The William Saroyan Theatre was full of blondes, brunettes and redheads alike, eager for Broadway in Fresno’s presentation of Legally Blonde, The Musical, Feb. 1 and 2.
This third musical in the Broadway in Fresno series was presented by Fresno Lexus and sponsored by RBC Wealth Management and the Radisson Hotel.
The play begins with the Delta Nu sorority sisters celebrating the anticipation of Elle Woods’s (Nikki Bohne) engagement, supposedly taking place that very night. But when Elle returns from her date with Warner Huntington III (Matthew Ragas) with no ring and no boyfriend at all, she locks herself in her room while the girls worry outside of her door.
When Elle finally emerges from her room, she announces her intention to win back Warner by becoming more serious and intellectual. She sets a plan in motion to make her way into Harvard Law School.
With the help of her sorority sisters and a creative admissions essay, Elle is accepted, then packs up and leaves for the East Coast.
Elle’s extremely bright and bubbly personality is not taken seriously by her fellow first-years and professors at Harvard. She is kicked out of her classes on a regular basis for being unprepared and lackadaisical in her studies.
However, student assistant Emmet Forrest (Nic Rouleau) encourages Elle to work through law school for herself, and not for the love of Warner. She succeeds and is rewarded with a highly-esteemed internship at a professor’s law firm.
For the internship, Elle is called to help on the murder case of fitness guru Brooke Windom (Shannon Mullen). Elle proves to be a vital contributor in the case’s analysis, even as a mere first-year law student.
I entered Legally Blonde with fairly low expectations, believing that the modern musical would not live up to the classics thriving onstage for so many years. However, I was pleasantly surprised when I found that the production was of a much higher quality than I had anticipated.
The show’s opener creates a lighthearted atmosphere, which is carried all the way through the musical. Elle’s friends Pilar (Brit West), Margot (Maggie Taylor) and Serena (Nadia Vynnytsky) are the essence of sorority sisters. They are ever-doting, preparing her for the big date and for her Harvard experience. For Elle, the group plays the imperative role of a Greek chorus in her Harvard life.
The vocals throughout the musical did not disappoint. Bohne belted her heart out in her role of Elle and never tired. She was lively and determined with acting skills that engrossed the audience, especially on her solo songs such as “So Much Better” and “Legally Blonde.” Her dynamics and vocal range were well exhibited.
Ragas, on the other hand, did not provide a strong vocal performance, which actually contributed to Warner’s character. He is supposed to be a weak, self-centered airhead who only contributes to society with his male modeling skills. His first appearance displays his egotistical disposition in his solo performance of “Serious,” where he breaks up with Elle.
Emmett becomes a remarkable male character. He both furthers Elle in her Harvard experience and inspires her to be the best woman she can possibly be, falling for her in the process. Rouleau’s voice supported his role in the play by growing with his importance in Elle’s life. By the end of the play, his tenor vibrato was being used to its full potential.
Vivienne Kensington (Hannah Rose DeFlumeri) was the one flaw in this musical for me. Her voice, though strong, overpowered the other characters’ melodic lines. She belted out the high notes with no musical regard to the spotlight moments for the other singers. Her dancing skills were sub-par and her appearance was rather matronly for a first-year Harvard Law student. And though she was supposed to look “frumpy,” I just found her appearance unappealing.
Paulette was a minor character who was full of laughs. From her first song, “Ireland,” she creates a humorous anecdote for Elle, forging a friendship between the two. She also provides an amusing romance with a UPS delivery man, whom she wins through the assistance of Elle, the Delta Nu sorority and their trademark “bend and snap” technique.
The sets were not extremely dynamic, but were effective in portraying the location of the scene. Though they were not elaborate or particularly eye-catching, they served their purpose on the stage.
Choreography was a very big contributing factor to this musical. The dance moves were a lot like cheerleading routines — very sharp and peppy movements. The dance numbers alluded to the absentminded lifestyle of the dancers in the musical.
Legally Blonde is an inspiring musical that conveys its encouraging message in a lighthearted manner. It is a musical that I highly recommend for both women and men for its uplifting and comedic qualities.
The Broadway in Fresno Tour continues with Monty Python’s Spamalot on March 2-3 and the smash-hit Wicked, April 6-17.
Legally Blonde, The Musical will return to California in Riverside, March 19-20; in San Luis Obispo, March 23; in Santa Barbara, March 24; and in Palm Desert, 25-27. For tickets and showtimes, visit TicketLiquidator.
For more drama reviews, read the Feb. 14 article, ‘Phantom’ rendition surpasses expectations.
