The movie Legally Blonde, starring Reese Witherspoon, was released in 2001 and became an instant success. Then, six years later in 2007, its stage musical adaptation opened on Broadway and received seven Tony Award nominations. I personally love the Legally Blonde musical more than words can express, and I’ve watched the MTV Pro-Shot on YouTube countless times.
As an ultrafeminine sorority girl and former theatre kid who loves pink, I hold a very special place in my heart for Legally Blonde. While I, of course, love the original movie, I must confess that I prefer the musical.
It’s a faithful adaptation, staying true to the spirit of its source material. Still, it also makes changes that strengthen the story and the characters’ relationships, and it has a fabulous soundtrack.
Great Music
Starring Laura Bell Bundy as Elle and Christian Borle as Emmett, the original Broadway cast recording is filled with amazing vocals. The original cast was absolutely stacked, and the songs, composed by Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin, are catchy and fun.
The music plays an important role in enhancing the story, giving us a glimpse into the characters’ heads and advancing the plot. For example, “What You Want” shows Elle studying to get into Harvard, and “So Much Better” shows her newfound confidence when she’s chosen for Professor Callahan’s internship.
The Legally Blonde soundtrack is truly my comfort music, and it’s perfect no matter my mood. I listen to it to help me relax when I’m stressed, when I want to dance, or when my best friend and I want to sing along in the car.
Developing Elle and Emmett’s Relationship
One of the most noticeable changes that the musical makes when adapting the movie is dedicating more time to developing Elle’s relationship with Emmett. The audience gets to see the two helping each other grow and gets a better sense of why they’re so good together.
Additionally, the movie’s Emmett Richmond is renamed Emmett Forrest in the musical, with his new last name showing a somewhat on-the-nose connection to Elle Woods.
During the song “Chip on My Shoulder,” Emmett helps Elle adjust to life at Harvard. He encourages her, helps her study, and shows her that she’s capable and that there’s someone who believes in her. In this scene, we see how playful they are with each other, joking as their friendship develops.
Later, while singing “Take it Like a Man,” their roles are reversed. Elle helps Emmett dress the part of a sophisticated lawyer, so he’ll be taken seriously. With more scenes together, it’s easier to get invested in their relationship. When we see how well they complement each other and how they help each other grow, it’s obvious why they’re so perfect together.
Sisterhood
The Legally Blonde musical emphasizes sisterhood throughout the story. When Elle decides that she wants to go to Harvard, her Delta Nu sorority sisters help her study for the LSAT. When she’s away from them, they become her Greek Chorus, hyping her up in her head and often singing backup.
In the movie, Elle’s Delta Nu sisters play a much smaller role, and we don’t really get a sense of how close they are. This decision to give them a larger role throughout the musical really works, because it shows how important these friendships are to Elle.
Elle’s friendships with the other female characters are similarly highlighted. She spends more time with Paulette, who has an expanded storyline. In the musical, Vivienne is the one who convinces Elle to come back to the trial, telling her that she belongs there. Paulette, Vivienne, Enid, and the Delta Nus are there when Elle defends Brooke in court, a support system of Elle’s female friendships.
Empowerment
Like the movie, the musical has a prominent theme of empowerment. However, I feel that the changes and additions to the musical accomplish this more thoroughly. I really like that the musical not only spotlights Elle’s independence, but also the way she and the people she cares about empower each other.
In the end, it’s Elle who proposes to Emmett, a reversal of what happens in the movie. She’s graduated as valedictorian, and she’s also still getting the romantic ending she wanted — but on her own terms.
Giving Elle this added agency to forge her own future and continue to go after what she wants makes the theme of empowerment throughout the story even stronger.
Legally Blonde is my favorite musical, and if you haven’t listened to the soundtrack or watched the Pro-Shot, I highly recommend that you do so. If you’re looking for more Legally Blonde content, you can watch MTV’s Legally Blonde: The Musical — The Search for Elle Woods, a reality TV show competition to find the next actress to play Elle following Laura Bell Bundy’s departure.
There’s also currently a Legally Blonde UK tour starring Amber Davies, whom I saw as Jordan in The Great Gatsby on the West End while I studied abroad. I’m excited to see more clips from this production, and it’s always interesting to see how the story is interpreted.
Check out Legally Blonde when you get the chance!
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