Legally Blonde has had an immense cultural impact. So it was no surprise that “The Musical” was added to its title.
It’s rare for such an adaptation to bring a distinct voice and insight. Legally Blonde the Musical (music and lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin, book by Heather Hatch, based on Amanda Brown’s novel and the movie), now playing at Lucky Penny Community Arts Center in Napa through Sept. 29, is one of the rare ones that’s also a joy to watch.
Elle Woods (Kirstin Pieschke) is dumped by Warner Huntington III (Ethan Bell) because she doesn’t fit his plans. To show Warner she can fit into his world, Elle applies to Harvard Law. Getting accepted to Harvard, she is made a laughing stock by the Ivy League hoi polloi, most notably by Warner’s new girlfriend, Vivienne (Morgan Bartoe).
Then, teaching assistant Emmett (David Aragon) decides to help after she gets kicked out of Professor Callahan’s (Scott Schwerdtfeger) class. With help from Emmett, her new bestie Paulette (Dae Spering) and the Greek chorus of Omega Nu sisters Margo (Charlotte Borlek), Serena (Macey Cook) and Pilar (Zakiya Ruff), Elle rises to the challenge, turns the ivory tower on its head and learns that she is worth more than Warner.
Director Dae Spering has pulled together a strong ensemble, metaphorically and literally. The song “Whipped into Shape,” led by Brooke (Tracey Freeman-Shaw), displays aerobic fitness that left the audience gasping! Also, the chorus (Borlek, Cook and Ruff) has a palpable unspoken bond that keeps their scenes funny without becoming cringy.
Despite all that is good here, the show’s production elements were less cohesive. It suffered from open static, dropped mics and uneven sound. In a show this good, the audio issues are even more noticeable and disrespectful to their artists.
Similarly, the costumes on this show were a mixed bag. Barbara McFadden did a fabulous job except for the wigs. It’s hard to do wigs in a show with such a large cast and so many quick changes. But Vivienne’s wig was so obviously a wig that it drew attention away from Bartoe’s performance. Brooke’s wig had two inches of unsecured lace visible on her forehead, fully at odds with the character’s careful appearance.
Despite the hiccups, the chemistry and talent Pieschke and Aragon share are amazing. Both fully embody the iconic characters in a believable way that makes everything else seem inconsequential. Only Rufus (Mattingly) and Bruiser (Scrappy Doo Clark) were charismatic enough to steal the spotlight from Pieschke and Aragon consistently. Then again, how can anyone pay attention to anything except these two good boys wagging their way through the performance?
They can’t. And one shouldn’t miss the opportunity to see them and their talented castmates either.
‘Legally Blonde the Musical’ runs through Sept. 29 at the Lucky Penny Community Arts Center, 1758 Industrial Way, Napa. Thurs-Sat, 7:30pm; Sun, 2pm. $24-$47. 707.266.6305. luckypennynapa.com.
