Legally Blonde review Bailey's opening night

[winston89]

Posted: 7/24/08 at 12:57am

I went spur of the moment after work to get a ticket to see Bailey's first performance. Let me say that one of the reasons why I thought about (and eventually did) go for her first night was that if she was bad I could have told myself that it was just opening night jitters and not have felt like I waisted time or money. However, I can't say that because for an opening night she was very good.

She got major entrence applause/cheers during Omigod You guys. It was so loud that she waited for them to stop before singing her first line. However she was very spot on for the most part. There were still two mistakes I noticed but other then that it was a great opening night performance.

During the scene before What You Want she did slip into her southern accent for a bit but quickley recovered. Her dancing was very well done and spot on for the entier show. I was very pleased with her dancing in Positive.

She did mess up a line. After Blood in The Water when Vivian has her kicked out of class and she comments that girls can't make everyone look bad if they make each other look bad. She said good instead of bad but that was it.

And, she played off everyone very well. The cast meshed with her so well you would have gotten the impression that they had been performing for a few weeks rather then her opening night. She did look a little young compared to people like Blake and Borel but that ended up being a non issue.

I will say that I have always thought that the character of Elle is not that hard to play. All you have to do is be convincing during the time in the story where Elle goes from being a typical blonde to showing everyone that they were wrong. I felt that this was true for her. However, one thing that I did like was how she made the change very slowly so that you could see the change progress. She was very good in all of the fun comic scenes and was very good at playing the dramatic side of the story in the title song.

If this was just her good opening night performance I will say that I have the strong impression that the best is yet to come.

Most of the girls from the show where there. I saw Rehannion sp? and Lauren outisde of the theatre and they were VERY nice taking pictures and talking with people. I saw Jerry Mitchell walking towards the stage door. And, on my way out I saw Telesy with his family and more of the girls from the show. I heard a women either Telsey's wife or someone who works for him talking to a guy about how every audition had a purpose. She said that they didn't have the girls dance in the cobble stone streets of Brooklyn for the hell of it and that there was a reason why they had them do it. That was all of the conversation I heard and I wished I had heard more.

I usually stage door after a show and I was going to see how bad the stage door was going to be and let that determin if I decided to stage door or not. The show was close to if not sold out. I will explain this in a second. However, my choice was made for me. As soon as the show let out a MAJOR ligthing downpour happened. I saw the guy at the stage door saying that no one was going to come out because of the rain so I just left.

I was at work looking online to see what was available before I left the office. I saw that there was a single ticket in the balcony for 40 bucks. I didn't buy it but I assumed that if there was something there online I could go to the box office or TKTS and pick something up. I went to TKTS around 6 and Legally Blonde wasn't up there. A first in a long time for this show. I then went to the box office and asked what the cheapest single was. They told me 24 bucks partial view balcony. Of course I took it. I didn't mind sitting in partial view considering that this wasn't my first time seeing the show. Out of curoisity I asked what they had for full view and they said it was 110. So of course I went with the paritial view balcony.

With the show not being on TKTS and the the theatre being pretty much sold out. I wonder if this is a sign of things to come in terms of the box office or if it was just a lucky night because it was Bailey's first night.

And, one thing in the playbill really bugged me. For most shows on Broadway if they get a new cast member but don't have up to date playbills they just usually leave things as is and put the new cast member's bio in as an insert. However for this on the title page where it would have said Bailey's name it said Winner of MTV reality show. And in the who's who in the cast it said the same thing. And, the bio talked about how a lot of girls tried out and how only one made it etc etc and they told you to look at the inserts for more info. Of course the only inserts tha were there were for Bailey and Autumn. But, it bothered me that they did the whole MTV reality show winner instead of leaving things the way they were and just putting in an insert until the Palace got the new playbills.

[austengirl]

Posted: 7/24/08 at 1:03am

Thanks for posting that...glad you didn't get struck by lightning!

[Anakela]

Posted: 7/24/08 at 1:17am

She did mess up a line. After Blood in The Water when Vivian has her kicked out of class and she comments that girls can't make everyone look bad if they make each other look bad. She said good instead of bad but that was it.

Sorry- what happened here? Because 'good' is in the line- "We girls have to stick together. We can't try to look good by making each other look bad." Not understanding what she messed up.

Those Playbills sound... interesting.

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 7/24/08 at 1:22am

By what the OP said, I think she said it like this:

"We girls have to stick together. We can't try to look bad by making each other look good."

[winston89]

Posted: 7/24/08 at 2:08am

Sorry I remembered the mistake but forgot the exact line.

The messed up line was "we can't try to look good by making each other look good." Instead of we can't try to look good by making each other look bad.

I should have been more clear in my original post.

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 7/24/08 at 2:44am

Did anyone notice it (laughing, etc.)?

[winston89]

Posted: 7/24/08 at 2:53am

No. No one noticed it. And it sort of happened too fast to get any sort of audience reaction anyways. It was hard for me to tell if it was the usual Legally Blonde fans who were out in full force or if it was chock full of people who wanted to see Bailey as the thing that made the theare so crowded. Come to think of it It wouldn't shock me to hear that people got tickets for that particular performance knowing that the winner whoever it was was going to start that night and that they got tickets not knowing who it was.

Between the reality show ending and announcing the winner and between Bailey starting. It seems like too short a period of time that people would come to NYC just to see her. I am sure that would happen. But, like I said. Between the time the show announced the winner and tonight seems like too short a period of time.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 7/24/08 at 7:41am

Well you noticed it.

[winston89]

Posted: 7/24/08 at 9:46am

Touche Yankeefan. The only reason why I picked up on it is because it wasn't my first time seeing the show. I am guessing that people who haven't seen the show before or who don't know it as well didn't pick up on it. That was what I was trying to say.

[pink0812]

Posted: 7/24/08 at 10:40am

Hi guys, just wanted to say Bailey performed in the Wednesday mat. as well. I thought her first was that night but I was wrong. Anyway I just thought I woud point out she didn't come out for pictures/autographs after the first show either....it was perfect weather (no rain) and she had hundreds of fans waiting for an hour. She never came and I think that looks incredibly bad to not show up at all on her opening day. I was dissapointed.

[broadwayboy522]

Posted: 7/24/08 at 10:48am

Most people stay inside between shows to get rest. They probably said multiple times she wouldn't be coming out. Bailey is really going to need to rest up.

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 7/24/08 at 10:53am

I noticed that line flub too along with a bunch of insane LB fans around me (i was sitting in the far right orchestra...seat O2).

Overall though, she did a fantastic job...esepcially knowing it was her first evening performance (and second performance of the day). Her singing voice sounded much better on stage that it did in the TV show...a few off notes here and there, but nothing too dreadful. Her acting was excellent...and she will only improve with time.

Congratulations on your Broadway debut, Bailey Hanks!

Edit: Another very minor criticism: Bailey is way too short...everyone else on stage is so much taller than she is and looks much older. Kind of stange at first, but then I got used to it...
Updated On: 7/24/08 at 10:53 AM

[winter_sky]

Posted: 7/24/08 at 11:33am

They have a box for her to stand on in the graduation scene.

Also did the "Bailey's first" thread get deleted?

[austengirl]

Posted: 7/24/08 at 11:36am

Apparently that thread did get deleted.

As I said before I find it really interesting that they deleted the thread with all the positive reviews of her performance.

[BwayKid3]

Posted: 7/24/08 at 11:37am

What row were you sitting in winston?
Was there anything major that you couldnt see during the show?

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 7/24/08 at 11:40am

I love how you were so worried about spelling Rhiannon's name right but could not have cared less about all your other spelling and grammatical errors. Too funny! OMG!

[Albin]

Posted: 7/24/08 at 11:45am

"She never came and I think that looks incredibly bad to not show up at all on her opening day. I was dissapointed."

What is with people who get bent out of shape if a performer does not come to the stage door after a performance? All you are owed with your ticket is a performance, nothing else. If the performer does come out, that's a bonus. Grow up.

[pink0812]

Posted: 7/24/08 at 11:50am

They sais "she's coming , she's coming" and I guess she decided not to come because she never came....and I am sorry but if Bailey needs to "rest up" after one show....goodluck.

[pink0812]

Posted: 7/24/08 at 11:53am

and it has nothing to do with being "grown up" it has to do with being the newly elected Elle Woods-this was kind of a big deal and it comes off as not being supportive of fans...I am not asking her for her to come out every night eight shows a week....but for the first day? Lame
Updated On: 7/24/08 at 11:53 AM

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 7/24/08 at 12:02pm

"Lame"

You said it PinkO

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 7/24/08 at 12:08pm

Well, she's clearly a major new star with an incredibly long and versatile career ahead of her.








Marry rich and marry young, my dear.

[pink0812]

Posted: 7/24/08 at 12:12pm

...don't know how that pertains to this conversation, but ok. I'm not out to get her or be mean, I was just commenting. I think she should have acknowledged her fans. I think she is talented as well and a perfect Elle, I just think it would have been appropriate, but not everyone shares my opinion so oh well.
Updated On: 7/24/08 at 12:12 PM

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 7/24/08 at 12:13pm

"Marry rich and marry young, my dear."

And than (sic) post all about it on YouTube!

Updated On: 7/24/08 at 12:13 PM

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 7/24/08 at 12:30pm

Did the fans even vote on the Legally Blonde casting show?

[brochatkid]

Posted: 7/24/08 at 12:32pm

How tall is Bailey anyway? If she looked short next to the others, Natalie really would have if she'd won.