Review: LEGALLY BLONDE, THE MUSICAL at Barn Players

The Barn Players production of "Legally Blonde, the Musical" opened February 26 at the Barn Players' Theater in Mission. "Legally Blonde" marks the first production of a remarkable 61st season of entertainment at the Barn. "Legally Blonde" fills a flashy, energetic, and dance filled two hours with sparkling performances from many of the leading actors.

"Legally Blonde" springs from the 2001 non-musical hit film of the same name starring Reese Witherspoon as Elle Woods. Elle is the stereotypical valley girl. She is a devoted sister of Delta Nu sorority. She has just graduated UCLA with a 4.0 grade point average in Fashion Merchandising. Elle has it all. She is beautiful, has tons of friends, and a handsome, old money boyfriend named Warner. Elle expects Warner to propose, but is stunned when he instead breaks up with her. Warner will study across the country at Harvard Law School. He has decided he needs a more appropriate mate as a Harvard educated lawyer.

Elle is deeply wounded, but instead of giving up... she becomes a whirlwind of study and qualifies to enter Harvard Law herself. She arrives in Cambridge to find herself an explosion of pink in a world of terminal tweed.

The Barn Production of "Legally Blonde" benefits from an excellent directorial effort from Guy Gardner and from a game, talented cast of mostly young people. Maggie Marx is a vision in pink as Elle Woods. She makes us forget Reese Witherspoon in just a moment and makes the part her own. Zack Faust's Emmet works as the perfect counterpoint to Elle. Emmett has just passed the bar and is a grad student/ teaching assistant who befriends Elle. Only later do they realize romantic feelings for each other. Other standouts include Kristen Altoro as Paulette the cosmetologist and Whitney Armstrong as Brooke Wyndham. Kristen's musical numbers "Bend and Snap," and Ireland plus Whitney's "Whipped Into Shape" are all show stoppers.

"Legally Blonde" is a dancer's show and Director/Choreographer Guy Gardner does a fine job of drilling the ensemble through a tremendous number of dance routines from tap, to show, to Irish Line, to aerobics with jump ropes and makes it all seem to fit together well.

"Legally Blonde, The Musical" is a fun evening without having much substance - kind of like a ball of cotton candy at the county fair. You consume it as empty calories. You can't quite remember why you liked it but you know you enjoyed yourself. And you know what... just a very fun evening once in a while is absolutely OK.

"Legally Blonde" continues through March 13. Active theatre goes will enjoy the performances of a number of the featured actors. These folks have a future should they choose to pursue it. Tickets are available on the Barn Players Website or by telephone at 913-432-9100.

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