Theater review: ‘Legally Blonde The Musical’ at Hendersonville Theatre

Omigod, you guys! Guess what’s showing at Hendersonville Theatre through Sunday, Aug. 4!? Legally Blonde The Musical, that’s what!

Most of us have seen the beloved 2001 movie version of Legally Blonde that helped make Reese Witherspoon a household name. What you might not know is that the screenplay was based on novelist Amanda Brown’s law school experiences at Stanford University.

Her parody lives on as the stage musical version with book by Heather Hach and music and lyrics from the team of Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin. The show debuted in 2007 to a surprisingly lukewarm reception and ran for just over a year on Broadway. Nonetheless, Legally Blonde The Musical proved it had staying power, trickling through community theaters and eventually arriving at Hendersonville Theatre.

Beautiful California sorority girl Elle Woods (played by Morgan Miller) is in quite the conundrum. Just when she thinks her boyfriend Warner Huntington III (Mackenzie Raub) is going to pop the question, he instead pops the balloon on their perfect relationship. His reason: He wants to lead a more serious, high-profile life when he attends Harvard Law School. So, Elle gets the bright idea to follow him. After all, how hard can getting into an Ivy League university really be? Miraculously, she gets admitted despite her blonde Barbie appearance, love for fashion and excessive admiration for the color pink. Off she goes with her purse-sized dog Bruiser (Clair) in tow to win Warner back.

Soon after Elle surprises Warner on campus, a group of law students led by the vicious Vivienne Kensington (Beth Norris) makes Elle’s scholastic journey a living hell. To combat the bullying and prove herself, she must strengthen her focus and study skills. In comes the bookish Emmett Forrest (James Gorsuch) to help. As Elle climbs her way up the ladder, she finds herself in the mix of working on a real murder case defending famed fitness instructor Brooke Wyndham (Shelley Nielsen). Against all odds, it’s up to Elle to save her client before the gavel strikes the final time.

Though Hach’s book is flawed, Legally Blonde The Musical is certainly not boring. It’s just too wild and untamed to belong in the league of great or even very good musicals — which may explain its brief Broadway run. The biggest issue is the lack of scenes without songs. The few fleeting times the production slows itself down, we catch a glimpse of what could have been — an impactful play with a message. It can’t be said that Hendersonville Theatre didn’t give it its all. In fact, an experience with this much spirit behind it is a marvel in itself.

Clearly, director Heather Fender has the ability to sincerely inspire a troupe. Unfortunately, this production is too overwhelming. With a big, zany musical of this scale in a theater this intimate, it all becomes claustrophobic and very loud. Most of the actors are unnecessarily mic’d, and the two hanging speakers just above the audience make it feel as if you’re being blown back against the wall by the sound pressure.

While there is a youthful sweetness to it all, a slightly more serious interpretation may have finessed the outrageous antics. But giving the production an injection of feminist ideals — which the musical strangely didn’t carry over from the film — might have been challenging with the material at hand. Regardless, the cast is having a lot of fun, and it can’t help but somewhat rub off on you.

Miller has rather challenging high heels to fill, and she’s quite lovely as Elle. There’s a noticeable fragile innocence about her that appropriately gives the character a fresh sparkle. Miller is game to play along with the exuberance of the rest of the cast, but her heart appears to be yearning for a stripped-down version that allows for more realism. It shines through regardless, and her singing is most definitely appealing.

Gorsuch is outstanding and paired believably with Miller. He plays the handsome studious type that’s bound to make it in life. While that security is frustrating for those who know the struggle is real, it’s accurately portrayed for those with assured determination. Interestingly, his Emmett pushing Elle to take law school more seriously is a prime example of undercutting the feminist outlook of the film. Here, it’s as if she can’t always think for herself.

Certain actors rarely make a faulty move in any given production, and Norris is one of them. While her serious roles are the most satisfying and sadly too few, she manages to infuse both comedy and drama here. The sassiness is in full swing, and there are several moments when the play is tamed, albeit briefly, by her undeniable skill.

Other impressive standouts include Rebecca Boyce, Dakota Mann, Annika Lee Knudson, Sharvis Smith, Zoe Zelonky and especially Nielsen as the fitness guru-turned-alleged murderess. Overall, the cast carries the musical numbers alongside a live band, thanks in large part to Chuck Taft’s work as musical director. However, with the exception of “Omigod You Guys,” few songs are memorable — especially when compared with the film’s punchy soundtrack.

Hendersonville Theatre’s numerous changes with leadership and branding in a surprisingly short amount of time have been daunting. Despite these shifts, the company’s latest production still manages to retain some of the spunk and verve it’s come to be known for over the years. While Legally Blonde The Musical is a campy and very over-the-top endeavor, it’s a no-brainer crowd-pleaser — even if it is a rather predictable choice. And it’s sure to have you practicing the “bend-and-snap!” behind closed doors when you get home.

WHAT: Legally Blonde The Musical
WHERE: Hendersonville Theatre, 229 S. Washington St., Hendersonville, hendersonvilletheatre.org
WHEN: Through Sunday, Aug. 4. Fridays-Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., Sundays at 3 p.m., Saturday matinees 3 p.m. on July 27 and Aug. 3 2:30 p.m. $26-$38.