Seriously, Perfectly, Positive
Review of Legally Blonde at Village Theatre
Written by TeenTix Newsroom writer ELENA MILLER and edited by Teen Editorial Staff member KYLE GERSTEL
From the first chorus of the opening song “Omigod You Guys!” Village Theatre’s presentation of Legally Blonde The Musical is like being blasted with a pink confetti cannon of positivity. This musical has everything: catchy songs, lovable characters, an upbeat story, and even two adorable real dogs. Fans were decked out, some in all pink, with glowing smiles to see the classic movie brought to life onstage. This musical draws on the enduring appeal of protagonist Elle Woods’ journey to get taken seriously, and it adds a whole new layer of humor and pink pizzazz. Although the plotline seems centered around a typical chick flick romance, the impact of Village Theatre’s production comes from the unique ways it foregrounds subtler themes: sisterhood, hopes and dreams, the illusion of perfection, and keeping a positive outlook through life’s trials.
Let’s start with the venue! The Everett Performing Arts Center was embellished with pink Legally Blonde paraphernalia. The staff was cheerful and the patrons, many of whom clearly love this story, were excitedly taking selfies in the photo booth. The theater was just big enough to have an astounding set, lighting, and orchestra pit while still maintaining a feeling of community and mutual excitement. Not that they would have had any problem with that anyway; this musical was so upbeat, funny, and heartwarming that it kept me engaged every second.
The musical itself follows the basic story of the memorable movie: Elle Woods, a smart, pretty girl who is always dressed up in her signature color (pink), wants to impress her ex-boyfriend, Warner, who thinks that she is not “serious” enough. She goes from Malibu sorority girl to student at Harvard Law, following Warner as she attempts to prove herself and win back his loveHowever, once she gets there, Elle begins to discover that she is actually a talented lawyer and that she doesn’t need that “bonehead” Warner in her life anymore. The musical slightly updates the original movie with references to more modern celebrities such as the Kardashians rather than Cameron Diaz, but overall it keeps the same structure.
The musical does make some changes by adding catchy songs that go deeper, developing and building on themes that were only implied in the movie. For example, several musical numbers emphasize the illusion of perfection, breaking down the belief that having a perfect body or a perfect boyfriend will make your life perfect. The diversity in casting and costuming drove this point home. Elle discovers, along with the audience, that the image of perfection is not what makes things perfect, and, in fact, nothing is perfect (even the fitness guru had liposuction). The diversity of the women cast as Elle’s sorority sisters highlights the message that there is no one “perfect” type of woman, and, to me, it really made this production unique.
Other production choices were similarly uplifting. Somehow, Betsy Stewart’s Elle was even peppier than the original movie! The show also put emphasis on the romantic motivations for a number of characters’ choices and aspirations. For example, it developed Paulette (the hairdresser’s) dream: finding an Irish guy and going to Ireland. The audience went wild for her Irish delivery driver every time he appeared with his package, and their Riverdance-inspired number was a joyful expression of finding love in unexpected places.
In the musical, Emmett, Elle’s friend and eventual love interest, plays more of a guiding role, helping Elle identify “the chip on her shoulder” and motivating her to work hard for her goals. In the movie, she was mostly self-motivated, which I preferred (why should she need some guy to motivate her?). However, the musical also stressed the importance of the bonds of sisterhood; her “Greek chorus” of sorority friends appeared in her mind when she needed support. The musical created a strong opposition between the power of Elle’s relentless positivity and the “Blood in the Water” attitude of the other lawyers. The musical also has much better jokes (e.g., the perfumes at the department store that she visited with Emmett were called “Love” and “Subtext”).
One of the most impressive musical numbers was “Whipped Into Shape,” starring Brooke, a young fitness guru, the widow of a murder victim who Elle’s team is defending in court. Brooke and her prison-mates perform a complicated routine where they jump rope in sync while singing, using intricate footwork, and somehow don’t smack each other in the face with the jump ropes. The other stellar dance number was Elle’s Harvard application dance extravaganza, (“What You Want”) which resembled a marching band and cheerleader half-time show, with Elle dressed as a pink drum majorette and her cheerleader sorority sisters performing gymnastic stunts. It was a hilarious, if illogical, musical interpretation of her application video from the movie.
Legally Blonde at Village Theatre was one of the most fun musicals I’ve ever been to, and the production quality was excellent. It took the movie’s themes of sisterhood, being taken seriously, and not judging a book by its cover, and brought them to a whole new level through the musical numbers. As Village Theatre artistic director Adam Immerwahr said in the program, “you can be both fun and smart, positive and serious; you can bring your authentic self and still change the world.” Village Theatre nailed their production of this musical about getting what you want, getting serious, and finding your way. I came away feeling, as Elle put it, “so much better than before.”
Lead photo: Betsy Stewart and the company of Legally Blonde The Musical at Village Theatre. Photo by Auston James (2024).
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