BWW Reviews: LEGALLY BLONDE in Cincinnati

LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL is holding court now through May 23rd at the Aronoff Center in Cincinnati and it's a bubbly good time.

Legally Blonde, much like the  movie it's based on, tells the story of lovesick Elle (Becky Gulsvig), who decides to attend Harvard Law on a whim because that's where her ex-boyfriend will be attending and she believes they're destined to be together. Despite the odds, she's actually accepted though she quickly learns that it's not a place to party like her undergraduate days at UCLA.

Elle and the others in her class, including her ex-boyfriend Warner (Jeff McLean) and his new uptight and serious Vivienne (Megan Lewis), work to be interns as part of their prestigious professor's (Michael Rupert) trial team. Elle makes the cut, along with Warner and Vivienne of course, and it turns out that a combination of Elle's hard studying and her "blonde knowledge" saves their wrongly convicted client.

Along the way, Elle meets Emmett (DB Bonds), who helps her study and becomes an unexpected part of Elle's life. And then there's Paulette (Natalie Joy Johnson), who runs the local beauty salon and becomes a best friend to Elle.

Although some ditziness is expected, Elle eventually proves that being true to yourself is what really matters. What was surprising about the overall message of the show is that Elle's hard work paid off. She studied hard and excelled from it. The show has a good message for the younger audience that it isn't all about looking good and boys (though that has it's place as well), but about staying true to your values.

Gulsvig really shines as Elle, giving the character just the right amount of spunk and sass (though her voice didn't project well on opening night). Bonds was a perfect Emmett, as was Lewis the best fit for the uptight girlfriend. Johnson was the perfect comedic relief as Paulette, and watching her fall for the hot UPS guy was a nice addition to the story. Rupert and McLean rounded out the well-casted musical nicely in their roles. Everyone seemed to fit.

Also featured in the cast are: Barry Anderson, Sara Andreas, Kyle Brown, Liberty Cogen, Ven Daniel, Tiffany Engen, Brooke Leigh Engen, Spencer Howard, Paul Jackel, Jason Kappus, Ashley Moniz, Kathleen Elizabeth Monteleone, Brian Patrick Murphy, CJay Hardy Philip, Alex Puette, Jonathan Rayson, Constantine Rousouli, Coleen Sexton, Lucia Spina, J. B. Wing, and Candice Marie Woods.

It should also be mentioned that two dogs also stole each scene they were in. There's something about having dogs on stage that makes everyone go "aww!" in unison.

Legally Blonde empowers a lot of the stereotypical characters (not-so-smart blonde, stuffy lawyers, Valley girls, and gay guys, plus more) but overall it's a fun musical, especially for those that are a fan of the movie. The cast is very energetic and there are a few high-choreography dance numbers (a particularly impressive one involving jump ropes). I can't say that I'll be playing the cast recording very often as the music didn't really click with me. Just like Elle who manages to find fun at Harvard Law, many will find some fun in Legally Blonde.

LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL will play The Aronoff Center from May 11-23, 2010: Tuesday-Friday at 8:00PM, Saturday at 2:00PM and 8:00PM, and Sunday at 1:00PM and 6:30PM. Tickets range in price from $22.50-$64.50 and may be purchased online at BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com, in person at the Broadway Across America Box Office downtown in the Mercantile Center and the Aronoff Center Box Office or by phone at 1-800-982-2787.

 

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