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rOcKS @ 'Legally Blonde'

rOcKS @ 'Legally Blonde'

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WiCkEDrOcKS
#1rOcKS @ 'Legally Blonde'
Posted: 4/7/07 at 9:35pm

Okay, so after all of the completely terrible movie to stage translations that have plagued Broadway since Hairspray, I expected Legally Blonde to be the worst. I mean...it just...didn't seem like it would work at all. But, damn was I wrong. Nowhere even close to being perfect or flawless, Legally Blonde: The Musical is the most fun onstage this year. And it's a great show too. It is not the best musical of the season (that title belongs to Spring Awakening) but the thing that I love about it is that it doesn't strive to be. It just aims to please and it does more than that. It is bright, bubbly, and oddly involving and well-done.

Whereas The Wedding Singer was all style and no substance, Legally Blonde exceeds in both respects. It has a so-so book by Heather Hach that has just as many hits as it does misses. Certain scenes or lines fall flat while others soar. With some more sharp and original jokes, it would be that much better. The first act of the book moves too fast and most of the jokes are your run-of-the-mill theater jokes but the second act improves so much more on the first. The lines are funnier, the scenes more direct and hearty, and the characters fleshed-out better. So, while uneven, its not awful but it could definitely be better and I hope Hach is realizing which lines work and which dont and will tweak the book a bit until opening night. GRADE: B-

The score by Laurence O'Keefe and Nell Benjamin is incredibly inventive and catchy. Sure its banal at times but hell its the most tuneful score I've heard since Hairspray. I loved "So Much Better," "Omigod You Guys!," "Legally Blonde," "Ireland," "Chip On My Shoulder," and "Bend and Snap" the most. "Blood in the Water" is bland and totally forgettable, and some of the lyrics are cheesy but thats about as far as my complaints about the score go. "There! Right There!" got some of the biggest laughs from an audience that I've heard in years. Finally I can say that Broadway has a score worthy of the teenie-boppers it will inevitably attract. GRADE: B+

Jerry Mitchell is just as inventive a choreographer as he is a director. His choreography here will win him yet another Tony almost assuredly. "Whipped Into Shape" alone is awesomely choreographed and award-worthy. This is a first-rate directorial debut. I really hope to see more shows directed by him in the future in which he will surely just get stronger. I hope he takes home the Tony for direction as well. While he's not dealing with as serious and dark material as Michael Mayer is with Spring Awakening, I actually prefered Mitchell's direction for LB. He really worked that HUGE stage and kept the show moving as a desirable and snappy pace. GRADE: A-

Now for the cast. This cast is simply superb all around. The energy was higher in the Palace Theater this afternoon than I could have ever hoped.

Laura Bell Bundy is doing a stellar job of carrying this show. She really works well with her fellow castmates and can dance and sing with the best of them. Her acting is wonderful as well. I really don't have much to complain about here but nothing really to rave about either. While, yes, she was perky and adorable and fun to watch, she is really bringing nothing new to the role which is kind of uninteresting. It's almost as if she copied Witherspoon's portrayl a little too much. I wanted to see Laura Bell's version of Elle. If I wanted to see the same version I've seen 10 times, I would have stayed home and watched the movie again. But in all honesty, it was something that I picked up on and no one else really cared to freak out about. She got a huge standing ovation and at the stage door, you'd think Julia Roberts was playing Elle. She was swarmed by fans and I really hope this role does for her what it did for Witherspoon. She deserves a Tony nomination and will almost definitely get it but Ebersole has nothing to worry about. Bundy is great in the role and wildly energetic and I predict she will only get better as time goes on. Godspeed to her in this part; I only hope she doesn't get a big head like Chenoweth did during her Wicked run...

Orfeh is a riot as Paulette and deserves to win the Featured Actress Tony. While Wilson was great in Grey Gardens, Orfeh really took control of the stage and demanded the audiences full attention. She was very funny and I loved the aim she took to the role. It was fresh and different and I really enjoyed her portrayl of Paulette. My only qualm though was that she didn't have enough to sing! The girl's got KILLER pipes and even when she does sing, she doesn't get to show them off which upset me.

Christian Borle is sweet and reliably strong as Emmett. I hope he finally gets a Tony nomination. If up for Featured Actor, I also hope he'll have stab at winning. He was subdued in the most perfect sense of the word. It was a nuanced, bright, and consistent performance that won me over.

Richard H. Blake is very good as Warner. Nothing much to say....he wasn't phenomenal but he wasn't bad at all. It was a good supporting performance. I really like him as a performer and I hope to God he will break out of these supporting roles and take on a lead role in a show. He has the talent.

Kate Shindle was a jolt of impressive energy in the role of Vivienne. I also really enjoyed what Hach did with her character in the book. The changes Hach made really worked for the stage, I must say that. But at any rate, Shindle was great in the part.

Nikki Snelson is first-rate the whole way through; Michael Rupert is pretty good...he does the best with the minimal material he has been handed. Callahan is severely underwritten...

The rest of the supporting players (particularly Andy Karl and Dequina Moore) are phenomenal. Everyone onstage during this show seems to be having a ball with it; its great to watch so many people really enjoying what they are doing and keeping the energy up for two and a half hours. Keep it up!!! (Also LOVED the two dogs!)

I liked David Rockwell's sets but thought that there could have been even more; the Palace's stage is GIGANTIC and it seemed a bit empty at times. Gregg Barnes just may have another Tony waiting for him come June...he has done another incredible job here. Kenneth Posner and Paul Miller's lighting was good but obviously the kinks are still being sorted out as spotlights were a bit jumpy and some lighting changes didn't happen on what was obviously their cues. Christopher Jahnke's orchestrations were strong, bright, and bubbly.

(My Tony predictions for Legally Blonde? Nominations for Best Musical, Director, Choreography, Costume Design, Set Design, Actress -Bundy-, Featured Actor -Borle-, Feat. Actress -Orfeh-, Book, and Score...I say it has at least three or four awards in the bag but that's just my opinion. Best Musical is a lock for a win, I think...and to tell you the truth, as much as I thought Spring Awakening was nearly perfect and incredible, I would definitely not mind seeing this impressively fun show take home the night's big prize.)

All together, the show worked surprisingly well. There are some undeniably weak aspects about it but goddamn it I was entertained for two and a half hours and was NOT bored for one second and any show that can do that nowadays gets my vote. I hope it finds success and I hope people will take it seriously because like Elle, Legally Blonde The Musical should NOT be underestimated. Go see it!

Overall: B+

Yankeefan007
#2re: rOcKS @ 'Legally Blonde'
Posted: 4/7/07 at 9:39pm

Funny, I thought Bundy was the weakest aspect.

And I'll, of course, plug my own thread:

https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.cfm?thread=931322&dt=28

I'll be happy to debate in the BWW chat room. Lord knows, I'm looking for something to do tonight. Updated On: 4/7/07 at 09:39 PM

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WiCkEDrOcKS
#2re: rOcKS @ 'Legally Blonde'
Posted: 4/7/07 at 9:41pm

What BWW chatroom? WHERE HAVE I BEEN!? LOL...tell me how to get there and I'll go on at like 10:30ish.

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Wanna Be A Foster
#3re: rOcKS @ 'Legally Blonde'
Posted: 4/7/07 at 9:42pm

Interesting review.

Whereas The Wedding Singer was all style and no substance, Legally Blonde exceeds in both respects.

THE WEDDING SINGER had style?

Exceeds?

His choreography here will win him yet another Tony almost assuredly.

I wouldn't be so sure. This is his least impressive choreography to date, in my opinion.


"Winning a Tony this year is like winning Best Attendance in third grade: no one will care but the winner and their mom."
-Kad

"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)

Yankeefan007
#4re: rOcKS @ 'Legally Blonde'
Posted: 4/7/07 at 9:43pm

It's on the left side toolbar under Site Features.

Your thoughts are interesting to read, by the way. I should have posted that in my first response.

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WiCkEDrOcKS
#5re: rOcKS @ 'Legally Blonde'
Posted: 4/7/07 at 9:47pm

Thanks! :)

Well, I really didn't like TWS very much but I thought at least it LOOKED good and was fun to LOOK at. Legally Blonde is both fun to look at AND get involved in. Can't say the same for TWS.

And as far as Mitchell's Tony...I know it's his least impressive work but seriously...what other show had dance numbers like LB? I just feel like he did a good job with the choreography and will win because no other show seems to bring to mind any stunning dance numbers. Plus the Tony comittee loves his work. We'll see...
Updated On: 4/7/07 at 09:47 PM

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WiCkEDrOcKS
#6re: rOcKS @ 'Legally Blonde'
Posted: 4/7/07 at 9:51pm

And I also hope that anyone and everyone who is NOT a teenage girl will see the show. The show will appeal to many different types of people if they give it a chance.

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Wanna Be A Foster
#7re: rOcKS @ 'Legally Blonde'
Posted: 4/7/07 at 9:53pm

SPRING AWAKENING's choreography by Bill T. Jones (which, by the way, earned a Lortel Nomination last week) is the most innovative choreography this season.


"Winning a Tony this year is like winning Best Attendance in third grade: no one will care but the winner and their mom."
-Kad

"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)

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WiCkEDrOcKS
#8re: rOcKS @ 'Legally Blonde'
Posted: 4/7/07 at 9:55pm

I completely hated SA's choreography. It was the one part of the show that I disliked and I really disliked it. All I remember was a lot of jumping during TOTALLY F*CKED; LOL.

You think it has a chance of winning the Tony?

neddyfrank2
#9re: rOcKS @ 'Legally Blonde'
Posted: 4/7/07 at 10:07pm

Plus the Tony nominees love his work.

You also think that this show is a lock for Best Musical?

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WiCkEDrOcKS
#10re: rOcKS @ 'Legally Blonde'
Posted: 4/7/07 at 10:11pm

Yeah, I really do. I mean as it has been repeated on here over and over; this is a touring producer's dream. It has a universal appeal.

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FOAnatic
#11re: rOcKS @ 'Legally Blonde'
Posted: 4/7/07 at 10:38pm

Ashford was robbed for WEDDING SINGER.

I can see him winning for his work in CURTAINS.

Although I do think Mitchell is the front-runner this year.


"I love talking about nothing. It is the only thing I know anything about." - Oscar Wilde

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Wanna Be A Foster
#12re: rOcKS @ 'Legally Blonde'
Posted: 4/7/07 at 11:09pm

Ashford hasn't matched his choreography since MILLIE.


"Winning a Tony this year is like winning Best Attendance in third grade: no one will care but the winner and their mom."
-Kad

"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)

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ClumsyDude15
#13re: rOcKS @ 'Legally Blonde'
Posted: 4/7/07 at 11:34pm

Great review, WickedRocks


I want to see this extremely bad.

Hoping to go next Sunday.


"Anybody that goes to the theater, I think we’re all misfits, so we ended up on stage or in the audience.” --- Patti LuPone.
Updated On: 4/7/07 at 11:34 PM

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jv92
#14re: rOcKS @ 'Legally Blonde'
Posted: 4/8/07 at 12:01am

There's no taking that award from Wilson, though Mitchell seems likely for choreography if Rob Ashford doesn't take it.

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FosterChild
#15re: rOcKS @ 'Legally Blonde'
Posted: 4/8/07 at 12:03am

I agree with many things both rOcKS and Yankeefan have to say, I especially agree that no matter how "competent" Bundy is, she has absolutely no warmth or charm. That's why I don't think she "carries" the show and have said as much on other threads. I think Hach is the single weakest link and should have had some help brought in long ago. It's a huge testament to the cast that ANY of it, or them get laughs, because some of those one-liners are just plain awful.

I wholeheartedly agree that Orfeh is a surprise Tony frontrunner, not only for a nod but a win and it's a CRIME she's not singing more. That shouting in to the wings ending tells me they're not all that bright over at Blonde and cutting their noses off to spite their faces. You've got this incredible singer, use her! And while Borle is fine, he will never convince me that he's a "leading man". He was also a bit too understated. The Palace is a huge theater, not a TV screen. I'm going back Tues to see it again and will post again.

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Amneris
#16re: rOcKS @ 'Legally Blonde'
Posted: 4/8/07 at 12:14am

my question is, I haven't seen the show but.. how in the hell do they train the dogs to do all the things i heard they do? And do they have different dogs for the Elle Understudies? That might seem stupid but, dogs might get used to one person.. I think it's amazing how they do those things.

jg4892
#17re: rOcKS @ 'Legally Blonde'
Posted: 4/8/07 at 12:17am

I'm pretty sure they use treats.

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WiCkEDrOcKS
#18re: rOcKS @ 'Legally Blonde'
Posted: 4/8/07 at 12:47am

Really? I think Ebersole is a definite lock and unless some freak loophole in the Tony nomination process occurs, she may as well accept her Tony now. But Wilson, while great, doesn't seem as sure of a win to me. I hope Orfeh wins...

I think we are going to see a FIERCE Tony campaign from Legally Blonde this year...same can be said for Spring Awakening, the surprise hit of the last five years. Does anyone remember when it started and was filling the O'Neill theater to capacities in the 30% range week after week? I say SA will take score undoubtedly...everything else for SA seems up in the air right now. Book is a possibility...

Once LoveMusik opens and the reviews come out, I think this years Tony winners (at least in the musical categories) will be pretty obvious...

And, no, the same dogs are used every show I THINK. Im not 100% sure.

And the dogs dont really DO much. The biggest thing one of them does is during 'Omigod You Guys!'. Bruiser lays down, barks a few times on cue, and then jumps in one of the girls' arms. Every other time the dogs are seen, they basically have to walk across the stage or are in someone's hands, bag, or are on a leash. I mean its still impressive; most PEOPLE can't get on a stage in front of that many people and do what they have to do perfectly but its not like theyre jumping through flaming hoops.
Updated On: 4/8/07 at 12:47 AM

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courtnyj
#19re: rOcKS @ 'Legally Blonde'
Posted: 4/8/07 at 1:34am

Here's an article from Playbill.com that tells how the dogs were trained.

ASK PLAYBILL.COM: That Blonde Dog

directorKeith
#20re: rOcKS @ 'Legally Blonde'
Posted: 4/8/07 at 2:17am

I saw the show tonight (Saturday) and I couldn't disagree more with your review. But I need to preface my comments by saying I thought the show was so bad I walked out in the first act when the "greek chorus" came up. So anything that happened after that, regardless of how good, arrived to late to redeem what was for me the worst show I have seen in 4 years ("Empire" was the last show to hold the worst show title in my book).

There are 3 different aspects to a show: the source material (book/score); the actors performance of that material; the production (technical aspect/set,etc.)

The technical was par for the course anymore. Basic sound system that made the show sound more like a massive surround sound system like the one in my house, not a like a real live performance, but more canned. There were some balance issues, but that was to be expected since it just opened a couple of days ago. Overrall it was difficult to understand the lyrics of most of the songs. It sounded as though the upper end was being pushed too hard at the expense of a fuller richer sound. But that could be because of the lack of ability on the part of the actors.

The actors suffered from poor diction, sloppy phrasing, and bad intonation. While they seemed ideally suited to the pop-style of this show, they came across as warmed-over boy-band rejects (or girl-band). For me the highlight were the shirtless and oh-so-hot bos in the hip-hop sequence.

The weakest part though was the book and score. The story (again, I walked out at the greek chorus in the first act) was rushed, didn't develop organically, and was simply a series of vignettes designed to get us to the next vignette. There was no consistency to the musical score, no thematic development that I could find. Just several attempts to write at least 1 hit song - but none was found. What finally drove me to leave was the greek chorus (get it? see Elle was in a sorority, a greek organization see, and well her life has been such a tragedy that it required a greek chorus to comment on it---- don't believe me? well that's almost exactly what the girls in the greek chorus tell Elle when they appear... just in case anyone in the audience wanted to know why they were there and needed it to be beaten into their heads with a baseball bat).

Where this show will do well is on the HS circuit. It has plenty of current and up to date references, lots of opportunities to change lines to suit the flavor of the day or the location (Elle grew up across the street from ______ [fill in the blank with your favorite TV star]. OR "Elle has a written letter of reference from ______ [again, fill in the blank with your HS's favorite TV personality or whomever]). It has a built in spot to feature the local HS marching band. It will allow HS teachers to talk about the importance of the SAT's and LSAT's, and writing a good college admissions essay, and on and on.

But unless they go through the first 35 minutes and revamp it to get to what might be better material later on, this show did not give me the impression that it could ever hope to join the ranks of serious shows with staying power. Like the movie, after a few years the novelty will wear off and it will start to disappear from the repertoire.

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bjh2114
#21re: rOcKS @ 'Legally Blonde'
Posted: 4/8/07 at 2:48am

DirectorKeith, if this was the worst show that you've seen in the past 4 years, then I don't think you have seen enough theatre to make that judgement. There were many good qualities to this show. It's quite rediculous that you felt the need to walk out at such an early point. At least wait until intermission. All of the performers really gave it their all and, while the book is weak in some places and the score not as catchy as those of some other shows, this show is by no means bad.

In regards to other peoples' posts about the Tony Awards...the only Tonys I see this show picking up are for the costumes (Elle's band costume alone must have taken hours to make, and Greg Barnes did a great job all around) and possibly choreography, though Ashford might have a shot at that. No way in hell is Bill T. Jones going to win for Spring Awakening. In fact, I don't think he'll even get nominated. Choreography nominations will go to Mitchell for Legally Blonde, Ashford for Curtains, Graciela Daniele and Carol Leavy Joyce for Pirate Queen, and Matthew Bourne for Mary Poppins.

BroadwayPenguin2
#22re: rOcKS @ 'Legally Blonde'
Posted: 4/8/07 at 2:52am

How can you judge a show by only seeing the first 35 minutes?

I have sat through horrible performances, but always stayed till the end, not only out of respect for the actors, but to everyone who had put in time and effort to make the show what it is.

If you had seen the whole show and then posted your review, I would have said "to each his own". But 35 minutes? Come on.

neddyfrank2
#23re: rOcKS @ 'Legally Blonde'
Posted: 4/8/07 at 3:22am

bjh- Be prepared to be suprised when Bill T Jones gets a nomination for Best Coreography and quite possibly wins. Also you say that Elle's band costume must have taken hours to make, I just watched the ATW Working in the Theater seminar on Grey Gardens and Christine Ebersole talks about how she sat for countless hours with William Ivey Long just discussing how the costume would work, eventhough her costume looks so simple you would be suprised at how complex it is.

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TWSFan4Ever
#24re: rOcKS @ 'Legally Blonde'
Posted: 4/8/07 at 7:55am

directorKeith, maybe next time you should stay for the whole show...


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