Review: LEGALLY BLONDE, THE MUSICAL at UCPAC Shines Bright on the Main Stage through 1/27

"Being true to yourself never goes out of style."

-Legally Blonde, The Musical

The verdict is in. Legally Blonde, The Musical, presented by Dream Theatre Productions at Union County Performing Arts Center (UCPAC) is a hit! Directed and choreographed by Bernard J. Solomon with musical direction by David Maglione, the show features an excellent, multi-talented cast. It will be performed on UCPAC's Main Stage through Sunday, January 27. With just a few more performances left, we suggest you get your tickets now and enjoy this vibrant, wonderfully performed musical that is sure to please people of all ages. We especially like that this production has affordable pricing, making it possible for families and many more to enjoy theatre.

The musical version is based on the 2001 MGM film, Legally Blonde and the novel by Amanda Brown. The show made its Broadway debut in 2007 and was nominated for seven Tony awards. The original Broadway show had direction and choreography by Jerry Mitchell. The music and lyrics are by Laurence O'Keefe and Nell Benjamin with the book by Heather Hach.

In Legally Blonde, Elle Woods is a recent graduate from UCLA who majored in Fashion Design. She anticipates that her boyfriend, Warner Huntington III will propose marriage. But he has other plans for his future that include attending Harvard Law School. Deeply disappointed, but not deterred, Elle also enrolls in Harvard Law. And while dreams of love and marriage are foremost on Elle's mind, she soon discovers new people and challenges that lead her to an unexpected path of success.

The cast of Legally Blonde, The Musical is exceptional in their roles. They master the quick pace of the show, with all of its humor and heart. Leading the company is Katie Claire McGrath as Elle; Broadway veteran, Willy Falk as Professor Callahan; Anthony Crouchelli as Warner Huntington III; Tsebiyah Mishael Derry as the Judge; Julie Galorenzo as Paulette; Zach Miller as Emmett Forrest; Vanessa Sierra as Shandi/Brooke Wyndham; and Alexandra Vecchio as Vivienne Kensington.

Rounding out the cast is an outstanding ensemble that brings the vibrant scenes to life. They include Alex Albanese, Brandon Arias, Kayla Starr Bryan, Aziza Callahan, Amanda Chiappetta, Stephanie Anne Christian, Johari Menelik Frasier, Megan Lynn Garretson, Nicole Howell, Brett Hennesey Jones, Ryan Mark, T.J. Newton, Rachel Ann Raeon, Susan Ramiriz, Bri Ryder, Andrew Santiago, Danny Sims, Phil Solomon, Joe Tible and Carolyn Vicari. There are even a few precious pups in the show.

Exciting song and dance numbers make the show shine bright. Outstanding ones include "Serious" by Warner and Ellie; "Blood in the Water" by Callahan and Company; "Ireland" by Paulette; "So Much Better" by the Company; "Legally Blonde" by Elle and Emmett" and of course, the grand finale, "Find My Way" by Elle, Paulette, and Company.

The Production Team has done a great job of bringing Legally Blonde The Musical to the Rahway stage. They include lighting design by Zach Pizza; scenic design by Eric Zoback; sound design by Stephen Tolve; hair and wig design by Derek Alfano; make-up design by Jillian Burnett. The Costume Supervisor is Pam Christian; Production Stage Manager is Jackie Mariani; Associate Music Director is Jarred Lee; Assistant Director is Amanda Wingo; Orchestrations by Christopher Jahnke; Arrangements by Laurence O'Keefe and James Sampliner; Assistant Choreographer is Brett Hennessey Jones.

See Legally Blonde The Musical while it is being performed at UCPAC. It is a fantastic opportunity to see an extremely entertaining musical in a beautiful local theatre setting.

Dream Theatre Productions is a company that strives to bring top quality, affordable entertainment to Northern/Central New Jersey as it does the performers who appear on its stage. They are now in residence at UCPAC performing on the Main Stage. For more information, visit http://dreamtheaterproductions.org/.

Union County Performing Arts Center is located in the heart of Rahway's bustling Arts District at 1601 Irving Street, Rahway, NJ 07065. There is generous parking available and convenient mass transit options. Performances of Legally Blonde, The Musical are on Saturday 1/27 at 2:00, Saturday 1/27 at 8:00 and on Sunday, 1/28 at 3:00. Tickets prices are from $10 to $20. Visit: http://www.ucpac.org/.

Photo Credit: Rich Kowalski

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