“Legally Blonde The Musical”, the latest Cayman Drama Society’s (CDS) production at The Prospect Playhouse, Red Bay, opened last Thursday (13), and it really was MAGICAL

The 2½ hours did pass like magic and I am one who gets fidgety in anything over 90 minutes long but not once did I look at my watch during the performance. That is a rarity.

The story is I am sure familiar to most of you as it was a best selling novel and a 2001 hit movie starring Reese Witherspoon and Luke Wilson with a cameo by Raquel Welch.

The plot is fairly simple. In her senior year at C.U.L.A., girlish sorority president Elle Woods majors in fashion merchandising and is hopelessly in love with her boyfriend, Warner Huntington III, who will attend Harvard Law School the following year. She excitedly expects him to ask her to marry him, but he breaks up with her instead, claiming that he has to be with someone more “serious”.

Elle follows him to Harvard to try and win him back. What follows next is predictable but it is the back stories that give some meat to the plot and keeps the whole thing very interesting and enjoyable. It is also very funny.

“Legally Blonde The Musical” is based on the Amanda Brown novel and the film   with music and lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin and book by Heather Hach.

Legally Blonde premiered in pre-Broadway tryouts in San Francisco, California. In April 2007 the show moved to Broadway, opening to mostly positive reviews and grossed more than $1,000,000 a week on several occasions. Jerry Mitchell directed and choreographed. The original cast included Laura Bell Bundy as Elle, Christian Borle as Emmett and Richard H. Blake as Warner. It received seven Tony nominations and ten Drama Desk nominations but failed to win any. The West End production opened in January 2010 at the Savoy Theatre. The West End production was nominated for five Laurence Olivier Awards and won three, including the Best New Musical award.

The musical was recorded in September 2007 and aired on MTV in October 2007. Following this, a reality TV program was aired showing the audition process for the next person to play Elle Woods on Broadway. The winner was Bailey Hanks, who played the role from July 23, 2008 until the production closed on October 19, 2008 [Source: Wikipedia].

I have not seen any of the stage productions nor the MTV airing. What I can say is that the CDS’s Elle, played by Isabella Rooney, who I last saw sing a wonderful duet with International Soprano Lisa Carlise at Camana Bay’s ARC a couple of years ago, is SUPERB!

Lisa told me “that girl has talent” and she does. She is on stage at least 90% of the time and she sings, she dances, she performs, and she really IS Elle. Not once did she drop out of character and this must be one of the most demanding roles anyone can have. She flew through without missing a step. It looked like the role was especially written for her.

There is an old adage never appear on stage with cute kids and animals and this production had the most charming and adorable animals – two poodles – who both did their best to steal the limelight which to a certain degree they did – but M/s Rooney still got your attention.

The rest of the cast were excellent too with great performances from everyone. I particularly enjoyed Adam Roberts’ Callahan, the nasty and lecherous Harvard professor’s performance, but the funniest one was from Rick Glass who played Kyle the UPS delivery man who falls in love with Paulette the spunky beautician (played by Jennifer LaForge). In a smallish role it was very memorable and even got a well deserved applause during the show. I was one who almost fell off my seat laughing.

David Verhoevens as the male lead Emmett was well up to the task with Teri Quappe very bitchy in her villainess role.

I can’t name everyone but as I said everyone was excellent and I am amazed how the producer, Kelly Rooney, co-producer Lisa Jeffery-Hayman and Director Neil Rooney managed to find all the good singers and dancers.

And the singing and especially the dancing was frantic. Full marks to the Centre Pointe Dance Studio – Sophie Gough and Hayman.

It would indeed be remiss not to mention the set design – Graheme Boyd-Moss and Kelly Rooney. The designs were simple and they had to be as there were lots. The crew moving them into place worked very efficiently and unobtrusively.

I urge everyone to go and see this production. I cannot recommend it any higher. It would not have disgraced Broadway.

Musical numbers

Act I

“Omigod You Guys” – Elle, Serena, Margot, Pilar and Company

“Serious” – Elle and Warner

“Daughter of Delta Nu”† – Serena, Margot, Pilar and Company

“What You Want” – Elle, Serena, Margot, Pilar, Kate, Elle’s Parents, Grandmaster Chad and Company

“The Harvard Variations” – Emmett, Aaron, Enid, Padamadan and Harvard Students

“Blood in the Water” – Callahan and Company

“Positive” – Elle, Serena, Margot, Pilar and Greek Chorus

“Ireland” – Paulette

“Ireland” (Reprise) – Paulette

“Serious” (Reprise) – Elle and Warner

“Chip on My Shoulder” – Elle, Emmett, Greek Chorus and Company

“So Much Better” – Elle, Greek Chorus and Company

Act II

“Whipped Into Shape” – Brooke, Callahan and Company

“Delta Nu Nu Nu”† – Brooke and Elle

“Take It Like a Man” – Elle, Emmett and Salespeople

“Bend And Snap” – Elle, Paulette, Serena, Margot, Pilar, Bend and Snap Guys and Salonfolk

“There! Right There!” – Elle, Callahan, Emmett, Brooke, Vivienne, Warner, Enid, Judge, Nikos, Carlos and Company

“Legally Blonde” – Elle and Emmett

“Legally Blonde Remix” – Vivienne, Elle, Enid, Brooke, Elle’s Parents and Company

“Scene Of The Crime”† – Elle, Judge, Serena, Margot, Pilar and Company

“Find My Way/Finale” – Elle, Paulette, Emmett and Company

“Bows” – Orchestra and Company

“Legally Blonde The Musical” plays March 13th to 28th 2014 at The Prospect Playhouse.

Thurs, Friday and Saturday: 7:30pm  – Sunday: 4:00pm

Adults CI$25 – Students CI$10 (includes St Matthews and UCCI)

Friday 21 March is Rotary Night – Call DAVE PHIPPS soon at 949-8198/525-6564 to book to attend on Rotary Night

For all other performances, call the CDS box office 938-1998 or email [email protected] now to avoid disappointment!