunny suit, she is vocally gifted to carry song after song like an athlete. Her three squad members reappear again and again with the same degree of energy. Flynn in particular displays some real gymnastic cheer chops. Z. Brady as Emmett the TA makes the perfect match vocally, and of course after Elle’s fashion makeover, he becomes the perfect love match. After Elle and Emmett, the third power character is Paulette the hairdresser. Sham is delightful in her comedic triumph as the lovelorn beautician. With a dose of Elle’s feminine magic, poor Paulette eventually wins the hunk of her dreams, Kyle O’Boyle (Andrew Ellermeier), and even becomes narrator of the happily-ever-epilogue. Myers’ commanding high baritone drives the character of Callahan as the man you love to hate. Also demanding attention is the remarkable high voice of Kensington’s Lena Conatser, and the very watchable legal team member Enid Hoopes (Maycee Ham).
The production is directed by Professor Peter Sham, a world renowned playwright and director. Music direction was by Mitchell Brownell, the sole occupant of “the pit” and visibly conducting the cast through the many layered score. This was hard music. Scenic Designer Brian Jude Beacom chose three proscenium arches to frame the action on various parts of the stage. Occasional set pieces rolled on and off stage or appeared as set drops from above, but the settings are simple to allow lots of room for the many high energy dance scenes. Costume Designer was Mariya Radeva-Nedyalkova and she makes pink look fabulous.
If you have not seen this show, here is your chance to enjoy a really high quality, guaranteed fun production. If there is a down side, it is only that academic productions have disappointingly short runs, with final show on February 1st. Take your friends and see Legally Blonde at USU. You will be tickled pink.
SUU’s Department of Theater Arts and Dance presents Legally Blonde – The Musical, book by Heather Hatch, music and lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin.
Randall L. Jones Theater, (S 300 West) Shakespeare Ln, Cedar City, UT 84720
January 27 – February 1, Monday and Friday 7:30 PM 7:30 PM, Saturday matinee Feb 1 2:00 PM
Adult Tickets $15, Student/Child $7, general admission, no reserved seating
Contact: 435 586-7872
SUU Department of Theater Arts and Dance Website
SUU Theatre Arts and Dance Facebook
Legally Blonde – The Musical Facebook Event
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