Review: LEGALLY BLONDE at West Valley Arts Will Capture Your Heart

You guys…LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL at West Valley Arts is frickin' wicked stunnin'.  Seriously, the quality of every production mounted by this theatre is positively miraculous, and this show is no exception. It will capture the hearts of stans and newcomers alike. 

LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL (music and lyrics by Laurence O'Keefe and Nell Benjamin, book by Heather Hach) is based on the novel by Amanda Brown and the MGM film starring Reese Witherspoon. The show is filled with catchy tunes and a satisfying combination of humor and heart. Elle Woods is a California sorority girl who crosses the country to become a Harvard Law student in a quest to reclaim her true love. In doing so, she discovers she is capable of more than she, or anyone else, ever thought possible.

Rachel Matorana brings both style and substance to Elle Woods, with sparkling personality and solid vocals.  She carries the show as only a true star could.

Geoff Beckstrand’s Emmett Forrest is achingly vulnerable and irrepressibly loveable.

Madison Archibald as Paulette Buonafonte and Wesley Valdez as Warner Huntington III wonderfully encapsulate their personalities while bringing new dynamics to play.

Teaira Burge as Vivienne Kensington, Amanda Anne Dayton as Enid Hoops, Bryn Campbell as Brooke Wyndham, and Jared Lesa as Professor Callahan give strong representations of their characters, and the Greek chorus of Leah Campbell as Serena, Ariana Bagley as Margot, and Fiorella Pulido as Pilar slays.

Director Brooklynn Kohler has managed to make the presentation of the script and songs fresh for even those who know it by heart.  Her staging, along with Benjamin Roeling’s choreography and the vibrant ensemble performances, make it difficult to know where to look because there is something special happening wherever you turn. “Serious” and “What You Want” are a dizzyingly joyous one-two punch in that regard.

The costumes by Alicia Kondrick, set by Mauri Smith, and lighting by Michael Gray are all pristinely designed and perfectly calibrated, with dazzling elements that pop throughout the show, routinely taking your breath away.

Show support for West Valley Arts and its incomparable West Valley Performing Arts Center by making this a smash hit!

LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL plays through August 31, 2024.  For tickets, call the box office at 801-965-5140 or visit www.wvcarts.org.

Photo Credit: West Valley Arts. Photo by Izzy Arrieta.

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