Legally Blonde: National Tour

[TMedeiros17]

Posted: 11/25/09 at 9:51am

is it worth seeing? I'm going tonight with a few friends and was just wondering if the show was still any good. Thanks!

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 11/25/09 at 11:47am

Go -- its definitely worth seeing.

Having seen the show twice on Broadway (as well as countless times via the MTV broadcast), I really wasn't in the mood to check-out the touring production, especially after it was revealed that it was a scaled-down tour, etc.

Well... last Friday I was given 2 tickets in the 5th row orchestra center section of the Broward Center so how could I refuse? I went not expecting to enjoy it and boy... was I wrong. The cast is great as is their energy. Yes, the sets were scaled down but you did NOT miss the original Broadway set at all. The staging worked perfectly with what they had (no staircase; no elevator platform center stage or hydraulics).

Becky Gulsvig IS up to all the LEGALLY BLONDE fandom hype surrounding her. So much so I actually prefer HER interpretation now over Laura Bell Bundy's 'in-your-face' interpretation. At first her nasal voice sort of irked me, but it worked its charm quickly. Hope great things come her way as she definitely knows how to hold an entire audience in the palm of her hand.

As for Natalie Joy Johnson's Paulette -- so much more suited for Paulette than Orfeh (characterization-wise, etc.); Megan Lewis (remembered for her crazy-nut behavior during her run in Broadway's GREY GARDENS) is perfection as Vivienne. Kudos also to D.B. Bonds as Emmett and Ken Land as Professor Callahan... and to Tiffany Engen's Serena (nice and spot-on overt Jewish princess take on the role).

The entire "There! Right There!" ("Gay or European") scene totally blew the entire Broward Center to bits, all due in full to Constantine Rousouli (as Nikos) and Kyle Brown (as Carlos). It was INSANE! You could just feel the electricity on stage between the actors as they knew the entire theatre was taking this all in way too much.

I could rant on and on regarding the tour. Again... I was NOT expecting anything from it and here I am -- boasting.

[GottaHaveAGimmick]

Posted: 11/25/09 at 3:45pm

I saw this as well at the Broward Center (Ft. Lauderdale)but on opening night. The cast is quite good, especially after having been on the road for about a year. Becky makes a believalbe Elle. Everyone seems to be having fun. My only (small) gripe was the pacing seemed like everyone had some RedBull. Even the dramatic points (Elle's first scene with Warner, and her conflict with Callahan) were rushed. If everything is at the same pace, the dramatic weight gets lost.

In addition to BrodyFossee's standouts, I would add Vin Daniel (who grew up in South Florida). His UPS guy (and other characters) worked the comedy scenes to the fullest.

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 11/25/09 at 3:53pm

Glad you had tickets close to the stage because unless you dis, itwould not have been worth going. The Broward Center is your typical tour venue, basically an ugly barn of a theatre that they crammed as many seats as they could into a space. It's 4 times the size of the largest Broadway Theatre. I wouldn't waste my money seeing anything there.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 11/25/09 at 4:18pm

South Fl Marc -- you're absolutely right about the Broward Center being an enormous barn. I'm blessed my folks are investors at the Broward Center, Kravis Center, Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center and the Arsht Center so I have carte' blanche to anything at those theatres. I generally have a day's notice to free 'house seats' between the 5th and 10th row orchestra center at these theatres so I'm selective with what I choose to go see, etc. As you can see/read... I'm quite pleased I chose to go see LEGALLY BLONDE: The Musical.

[sgv123]

Posted: 11/25/09 at 4:32pm

I saw the tour last year (October) with Becky and I was not all that impressed. There were a couple stand outs in the cast,but for the most part, I preferred the Broadway version. This past summer I saw it again (with Laura) and I enjoyed it much more than the 1st time I saw it. The ensemble really got their stuff together and the show is a big improvement than what it was last year.

[jonmbway4652]

Posted: 11/25/09 at 5:09pm

I saw the show and was not impressed. The cast was okay, but the show had no sparkle and the songs were awkward and tended to drag on. The sets and lighting are atrocious. Overall, I personally was no impressed.
Updated On: 11/25/09 at 05:09 PM

[angelxschunard]

Posted: 11/25/09 at 5:56pm

I saw the show and loved it. Then again, I love the show regardless. You have to go to the show not expecting the Broadway show. The tour is scaled down, they changed things, they added things. I didn't like the things they changed.

There's a completely unnecessary scene between the interns and Callahan where Emmett comes in after Elle gives him the make-over that is completely useless. I also felt that having Emmett sing "Legally Blonde" to Elle's face instead of to the door took something away from the intensity of the song. It changes Elle's character.

I saw Lauren, thank God. Hopefully you'll get an understudy. I don't like Becky. She's too old and her voice is as thin and as nasal as it gets. I don't like the way she portrays Elle, either. Ven Daniel was wonderful, Natalie's Paulette is a little weak, but she's absolutely fabulous, I HATED Ken Land. I thought he was TERRIBLE.

The show itself (the book, the lyrics, the music) is amazing but the tour itself feels a little community theatre. You'll have a great time no matter what, though, and I hope you do have a good time.

[bwaybabe2]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 3:58am

Definitely worth seeing. I got to see it also...the sets were really well made, energy was there, and everyone did their thing very well (including the dogs!). Elle's character was so well played, that I thought I was hearing and seeing Witherspoon in the role. I went to see it just to witness the show, but was very pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it! Go for it :)

[CrazierThanYou]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 4:07am

I think the reason for the "useless scene between Callaghan and the interns" was to add more time for the courtroom scene change going on behind them. Since all the set pieces are moved on via cast members.

[itsahopi]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 8:15am

I think the main reason that scene is there is so the DA and Assistant DA can make a costumes change out of "Bend and Snap." If you remember the scene on Broadway, Emmett walks into the courtroom during the Nikos/DA scene and Vivienne says "Chalk one up for Elle."

They sized down the cast for the tour, so the actors playing the DA and the Assistant DA have to be in "Bend and Snap." Therefore, they needed more time to make the costume change. Thus the repositioning of that scene.

[rmusic11322]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 10:49am

Question - Why did they have a handbag do the S during SO Much Better?

[THDavis]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 11:05am

I'm guessing they reduced the cast size to make the tour more cost effective.

I thought the tour was enjoyable, but it was unfortunate that the sets had to downsize so much that they became cheap looking and I feel that some of the songs lost impact with their changed setting. But it is a tour and you have to do what you have to do to keep it running better.

[bwaybabe2]

Posted: 11/30/09 at 12:01am

The sets looked good where I saw it. Never having seen it on Broadway, perhaps they looked less to you, but they were still very nicely done, I thought...

[angelxschunard]

Posted: 11/30/09 at 12:54am

The handbag is because they got rid of one of the chorus tracks. I'm sure if I cared enough I could find out which DN they got rid of but I really don't, ha. That's the purpose of the handbag.

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 11/30/09 at 1:14am

I was noticing on the tour site that Brooke Engen has joined the cast as a Pilar, and Chutney understudy. Am I the only one who assumed she would be the understudy Serena given that she isTiffany's twin?