(From L to R) Top: Ashley Scharpf, William Young, and Liam Darnell; Bottom: Joseph Akinyoyenu, Ryan Robbins, Leanne Tan, and Kiara Pierce. Photo by Oishee Ghosh, a student at Walt Whitman HS.
From Delta Nu to Harvard U, someone always wants to take advantage of the fashion-forward blonde. But what happens when she decides to take the stand? Find out with Walt Whitman’s spectacular production of “Legally Blonde The Musical.”
Starting out as a novel and 2001 movie, the fan favorite “Legally Blonde” made the jump to the Broadway stage in 2007. With a book by Heather Hach and music and lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin, “Legally Blonde The Musical” follows the blonde, pink-loving Elle Woods as she ventures from the UCLA sorority house to the halls of Harvard Law School in pursuit of her pretentious ex-boyfriend. With the help of driven teacher’s assistant Emmett Forrest and lively hair stylist Paulette Buonofonte, Elle discovers that the law profession is more than it seems and realizes that she too can move beyond what is expected from her at first glance.
Each cast member of Walt Whitman High School’s production fully embodied the show’s bubbly spirit, creating an enthusiastic and unified ensemble which maintained a high-energy, full-throttle pace throughout the performance. The crew’s cohesive and often multi-functional technical elements blended seamlessly into the show, culminating in an exhilarating, feel-good production.
With unfaltering energy and quirky charisma, Maddie Belanoff’s Elle Woods turned the “dumb blond’ stereotype on its head. Whether it be prancing onstage in a revealing Halloween costume or cheekily reaching for her boyfriend’s hand, Belanoff’s unbridled confidence and impeccable comedic timing showcased the actor’s impressive talent at both verbal and non-verbal acting. The spirited, unfiltered nature of Belanoff’s Woods was well matched by Joseph Akinyoyenu’s portrayal of the passionate, grounded Emmett Forrest. The two actors fully committed not only to their own characters but to the relationship between them, exchanging both witty banter and solemn confrontations with a stunning sincerity. Their performance of the emotional duet “Legally Blonde” brought the show’s tension to a heart wrenching climax that showcased both Belanoff’s and Akinoyuyenu’s jaw-dropping vocals.
Ellie Arenstein brought the spunky, wise-cracking Paulette Buonofonte to life with a zestful authenticity. Arenstein’s bold stage presence complemented Belanoff’s more refined Elle, while also highlighting the contrast between the two empowered women. Paulette’s distinct Bostonian accent was executed masterfully, unwavering even throughout Arenstein’s stunning solos. Anchoring the show’s more serious subtext was Ryan Robbins’ enrapturing portrayal as the renowned Professor Callahan. With a dominating stage presence during “Blood in the Water” and a chilling severity in the scene preceding “Legally Blonde”, Robbins skillfully created a dynamic character that emphasized Legally Blonde’s more serious themes.
Boasting nearly 100 quick changes and up to 10 outfits per character, the costumes for Whitman’s production were nothing short of spectacular. Their costume design team, led by Gabriela Murray, Katelyn Leonard and Jasper Murray, used subtle changes in color and style, shifting from bright pinks and revealing cuts to more subdued tones and sensible ensembles, to reflect Elle’s journey while maintaining her distinctness from the rest of the ensemble. Two onstage quick changes, both occurring during songs, happened flawlessly while keeping in perfect time with the music. The Walt Whitman High School Pit Orchestra tackled the challenging instrumentals with a bright determination, their expansion of the score to accommodate more players only enhancing the well-tuned sound of the performance.
With breathtaking vocals and a raw authenticity, Walt Whitman’s production of “Legally Blonde The Musical” spoke to the idea that you never can judge a book by its cover.
The performance reviewed was presented on Friday, February 24, 2023.
Review submitted by Hannah Frieden of Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology.
