Review: Omigod! 'Legally Blonde' So Much Better Than Expected
Posted
David Slone-dslone@timesuniononline.com
Omigod, you guys! Wagon Wheel Theatre’s production of “Legally Blonde” is really, really funny. When I hear of a musical based on a movie, I usually cringe and don’t have high expectations. However, opening night Wednesday of “Legally Blonde” proves that with a good cast and direction, it can work. If you’ve seen the film version, you know the story line and characters. But there’s something special about seeing it live on stage, just feet away from you, with this company of actors. And what really sells the show – what really takes you into Elle Wood’s world – is Mary Little, the talented actress who plays her. Little sings solo or in group for a majority of the two dozen songs in the musical. She’s also constantly on stage, with all the action hovering around her. Little handles her role of Elle like a seasoned professional despite the load on her shoulders. She’s got this Cameron Diaz look with a twist of Reese Witherspoon (who played Elle in the film version) in her performance. Certainly, some day, perhaps soon, Little could be competing for the same kind of job opportunities on the stage and screen as those two Hollywood veterans did when they were Little’s age. In Act I, while coming down the ramp to the stage, Little slipped and fell. Everyone saw her fall to the ground. People gasped. I swore she had to have twisted her leg as it happened right beside me. (Someone slipped and fell on a ramp during “Peter Pan” opening night, too. To avoid an actual injury to an actor or audience member, maybe the ramps need addressed.) But always the professional, Little just got back up and made her way to the stage and kept delivering her remarkable performance. It didn’t seem to phase her. Elle is a bubbly, positive character that gets the job done without relinquishing her belief system. Watching Little in the role, you see Elle and enjoy the ride. “Legally Blonde” isn’t a one-woman show, and there are plenty of supporting characters to move the musical along. Two really stood out to me opening night - and apparently to the audience as well as they evoked the strongest laughter. When Elle moves from Malibu to Massachusetts for Harvard Law School, things don’t go her way. Feeling down in the dumps, she makes her way to the salon, “Hair Affair”, where she meets Paulette (Kira Lace Hawkins). Paulette and Elle become good friends. Hawkins’ take on Paulette is a hairball of fun. She’s a cross between a cast member of “Jersey Shore” and a guest on the “Jerry Springer Show.” For whatever flaws the character has, or appears to have in the eyes of some, Hawkins still makes Paulette very likeable, fun and warm. And that wardrobe and hairstyle? Omigod, it’s like butter. They really help make the character. It’s not until Act II that an instant favorite character of the show struts – literally – onto the stage with his package. Kyle (Robert Montgomery), the UPS delivery guy, isn’t on the stage a whole lot, but the way the audience instantly reacted to him Wednesday night, it was like Elvis Presley (or Justin Bieber, depending on who you prefer) had made a cameo. Describing Kyle to Elle, Paulette says, “The new UPS guy is like walking porn.” Montgomery’s strut on stage really works. He’s not some big, muscular beefcake, but Montgomery puts a lot of self confidence into it. Plus, the “theme” music for the character really helps seal the deal. Whether it was Montgomery’s idea or Artistic Director Scott Michael’s idea to play the character just so, it was a clever idea. You will wish Kyle was more in the show than what he is. Elle goes to Harvard to follow Warner (Stephen Anthony), who breaks her heart in the opening scene. Instead of proposing marriage, he tells her she isn’t serious enough for him. She’s more Marilyn (Monroe) than Jackie (Kennedy). Wagon Wheel regulars will remember Anthony from last season as Link Larkin in “Hairspray”, Max in “Lend Me A Tenor” or Tom Sawyer in “Big River”. Warner is one of those guys you just instantly don’t like because of the way he treats women. Anthony delivers the slime in the opening scene, and you just hate the character for the remaining two-plus hours of the musical. After dumping Elle, Warner hooks up with Vivienne (Emily Trumble). She’s serious. Working to become an attorney, she also has dark hair and wears black. She’s a serious woman, more Jackie than Marilyn. Trumble is a [witch] for most of the musical as Vivienne. She gets Elle kicked out of class the first day. She tricks her into wearing a costume to a non-costume party and doesn’t think she’ll ever be any more than a sunbathing sorority blonde. Trumble does Vivienne justice, and you’ll want to hate her during the bulk of the show. Of course, Elle eventually finds love, but it’s with Emmett (Matthew Janisse), not Warner. While Warner is all ties and business suits, Emmett is corduroy and loafers. Warner is clean shaven, while Emmett is scruffy. Janisse evokes the role so much, he reminds me of professors I had in college. However, unlike a particular professor I’m thinking of, he also gives off a warm “human” vibe as Emmett. Someone you can relate to, talk to and get to know – someone Elle could fall in love with and marry. There are a bunch of other characters in the musical that are really played effectively by the actors cast. Mike Yocum is strong as Callahan, while Sarah Jackson is very out front as Enid. Javier Ferreira sells his roles as Padamadana and Carlos, while Annie Yokom, Erika Henningson and Leigh Ellen Jones are “cheer-iffic” as Serena, Pilar and Margot. Besides the stellar cast, two other things make this show work. One is the pop culture references, such as Beyonce and “Glee”, which can be changed periodically to update the show, and the second is the costumes, such as Paulette’s outfit. There’s a part in Act I where, to get into Harvard, Elle brings in her own cheerleading team/pep squad. Her outfit instantly made me think of one of Madonna’s outfits for “Give Me All Your Luv” on her current world tour. Very pep with a retro twist. Each character’s wardrobe tells more of the story of who the character is, so props again to costume designer Stephen R. Hollenbeck. As for the songs in the musical, there are parts of them that may get stuck in your head for a little while, but not in a long-term irritating way. Favorites for me included “So Much Better,” the pop-radio dance friendly “Bend and Snap” and the hilarious “Gay or European?”Now, there are three things that took away some of the fun. First, as I mentioned before, was the slick ramp that caused Little to fall. That could have been bad. Second, opening night, at the beginning of the show some of the supporting roles didn’t speak loud enough or their mics weren’t up enough and I was unable to catch every word they said (neither could a couple near me). It improved as the show progressed, so maybe it was a case of the nerves, but it wasn’t a major spoiler. Third was those “modern” pillars that the cast had to move about. They looked like stacks of stools made into columns. I get that they were suppose to represent walls, but really all they are is a distraction to the show and just something else for the actors to hassle with. I’m not a fan of them, I don’t see the point of them. I get that it’s a modern show, but the audience gets that without the stack of stools for walls. But, despite those three things, anyone who goes to see this show should enjoy it. I still think it’s PG-13, maybe PG-12, but it’s also so well done, it has to be one of Wagon Wheel’s better comedies. Michaels should be happy and proud with how the show overall turned out. My rating (out of four): 3.50. “Legally Blonde” runs through June 30. Tickets range from $16 to $34, with discounts available for college students and on designated performances for seniors. For more information, visit wagonwheeltheatre.org or call 574-267-8041.
