Critic's Pick
Ohmigod, you guys: The Covedale Center’s production of Legally Blonde is like, totally fabulous. A bubbly, warm, laugh-out-loud evening of theater at its cutest, Blonde is well produced and wonderfully entertaining.
Elle Woods has it made — she’s president of Delta Nu sorority at UCLA, has a 4.0 in fashion merchandising, and she’s just waiting for her boyfriend Warren to pop the question. But instead of engaged, Elle gets unceremoniously dumped. Warren lets her down gently, explaining that she’s just not serious enough. He needs a Jackie, not a Marilyn. He’s off to Harvard Law, after all. Devastated, Elle does what any self-respecting girl would: She forgoes senior-year beer bashes for studying, earns a stellar LSAT score, and follows (you might say stalks) her ex to an Ivy League law school so she can live happily ever after.
But things don’t turn out how Elle anticipated. Warren has met someone else and law school is actually really hard. But Elle is spunky, smart, loyal, kind — and she looks great in pink. So when she shows up to her first law school party in a bunny suit instead of pants suit, she owns it — ears and all. Little by little, Elle goes from a small-time ditzy, shopaholic to a big-time attorney with a bright future.
Eileen Earnest is delightful as Elle, landing both the songs and jokes as the role demands. Her entourage of sorority sisters are equally hysterical, well dressed and more than capable of carrying a tune. Allison Muennich’s Irish-loving Paulette is a highlight of the whole production, demonstrating the “bend-and-snap” and talking Elle out of going brunette. Jon Kovach’s Emmett, Elle’s No. 1 fan and tutor, is the right blend of sweet, geeky and tough when it counts. Matt Lape’s sparse but smart set and Caren Young’s costumes keep the show lively, light-on-its feet and as fun to look at as it is to listen to.
Elle learns a few hard lessons: When you don’t do your homework, you get thrown out of class. Always, always be exactly yourself. And sometimes, you don’t get the guy: You get a prestigious J.D. instead.
LEGALLY BLONDE: THE MUSICAL , presented by the Covedale Center for the Performing Arts, continues through May 5.
