The cast performs “What You Want” from “Legally Blonde.” Photo by Bruce Rosenberg.
“Legally Blonde,” with music and lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin and book by Heather Hach, is an energetic, feel-good story where the worst character is justly punished and all the others get what they want most—love and success. The short scenes serve mostly to link the vigorous songs together and launch the joyful choreography. In Rockville Musical Theatre’s (RMT) production, the pacing is brisk and the music raucous. Even if you miss a few lines of dialogue, you will easily follow this feminist saga to its joyful conclusion—merit and drive will triumph over misogyny and classism, if you stay true to yourself.
Lacy is on stage almost the entire show and never seems to flag in energy or enthusiasm. Her pure joy in performing is a delight.
Written in 2007, the musical is based on the novel Legally Blonde by Amanda Brown and the 2001 film starring Reese Witherspoon. Elle Woods (Maura Lacy), a perky sorority girl, seems to have led a fairytale life growing up in California and enjoying the bounty of American consumerism. A stereotypically beautiful blonde and nice girl, of course Elle is the favorite at Delta Nu, where the door to her room is styled like a star’s dressing room. Lacy is on stage almost the entire show and never seems to flag in energy or enthusiasm. Her pure joy in performing is a delight.
After the exuberant opening number introduces the sorority sisters who form Elle’s Greek chorus, we see her hopes for the future dashed when her swaggering boyfriend, Warner (Adam Greczkowski), unexpectedly breaks up with her. Warner contends she is not “serious” enough to be his partner as he heads off to Harvard Law School—she is just a dumb blonde. He insults the memory of a screen legend when he tells Elle to “stop being such a Marilyn.” In a neat touch, a roving violinist (Danny Seal) accompanies the breakup scene.
You would think all this would be enough for Elle to move onward and upward in her love life, but she decides to win Warner back by enrolling in Harvard Law herself. A terrific musical number, “What You Want,” anchored by the talented Raymond Ingram as Grandmaster Chad, confirms her decision that she should go for it. But does she really know what “it” is? Surely, it can’t be the doltish Warner.
After the initial cold reception by the other students, dressed in serious grays and black, Elle discovers that she is good at law. She is also noticed by graduate assistant, Emmett (Noah Beye) who provides a refreshing contrast to Warner. Emmett is smart and kind, and Beye is a terrific singer. Slightly creepy Professor Callahan (Duane Monahan) selects her to be one of his interns on a case defending exercise queen, Brooke Wyndham (Katie Desch), in a murder trial. Monahan excels in his number “Blood In The Water” in which he paints a picture of what the students must become to be successful lawyers—cold-blooded sharks. Elle decides she should dye her hair brown and heads off to see stylist, Paulette (Alyssa Wellman Houde). Paulette advises Elle that all bad hair decisions are motivated by love and then launches into the showstopper “Ireland” about her own dreams of meeting a handsome Irishman. Houde brings down the house with this number.
Act 2 becomes increasingly frenetic with numbers like “Whipped Into Shape.” featuring Katie Desch, another cast standout, and Elle’s “Bend and Snap.” The latter is a somewhat problematic song where Elle teaches Paulette how to suggestively flaunt her body to gain male attention. In the wake of the #MeToo movement, this number seems dated especially as it precedes predictable predatory behavior by another character. Of course, the sexual harassment experienced by Elle is still common and the moment is sadly realistic. “Gay or European” starts off seeming like another exercise in stereotyping, but under Dana Robinson’s strong direction, it becomes an anthem to queer culture.
Choreography by Hayley North is dance and cheerleading combined making for an invigorating evening. The audience couldn’t wait to get up on its feet for the curtain call. For a show with so many set changes, Designer Mark Hamberger created flexible modules that enabled the action to flow seamlessly. The conservative cut and color of Glenn Williams’s costume designs for the rest of the cast nicely offset Elle’s signature pink.
Breaking the age-old rule for actors to never appear on stage with children or animals. RMT includes not one, but two dogs, much to the audience’s delight. The cast seems to embrace the competition with grace.
Running time: Two hours and 30 minutes including a 15-minute intermission.
“Legally Blonde” runs Fridays-Sundays through November 13 2022, presented by the Rockville Musical Theatre at F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, Rockville Civic Center Park, 603 Edmonston Drive, Rockville, MD 20851. Tickets may be purchased by calling the box office at (240) 314-8690, Tuesday – Saturday, 2-6 pm and two hours prior to every ticketed performance or you can go online. Covid Safety: RMT strongly encourages the use of face masks for the collective comfort and safety of all.
