"Legally Blonde" San Francisco Reviews

[jimnysf]

Posted: 2/7/07 at 11:36pm

I know reviews are mixed into other threads but I thought it would be better to place them in a thread of their own.

From Variety:

Legally Blonde
(Golden Gate Theater; San Francisco; 2,400 seats; $90 top)
By DENNIS HARVEY



Posted: Wed., Feb. 7, 2007, 8:00pm PTLegally Blonde

(Golden Gate Theater; San Francisco; 2,400 seats; $90 top) SAN FRANCISCO A Hal Luftig, Fox Theatricals, Dori Berinstein,cq James L. Nederlander, Independent Presenters Network, Roy Furman, Amanda Lipitz,cq Broadway Asia, Barbara Whitman, FWPM Group, Hendel/Wiesenfeld, Goldberg/Binder, Stern/Meyer, Lane/Comley, Bartner-Jenkins/Nocciolino and Warren Tripp presentation in association with MGM on Stage, Darcie Denkert and Dean Stolber of a musical in two acts, with music and lyrics by Laurence O'Keefe and Nell Benjamin, book by Heather Hach, based on the novel by Amanda Brown and the MGM motion picture. Directed, choreographed by Jerry Mitchell. Musical direction, James Sampliner.

Elle Woods - Laura Bell Bundy
Warner Huntington III - Christian Borle
Paulette - Orfehcq
Emmett Forrest - Richard H. Blake
Vivienne Kensington - Kate Shindle
Brooke Wyndham, Shandi - Nikki Snelson
Professor Callahan - Michael Rupert


By DENNIS HARVEYAmid the glut of movies becoming stage musicals, "Legally Blonde" seemed a better candidate than most. The original was already virtual musical comedy minus the songs. It also sported a lightweight but sturdy plot that could lose little in translation; indeed, both the 2001 pic and its 2003 sequel were so formulaic that a tuner might stand a reasonable chance of improvement. The good news is it does that -- thoroughly, delightfully so. The bad news? Actually, there is none.
This fuchsia fluffsicle, socked over by choreographer-turned-director Jerry Mitchell, might not win over those opposed on principal to the Hollywoodization of Broadway. But its S.F. tryout is already a genuinely likable, splashy crowd-pleaser that could prove grumble-proof come its May Rialto launch.

The movies, inspired by Amanda Brown's comic novel, offered one simple hook (think "Born Yesterday" meets "Valley Girl") and routine situations singlehandedly redeemed by Reese Witherspoon's star turn as Elle Woods. She gave not-so-dumb-blonde as good as any of the greats, from Judy Holliday to Kristen Chenoweth.

Stepping into those spike-heeled shoes is Laura Bell Bundy, whose ditz credentials are in full order following turns as the original Amber in Broadway's "Hairspray" and replacement to Chenoweth's Glinda in "Wicked." Bundy may not have Witherspoon's radiant warmth (who does?), but she engagingly makes the role her own even as she delivers a faithful reproduction of its originator's (nonsinging) character voice.

Malibu-born-and-bred Elle is the stereotypical perfect product of her environment, an apparent bubblehead with the body, hair, wardrobe and money to make most guys say, "Who cares if it has a brain?" But in fact, she's a 4.0 UCLA student -- albeit in fashion merchandising.

Opening number "Omigod You Guys," the first of many effectively rousing interludes, has her equally squeal-inclined sorority sisters at Delta Nu athrall with anticipation for Elle -- because tonight is the night perfect boyfriend Warner (Richard H. Blake) is expected to propose. Instead of popping the question, however, he pops her balloon. Heading to Harvard Law in the fall, with plans to be "a senator by 30," Warner can't afford anymore to have a living Barbie as consort. It's time to get "Serious," he sings.

Latter duet is a good example of how "Legally Blonde" composer-lyricists Laurence O'Keefe ("Bat Boy") and Nell Benjamin utilize the pop, R&B and hip-hop party sounds of recent MTV decades to enjoyably semi-satirical ends -- after all, boy bands, "American Idol"-style canned soul and booty-shaking anthems would be the logical soundtrack for Elle's worldview.

On first listen, the songs don't impress as being worth much repetition outside the show's infectious performance context. Still, they are facile and ironic in the right way, with lyrics (like the dialogue in Heather Bach's book) that are often very funny.

Devastated, Elle pulls herself out of a "shame spiral" -- and out of the pink-and-teal Barbie Mansion of David Rockwell's inspired sorority-house skeleton. Figuring she can win Warner back if she proves she's "serious" after all, she crams enough to actually gain admission to Harvard. Rather than penning a personal essay, however, her application climaxes with a halftime Super Bowl cheer squad routine performed for the initially incredulous Law School dean in his office.

Once ensconced, Elle is dismayed to discover Warner already has a very "serious" new girlfriend in ambitious Vivienne (Kate Shindle), and that her own superfemme El Lay ways appear ludicrous to classmates, let alone to tough Prof. Callahan (Michael Rupert), legal eagle of a billion-dollar firm. He informs new students that only "some lawyers are sharks. The rest are chum."

Ridiculed Elle finds emotional support in brassy Bostonian hairdresser Paulette (Orfeh) and academic motivation from Emmett (Christian Borle), the teaching assistant-cum-working-class hero cast as improved romantic-fadeout material. (Elle also gets a delightful Greek chorus of yakkety Delta Nu sisters, who materialize whenever crisis arises.)

After intermission, Elle's close study of girly surface style ultimately triumphs in a court case wherein Callahan and interns defend fitness-regime queen Brooke Wyndham (Nikki Snelson) from the charge of murdering her rich older husband.

So much of "Legally Blonde" is so smartly engineered, good looking, high energy and hilarious that it's easy to forgive those few moments sporting an earnestness this material can't easily support. (Much is lumped on Borle, though he manages to be funny when he can.)

Among the show's many appealing aspects is how it manages to swim in broadly amusing shallows most of the time while avoiding heartlessness. The "be true to yourself" message is utterly by-the-numbers -- but such is the evening's charm that it doesn't seem fake.

Highlights are many. Among them are numbers big (like Brooke's second-act rev-up "Whipped Into Shape"), small (Paulette's carnal ode to "Ireland") and midscale narrative-advancing ("So Much Better," "Bend and Snap").

Mitchell, choreographer of "Hairspray," "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels," "The Full Monty" and his 2005 Tony winner, the "La Cage aux Folles" revival, makes a terrifically assured directorial debut. Dancing isn't technically dazzling (like the music, it stays within idioms relevant to Elle's A-to-B SoCal cultural education), but the show moves with such purposeful fun that the climaxes earned frequent showstopper applause on opening night.

Sole number that sticks out oddly is "There! Right There!," a courtroom episode that's quite funny but whose operetta parody just seems out of sync here. (Conversely, a brief "Riverdance" satire is goofily hysterical.)

In a strong supporting ensemble, Orfeh's Fran Drescher-style comedics, Andy Karl as a "walking porn" UPS guy who becomes her love interest and Natalie Joy Johnson as Elle's lesbian law school classmate Enid are standouts.

Rockwell's set assemblies of fleetly lowered/wheeled-in pieces are cute and clever, nicely lit by Kenneth Posner and Paul Miller. Gregg Barnes' costumes are another hit. With: Annaleigh Ashford, April Berry, Paul Canaan, Lindsay Nicole Chambers, Beth Curry, Tracy Jai Edwards, Amber Efe, Gaelen Gilliland, Jason Gillman, Becky Gulsvig, Rod Harrelson, Manuel Herrera, Natalie Joy Johnson, Andy Karl, Nick Kenkel, Michelle Kittrell, Leslie Kritzer, DeQuina Moore, Rusty Mowery, Kevin Pariseau, Matthew Risch, Jason Patrick Sands, Noah Weisberg, Kate Wetherhead.
Musical numbers: "Omigod You Guys," "Serious," "Daughter of Delta Nu," "What You Want," "The Harvard Variations," "Blood in the Water," "Love and War," "Ireland," "Ireland" (reprise), "Serious" (reprise), "Chip on My Shoulder," "So Much Better," "Whipped Into Shape," "Take It Like a Man," "Bend and Snap," "There! Right There!", "Legally Blonde," "Legally Blonde Remix," "Omigod You Guys" (reprise), "Find My Way/Finale," "Omigod You Guys" (reprise).

Sets, David Rockwell; costumes, Gregg Barnes;lighting, Kenneth Posner, Paul Miller; sound, Acme Sound Partners. Opened, reviewed Feb. 6, 2007. Running time: 2 HOURS, 35 MIN.



Read the full article at:
http://www.variety.com/story.asp?l=story&r=VE1117932710&c=33

[theaterdude87]

Posted: 2/7/07 at 11:45pm

http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117932710.html?categoryid=33&cs=1

your link was a tad off...but what a great review!

[jimnysf]

Posted: 2/7/07 at 11:46pm

From The Oakland Tribune....3 and 1/2 Stars

https://www.insidebayarea.com/stage/ci_5176318



THEATER REVIEW
Merry musical 'Legally Blonde' dazzles and delights
Three 1/2 stars — Bright, shiny 'Blonde'
By Chad Jones, STAFF WRITER
Inside Bay Area
Article Last Updated:02/07/2007 10:32:25 AM PST

The opening number from "Legally Blonde, The Musical" is, like, really catchy.
So much so that the refrain, "Oh. My. God. Omigod, you guys," bores into your brain and refuses to exit in a timely manner.

It helps that the song accompanies one of the liveliest opening sequences seen on a musical theater stage in a long time. With expectations riding high, "Legally Blonde" shoots out of the gate like a prize, Prada-clad stallion and races toward that elusive goal of Broadway immortality.

That is the goal of every new musical, right? Some — like "Wicked" or "Hairspray" — even achieve it, to varying degrees.

The latest entry is yet another new musical based on a movie. Unlike last year's vampire stinker "Lestat," this one has blood pumping in its veins. And that blood is a bright shade of pink.

"Legally Blonde, The Musical" had its world premiere Tuesday at San Francisco's Golden Gate Theatre, where it runs through Feb. 24 and then re-opens at New York's Palace Theatre in April.

For a just-hatched show, this "Blonde" is in awfully good shape, though (not to disparage blondes in any way) it doesn't have a whole lot going on in its pretty head.

And that's OK. Sometimes you just want a musical to shake its sparkles at you and make you smile. Rather than feel guilty about that, if the musical is crafted with a degree of skill and intelligence, you can sit back and enjoy. That's the kind of show "Legallly Blonde" is.

Except for that opening song and the title tune, the score by the husband-and-wife team of Laurence O'Keefe and Nell Benjamin treads the line of pleasant if unremarkable pop and disco with hints of R&B.

Heather Hach's book attempts to make characters more interesting than they were in the 2001 movie, which, frankly, isn't much of a challenge. Reese Witherspoon was adorable, but the pleasures of the movie don't go very deep.

Our heroine, SoCal sorority president Elle Woods (Laura Bell Bundy), has the kind of confidence you don't often see in a protagonist. We catch her at a weak moment: her chiseled boyfriend Warner Huntington III (Richard H. Blake) has just dumped her because as a man with his political games needs "less of a Marilyn, more of a Jackie."

Warner's off to Harvard Law School, and rather than be a victim, Elle decides to follow him.

This means we get a massive production number called "What You Want" in which Elle's a-poppin'. She eschews the standard admissions essay in favor of a marching band, a flag team and a stage full of people singing her praises.

Of course the ploy works, and once she's admitted, she has many important lessons to learn about being taken seriously and allowing her considerable intellect to compete with her golden locks and designer wardrobe (vibrant costumes by Gregg Barnes).

The hero in all of this is Jerry Mitchell, the Tony Award-winning choreographer who makes his Broadway directorial debut with "Legally Blonde."

What you see on stage at the Golden Gate is pure energy and heart. Mitchell and his cast light musical theater sparks several times, but the best number — and a welcome slice of sheer musical theater delight — comes in Act 2 with the unimaginatively titled "Legallly Blonde Remix." David Rockwell's busy set goes away, Ken Posner and Paul Miller's lights flare up, and it's just the cast dancing and singing up a storm with a hint of "Riverdance' and a whole lot of humor.

There are disappointments — like how little Michael Rupert as a cocky law professor and Kate Shindle (Miss America 199 as Elle's primary foe have to do. And the score continually promises more memorable things than it actually delivers. Where, for instance, is Elle's defining, sing-it-to-the rafters number? The ballad version of "Legally Blonde' doesn't cut it. What does legally blonde mean, anyway?

The romance between Elle and Harvard teaching assistant Emmett (the charming Christian Borle) is still a few flames short of a blaze. Perhaps Emmett needs a song of his own that doesn't repeat the phrase "chip on your shoulder' until it hurts.

But then again, there are pleasures like Bundy's cute-as-a-button Elle, Orfeh as sassy hairdresser Paulette and Andy Karl as the UPS guy who steals Paulette's heart and nearly steals the show.

Though they're more effective as valley-talking sorority sisters than as Elle's only-in-her-brain Greek chorus, Annaleigh Ashford, Leslie Kritzer and DeQuina Moore ratchet up the vivacious quotient whenever they're onstage. They rev up the feel-good, girl-power motor that keeps the musical buzzing along for more than 2 1/2 hours.

"Legally Blonde, The Musical" is a show that wants to delight our inner teenage girl. Not everyone has an inner teenage girl, but for those of us who do, omigod you guys, get ready to be tickled pink.

For information about "Legally Blonde, The Musical,' visit https://www.shnsf.com.

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 2/7/07 at 11:48pm

3 and 1/2 out of 5?

[legallyblondemusical]

Posted: 2/7/07 at 11:50pm

Leslie Katz, The Examiner:

SAN FRANCISCO - “Legally Blonde,” the new musical, begins with a song called “Omigod You Guys” — and it’s one of the two best tunes in the show. Rodgers and Hammerstein (or their estates) don’t have much to worry about. Still, the joie de vivre spirit of that tune remains throughout the show’s two and a half hours, and it’s that tone that makes this lightweight story of a not-so-dumb sorority girl who “finds herself,” by way of Harvard Law School, so appealing

Based closely on the 2001 movie starring Reese Witherspoon, the play, by Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin (music and lyrics) and Heather Hach (book), is on its pre-Broadway run at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Theater in a Best of Broadway presentation.

Like the film, it’s a crowd pleaser. The jokes are genuinely funny, its young actors are good-looking and energetic, the dancing rivals what’s popular on TV, and the costumes and sets flash and dazzle to just the right extent. Topping things off, there are two live dogs. (Tuesday’s opening night audience properly oohed and aahed at each canine appearance.)

The vibrant Laura Bell Bundy plays Elle Woods, the Southern California college girl whose boyfriend dumps her at the wrong time. In “Omigod” (a number reminiscent of “The Telephone Hour” from “Bye Bye Birdie”), she and her sorority sisters are giddy about the prospect of a proposal from the glossy Warner (Richard H. Blake). Yet Warner surprises Elle in the song “Serious”; he lets her know she’s not marriage material as he goes off to Harvard. In one hilarious moment as she tries to chime in on the ballad, he deliberately sings over her, telling her to wait.

In an attempt to win Warner back, Elle follows him to Harvard, directly to the classroom of a tough professor (Michael Rupert) who’s selecting students to be interns at his law practice. There she meets the low-key, level-headed law student Emmet (Christian Borle), who becomes her friend and mentor. In the show’s best, most heartfelt number, “Chip on My Shoulder,” he tells her his hopes and dreams.

But hopes and dreams, and memorable melodies, are lacking in “Legally Blonde,” which hits many of its jokes with clever lyrics (although there’s no shortage of gay, lesbian and, oddly, Irish-themed quips) but misses its heart.

‘’Bend and Snap,” a charming tidbit in the movie, here is an overly choreographed number that belabors its point. The title song, which should be the highlight of the second act, fizzles. Not to worry, though. Things come back around for a reprise of “Omigod,” the opener that introduced Warner and Elle as “just like that couple from “Titanic’ — only no one dies!”

Yes, despite its derivativeness and omissions, “Legally Blonde” has the makings of a hit.
http://www.examiner.com/a-552912~Omigod___it_s__Legally_Blonde__the_musical.html

[jimnysf]

Posted: 2/7/07 at 11:50pm

I think it's 3 1/2 out of 4.

[theaterdude87]

Posted: 2/7/07 at 11:55pm

So the "Examiner" was a tad mixed...I would rather go by "Variety" who is very well known for an opinion.

[allofmylife]

Posted: 2/7/07 at 11:57pm

Told ya. Nya-nya-nya-nya-nya.

[carymetorent2]

Posted: 2/7/07 at 11:57pm

Just to consolidate, here are the links from the other threads:

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.arts.theatre.musicals/browse_thread/thread/49153ffc3f8226f7/af4b51e8c1c2b174?q=orfeh&rnum=1#af4b51e8c1c2b174

http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/16610991.htm

http://www.ibabuzz.com/backstage/2007/02/07/review-legally-blonde-the-musical/

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 2/7/07 at 11:58pm

I always had faith in Jerry Mitchell, and I am glad Natalie Joy Johnson is being mentioned.
Thia looks like a comer in NYC's TONY race.
Congrats to all!

[legallyblondemusical]

Posted: 2/8/07 at 12:00am

Abridged version from Karen D'Souza, San Jose Mercury News:

Get your pink on!

Listen up, girlfriend. Elle Woods may be the first full-on 21st century feminist icon. She's hot. She's blond. She's got some serious fashionista mojo going on. And you never doubt for a second that she's gonna lather, rinse and repeat her way straight to the top.

OK, so, yeah, she belongs to a sorority that believes your life begins when a guy proposes to you. And yeah, her personal philosophy, i.e. the bend and snap, boils down to getting boys to look at her, ahem, assets. Oh, and did we mention that she stalks her ex all the way from Malibu to Harvard Law? He's all: You're a total airhead. And she's all: I am so not! Only she really kinda is, you know, until she realizes there is more to life than the perfect pedicure.

""Legally Blonde: The Musical,' like the hit Reese Witherspoon flick from 2001 on which it is based, isn't exactly feminism a la Susan Faludi (although there is delish-hot-pink-bunny-suit nod to Gloria Steinem). This is girl power gone wild. This is booty shaking as self-help. This is arm candy as extreme sport. In its world premiere at San Francisco's Golden Gate Theatre (before bowing on Broadway in April), this here is a vapid-and-lovin'-it guilty pleasure show that truly dares to bling it on. Check the paper for a full review, but keep on scrolling for more tidbits now. Come on. You know you want to.

Bootylicious dance moves plus J-Lo worthy duds (Gregg Barnes' couture is so juicy it drips!) and rad Barbie dream house sets well may make this musical a ka-ching magnet on the Great White Way.

Still, in his directorial debut, famed choreographer Jerry Mitchell handles the whole character development thing with somewhat less agility. Despite a bubbly-meets-snarky book (by Heather Hach) and score (by Nell Benjamin and Laurence O'Keefe), Elle's journey from wannabe trophy wife to Harvard valedictorian doesn't really register on an emotional level.

Laura Bell Bundy nails Elle's spunkier-than-thou vibe. This girl makes Kelly Ripa look like a mope. But unlike her Reeseness, Bundy glosses over the formidable in favor of the fluff. Sometimes she misses the big heart that goes with the big hair. And it's just not a chick-flick if it doesn't make you a little misty, am I right?

The deal is the relationships don't feel as real as the pop references here. Elle's ties to her sorority-sisters-cum-Greek-chorus (wink!) feel artificial, as does her bonding with the beautician Paulette (the feisty Orfeh).

It also sorta sucks that there are zilch sparks between Elle and the scruffy blue collar nice guy Emmett (Christian Borle), a former doofball who still plays Tetris on adaily basis. Borle does score points for being able to act and sing at the same time. Nice going, dude! Some of the other supporting players? Not so much.

Also, hello! There's a few too many reprises of the insanely catchy ""Omigod You Guys.' And the title ditty lacks oomph. And legions of interchangeable supporting characters and bland tunes lead to some blank spots. As with eyeliner, sometimes less is more, people. I'm just sayin'.

Happily, there usually is something here to distract you from pesky thoughts of plot and theme. Fer sure, this show features two of the cutest pooches in the known universe, the pink-clad chihuahua Bruiser and the adorably-pussed bull dog Rufus. The yo-quiero Taco Bell dog of yore had nothing on these two.

Actually, the pop culture references well be may the real stars of this show. Check this, the studly-butted U.P.S. guy (Andy Karl so needs to call me!) struts in and quips ""I've got a package.' When the jazzercise heiress ditches the evil lawyer Callahan (the one-note Michael Rupert) with an authoritative ""You're fired!,' one of the sorority sistahs gushes, ""Omigod, that's so "Apprentice!''

A few teensy tiny pop culture caveats: What's with the old-school aerobics gear in Elle's dorm room? As if anyone did step anymore. Anachronistic much? And why do the Harvardites adore pinot noir? That is so five minutes ago. Like, duh.
http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2007/02/legally_blonde_.html

[thevolleyballer]

Posted: 2/8/07 at 12:09am

I'm really amused that every reviewer has apparently had a different opinion on what the show's best numbers are. "Chip on My Shoulder", "Legally Blonde Remix", "Whipped Into Shape", "What You Want"... all are listed as 'the show's best number.' Does this mean there are just so many great numbers? I think so. :)

[legallyblondemusical]

Posted: 2/8/07 at 12:11am

It means the writers actually have personalities (gasp)
Updated On: 2/8/07 at 12:11 AM

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 2/8/07 at 12:20am

I swear, many of the wIcKeD-WEDDING SINGER kids who post on here could have future careers writing for Variety. I can't get through one of these reviews that leave random words out and abbreviate others, as though it were a high school newspaper. Not to mention the misspellings and inaccuracies:

"This fuchsia fluffsicle, socked over by choreographer-turned-director Jerry Mitchell, might not win over those opposed on principal to the Hollywoodization of Broadway. But its S.F. tryout is already a genuinely likable, splashy crowd-pleaser that could prove grumble-proof come its May Rialto launch."

It's principle. Not the principal who oversees your high school newspaper. PRINCIPLE.

"The movies, inspired by Amanda Brown's comic novel, offered one simple hook (think "Born Yesterday" meets "Valley Girl") and routine situations singlehandedly redeemed by Reese Witherspoon's star turn as Elle Woods. She gave not-so-dumb-blonde as good as any of the greats, from Judy Holliday to Kristen Chenoweth."

Kristin. Enough said.

"Stepping into those spike-heeled shoes is Laura Bell Bundy, whose ditz credentials are in full order following turns as the original Amber in Broadway's "Hairspray" and replacement to Chenoweth's Glinda in "Wicked.""

Bundy was not Chenoweth's replacement. She was her standby. Jennifer Laura Thompson was Chenoweth's replacement.

Variety should stick to writing about movies.

Updated On: 2/8/07 at 12:20 AM

[legallyblondemusical]

Posted: 2/8/07 at 4:07am

Robert Hurwitt from the SF Chronicle gives us a peek of his full review:

"Jerry Mitchell’s cinematically fluid, inventive direction and showstopping, energetic choreography help bring the Broadway-bound screen-to-stage musical adaptation to bright, buoyant life in a 2 1/2-hour Best of Broadway world premiere. Laura Bell Bundy leads a dynamic, brightly comic cast as Elle Woods, the superficial sorority queen who takes on Harvard Law School, in a mostly very entertaining show marred by a few trite numbers that don't come up to songwriters Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin’s hilarious highlights."

http://www.sfgate.com/listings/event.php?performance,e239600 Updated On: 2/8/07 at 04:07 AM

[jimnysf]

Posted: 2/8/07 at 4:25am

San Jose Mercury News Review....

Posted on Thu, Feb. 08, 2007



Great fun, not much heart
BROADWAY-BOUND `LEGALLY BLONDE: THE MUSICAL' IS A GUILTY PLEASURE
By Karen D'Souza
Mercury News

Listen up, girlfriend. Elle Woods may be the first full-on 21st-century feminist icon. She's hot. She's blond. She's got some serious fashionista mojo going on. And you never doubt for a second that she's gonna lather, rinse and repeat her way straight to the top.

OK, so, yeah, she belongs to a sorority that believes your life begins when a guy proposes to you. And yeah, her personal philosophy, i.e. the bend and snap, boils down to getting boys to look at her, ahem, assets. Oh, and did we mention that she stalks her ex all the way from Malibu to Harvard Law?

He's all: You're a total airhead. And she's all: I am so not! Only she really kinda is, you know, until she realizes there is more to life than the perfect pedicure.

``Legally Blonde: The Musical,' like the hit Reese Witherspoon flick from 2001 on which it is based, isn't exactly feminism a la Susan Faludi (although there is a delish-hot-pink-bunny-suit nod to Gloria Steinem). This is girl power gone wild. This is booty-shaking as self-help. This is arm candy as extreme sport.

In its world premiere at San Francisco's Golden Gate Theatre (it's scheduled to bow on Broadway in April), this here is a vapid-and-lovin'-it guilty pleasure show that truly dares to bling it on.

Props to Jerry Mitchell (who made his name as a Broadway choreographer with ``La Cage Aux Folles' and ``Hairspray') for some, dare we say, awesome dance routines. The Tony winner has made sure the show flows as fast and hard as a Beyoncé video. He works miracles transforming tired old shticks (like a pep rally cheer or a workout DVD) into stomp-the-yard-showstoppers.

Bootylicious moves plus J-Lo-esque duds (Gregg Barnes' couture is so juicy it drips!) and rad Barbie dream house sets (kudos to David Rockwell for his use of a bat-pole onstage) well may make this musical a ka-ching magnet on the Great White Way.

Still, in his directorial debut, Mitchell handles the whole character development thing with somewhat less agility. Despite a bubbly-meets-snarky book (by Heather Hach) and score (by Nell Benjamin and Laurence O'Keefe), Elle's journey from wannabe trophy wife to Harvard valedictorian doesn't really register on an emotional level.

Laura Bell Bundy nails Elle's spunkier-than-thou vibe. She's sweet, cute and so uber-vivacious that you would fully hate her if she weren't such a do-gooder. This girl makes Kelly Ripa look like a mope.

But unlike her Reeseness, Bundy glosses over the formidable in favor of the fluff. Sometimes she misses the big heart that goes with the big hair. And it's just not a chick-flick if it doesn't make you a little misty, am I right?

Bundy does gild some not-ready-for-Hallmark pearls of wisdom, such as ``clearly, booty can't solve everything' (how deep is that?). And she can sing the heck out of anything, which gives a feel-good anthem such as ``So Much Better' more kick than a case of Red Bull.

On opening night, the actress' orgiastic squealing set off one of the evening's many ecstatic ovations (although, just between us girls, some of the chorines had a tighter bend and snap than Bundy).

Also, the relationships don't feel as real as the pop references here. Elle's ties to her sorority-sisters-cum-Greek-chorus (wink!) feel artificial, as does her bonding with the beautician Paulette (the feisty Orfeh).

And there's none of that Lifetime-TV-worthy, love/hate push and pull between her and her former flame Warner (Richard H. Blake). Even worse, Kate Shindle barely registers as Elle's uptight nemesis Vivienne.

It also sorta sucks that there are zilch sparks between Elle and the scruffy blue-collar nice guy Emmett (Christian Borle), a former doofball who still plays Tetris on a daily basis. Borle does score points for being able to act and sing at the same time. Nice going, dude!

Some of the other supporting players? Not so much. There's also probably one too many reprises of the insanely catchy ``Omigod You Guys.' And the title ditty lacks oomph. And legions of interchangeable supporting characters and bland tunes lead to some blank spots. As with eyeliner, sometimes less is more, people. I'm just sayin'.

Happily, there usually is something here to distract you from pesky thoughts of plot and theme. Fer sure, this show features two of the cutest pooches in the known universe, the pink-clad Chihuahua Bruiser and the adorably-pussed bulldog Rufus. The yo-quiero Taco Bell dog of yore had nothing on these two.

Actually, the pop culture references well may be the real stars of this show. Cheesy little puns and snide asides shine like rhinestones in velvet. You know, fun and flashy with a little touch of tacky.

To wit, the studly-butted UPS guy (Andy Karl so needs to call me!) struts in and quips ``I've got a package.' When the Jazzercise heiress ditches the evil lawyer Callahan (the one-note Michael Rupert) with an authoritative ``You're fired!,' one of the sorority sistahs gushes, ``Omigod, that's so `Apprentice!' '

A few teensy tiny pop culture caveats: What's with the old-school aerobics gear in Elle's dorm room? As if anyone did Step anymore. Anachronistic much? And why do the Harvardites adore pinot noir? That is so five minutes ago. Like, duh.

`Legally Blonde: The Musical'

Book by Heather Hach, music and lyrics by Nell Benjamin and Laurence O'Keefe

Upshot: Get your pink on! Check your depth at the door and this frothy bit of fashionista faux-feminism just may hit your sweet spot.

Where: Golden Gate Theatre, 1 Taylor Street at Market Street, San Francisco

When: 8 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays; 2 p.m. Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays

Through: Feb. 24

Running time: 2 hours, 30 minutes with one intermission

Tickets: $35-$90; [phone], www.shnsf.com



Great fun, not much heart

[EugLoven]

Posted: 2/8/07 at 4:50am

BroadwayWorld.com's review (written by yours truly) will be up soon.
I'm fighting a cold.

Opening Night was bombastic though and it's good to see the
majority of Bay Area critics all share the same sentiments.

Updated On: 2/8/07 at 04:50 AM

[legallyblondemusical]

Posted: 2/8/07 at 4:55am

Daily Californian (Cal paper)

Musically Blonde
From the Big Screen to the Stage, ‘Legally Blonde’ is Still Cheeky Fun
BY Eitan Bencuya

While attending a musical that starts and ends with the phrase “omigod you guys,” omigod seems to be an extremely appropriate description of the experience: Omigod, did they really make “Legally Blonde the Musical”? Omigod, am I actually seeing this show? Omigod, can this musical possibly be any good?

To which one can only answer: yes, yes, and surprisingly, yes.

“Legally Blonde the Musical,” a stage adaptation of the 2001 Reese Witherspoon flick, made its world premiere in San Francisco last week, and the story of Elle Woods, the ditsy blonde sorority girl who wants to be taken seriously at Harvard Law School seems to all-too-accurately tell the story of the musical itself. Amongst the classic canon of Andrew Lloyd Webber, Rodgers and Hammerstein and Cameron Mackintosh, the production attempts not only to break the rules but to mock them in the process, as it embarks on the valiant quest to be taken as a serious musical that can stand alongside its peers when it heads to Broadway in April.

But if the too audacious, too alluring and too pink law student can make it at Harvard, then maybe the musical with the same traits may have just enough potential to make it on Broadway. Indeed, if Tuesday night’s crowd is any indication of its New York reception, then “Legally Blonde the Musical” has already (excuse the pun) won its case.

The musical reintroduces a host of traditional musical theater features that have slowly disappeared from modern productions, in an attempt to prove its legitimacy on the stage. An opening overture, extended musical dance breaks, and powerful solos recall both the early musicals of the 1950s and the mega-musicals of the later 20th century, while a large cast, and elaborate, creative and inventive sets stand in stark contrast to the tight-budgeted minimalism seen in contemporary musicals.

Yet the show is not afraid to mock those very characteristics that it seeks to emulate. A courtroom scene turns into an interrogation of whether a pool boy is gay or merely European, an annoyingly recurring choir of sorority girls appears as a “Greek” Chorus and songs with deliberately inane rhymes intermix with meta-theatrical jokes and arbitrary hip-hop breaks.

But amidst it all, the show contains enough genuine talent and charm to make its desire for sincerity compelling. The story has just the right mix of joy and sorrow to keep the audience invested, and the right blend of dialogue and music to keep them entertained. Inventive dances and catchy melodies make the musical a welcome addition to the musical theater repertoire and strong performances by all—including a nearly show-stealing performance by Kate Shindle as the antagonist Vivienne Kensington during the song “Legally Blonde Remix”— gives the show enough strength to stand up for itself against critics and rival productions.

Ultimately, “Legally Blonde the Musical” seems to be trying to have its cake and eat it too, simultaneously mocking the very genre it strives to be a part of. Does the fact that it is an adaptation of a comedy that did well at the box office undermine the show’s value as a “good” musical or is it heralding a new age of musical theater? Does a pastiche of musical styles and dances indicate laziness by the composer or a new theatrical genre? The answer may not yet be evident, but the show’s case for its own existence is clear—and convincing—enough. In the meantime, it provides enough laughs and cheers to entertain both blondes, brunettes and redheads alike.





http://www.dailycal.org/sharticle.php?id=22884 Updated On: 2/8/07 at 04:55 AM

[rich700]

Posted: 2/8/07 at 5:37am

After having seen "Legally Blonde" tonight, I have to agree with the critic for the SF Examiner, who perfectly nails the show, warts and all. That's exactly the show I saw tonight.

The songs: People have different favorites mostly because while all of the songs have lots of energy and sprightly lyrics, none are the least bit tuneful, though a couple (like the opening number) do stay in your brain --- however perhaps more like a mantra than an actual melody. Also, the dancing veers way too close to aerobics. It's energetic but not very pretty. Call the show a combination of the youthful energy of "Thoroughly Modern Millie" without the tunefulness, the humor of "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" without the comic performances, and the infectiousness of "Hairspray" without the heart.

I think the New York critics will be far less forgiving than those in San Francisco. Sure, much of the audience stood and applauded at the end but I didn't feel the kind of love or fervor that either "Mamma Mia" or "Wicked" generated, and nobody clapped along with the curtain call music. It's a show that's easy to like but hard to love. How that translates into a New York run is tough to forecast.

[jimnysf]

Posted: 2/8/07 at 9:17am

SF Chronicle...Full Review

RATING: (POLITE APPLAUSE)







Not only can Elle get into Harvard, turns out she can sing and dance too
- Robert Hurwitt, Chronicle Theater Critic
Thursday, February 8, 2007

Legally Blonde: Musical. Book by Heather Hach, adapted from the novel by Amanda Brown. Music and lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin. Directed by Jerry Mitchell. (Through Feb. 24. Golden Gate Theatre, 1 Taylor St., San Francisco. Two hours, 30 minutes. Tickets: $35-$90. Call [phone] or go to www.shnsf.com).



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Omigod, you guys," as the Delta Nu sorority sisters sing in "Legally Blonde's" opening number: Elle Woods has leapt from the screen to the stage in living pink and blond. She's pretty, perky and a tuneful dynamo of delight, as played by an ever-engaging Laura Bell Bundy. And she's about to have her heart broken by a clueless snob -- with perfect comic timing -- in the very next song.

Can a dedicatedly superficial Malibu sorority queen become a rising star of Harvard Law School? Anyone who's seen the popular movie "Legally Blonde," starring Reese Witherspoon, knows the answer. Now "Legally Blonde: The Musical," which opened Tuesday at the Golden Gate Theatre, poses a parallel question. Can another Hollywood hit find success as a Broadway musical?

Probably, though it could improve its chances before its Broadway previews begin April 29.

"Blonde," adapted from the novel by Amanda Brown and the screenplay, by Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith, is another combined world premiere and pre-Broadway tryout in the Best of Broadway series. After two weeks of previews at the Golden Gate, it's a buoyant blend of comic invention, captivating performances, bright design and knock-'em-dead dance numbers as staged and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell. But it loses momentum at key moments, about two-thirds of the way through each of its two acts.

Mitchell, who's helmed the project since its conception, knows his way around screen-to-stage adaptations. Though this will be his Broadway directorial debut, he choreographed "Hairspray," "The Full Monty" and "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels." He's given "Blonde" a remarkably fluid, cinematographic incarnation that succeeds in making the musical look not only larger than life but bigger than film.

David Rockwell's slick, restless sets -- pieces of sorority, Harvard Law and courtroom interiors and exteriors, shops, a palatial bathroom, forever sliding into place and rearranging themselves -- and Gregg Barnes' hot-pink and cool-gray costumes amplify the visual experience to cartoon level. Mitchell takes advantage of every opportunity to inject similarly animated production numbers, while keeping the plot and clever interchanges of Heather Hach's faithful book crystal clear.

The dynamic opening "Omigod You Guys" -- one of songwriters Laurence O'Keefe and Nell Benjamin's catchier tunes -- is a whirlwind of uncontainable sorority excitement as Elle prepares for a long-expected proposal from the vapid, upper-crust Warner (a comically stuffy Richard H. Blake, in perfect tandem with Bundy as he spurns her in "Serious").

Elle's video application to Harvard Law blows things open in full halftime-show style with an all-cheerleader marching band. The movie's snippet of an exercise video is now a stunning jump rope-snapping showstopper (featuring an impressive Nikki Snelson), complete with freeze frames. Mitchell even inserts a hilarious, if superfluous, breakout "Lord of the Dance" lampoon. And he keeps the Delta Nu energy going by using three sorority sisters (the potent Leslie Kritzer, Annaleigh Ashford and DeQuina Moore) as an ongoing Greek (get it?) chorus.

O'Keefe and Benjamin excel at pop, disco, MTV and Motown-inflected comic songs, buoyantly played by the tight orchestra under James Sampliner's direction. Bundy, a resonant Christian Borle (as her eventual Mr. Right) and the rest of the cast handle the songs beautifully. The single-named Orfeh stops the show with another very funny Irish-fantasy spoof ("Ireland") and Michael Rupert's suave Professor Callahan smoothly brings down the house on the lawyerly talk-song "Blood in the Water." An ensemble speculation about whether a key court witness is "gay or European" is particularly inspired.

Where the composers run into trouble is with the songs that have to move the plot forward. "Chip on My Shoulder," which covers Elle's transition to serious legal student, is melodically trite and lyrically uninteresting, which makes it seem overlong despite Bundy and Borle's charm. Their major duets in the second act -- a dress-for-success vignette and Elle's climactic crisis of faith -- are similarly strained letdowns.

It's still, for the most part, an engaging and entertaining antidote to dumb-blond jokes, filled with sharply comic portrayals. Kate Shindle, Kate Wetherhead, Manuel Herrera and Andy Karl are standouts in minor roles, as are the crowd-pleasing dogs Chico and Chloe. Broadway veteran Bundy isn't an outstanding dancer -- not in this company -- but she has a strong, attractive voice and is a radiantly beguiling, smart Elle. It would help her case if she weren't saddled with the show's least appealing songs.


SF Chronicle

[TechEverlasting]

Posted: 2/8/07 at 9:31am

" It's a show that's easy to like but hard to love. How that translates into a New York run is tough to forecast."

I don't think it's tough to forecast. LB is going to be huge when it gets to NY, and much to the consternation of theatre snobs everywhere it will be with us for years on Broadway and in various tours and sit down productions.

Just how many times can all those preteen girls watch Wicked? The word of mouth on this is going to be incendiary. It won't matter what the NY critics say.

[allofmylife]

Posted: 2/8/07 at 10:27am

And they have time to make the changes necessary. Remember that process? This is, after all called the "out-of-town" period. Expect changes.

[uncageg]

Posted: 2/8/07 at 12:01pm

I was on the fence about seeing this when I am in New York. I think I will be seeing it!

[theaterdude87]

Posted: 2/8/07 at 12:16pm

These reviews are quite good for a show that has only been running a few weeks.

[Trish2]

Posted: 2/8/07 at 12:54pm

It looks like MargoChanning was wrong on this one. Maybe he/she is losing his/her touch?