2001 was a banner year for entertainment, from the release of Harry Potter and The Sorceror’s Stone to the appearance of Britney and Justin at the AMA’s in their iconic denim outfits, we can all agree how signifigant this year was. Perhaps one of the most exciting events of 2001 was the release of Legally Blonde in July. We all remember the eponymous and blonde Elle Woods, and her success in exacting revenge against ex-boyfriend Warner Huntington III while also having enormous success at the school she followed him to with hopes of winning back his heart–a little place called Harvard Law, anyone?
But what you may not be aware of is that for the Broadway-inclined among us, there’s a whole other section of canon of Elle and her academic antics to enjoy: with a one year Broadway run and touring performaces that are still running, Legally Blonde: The Musical is an engaging and upbeat take on the story that we hold near and dear. While the message of the movie was amazing in and of itself, the musical adds a whole other layer of fun to the beloved story of Elle Woods, contributing to a new experience that fans of the movie or new fans altogether will find delightful.
Legally Blonde: The Musical was co-written by Laurence O’Keefe and his wife Nell Benjamin. If O’Keefe’s name sounds familiar to you, it’s probably because he also wrote Heathers: The Musical, a raunchy dark comedy set in high school that was also based off of a movie. In 2007, the show started it’s succesful yet short-lived Broadway run of 18 months. Following the main points of the movie version fairly closely, Legally Blonde has a few slight variations that enhance the story in new ways, enhancing the already feminist themes — for example, Elle proposes to Emmett (instead of vice versa) in a delightfully subversive moment following her valedictorian speech at graduation. She pauses to say, “Oh, and if you could give one second before we all go — Emmett Forrest, please make me the happiest woman I know…”
Also, Warner proposes to Vivienne (eagle-eyed colliegettes may recognize a spelling change from the movie version) in front of Elle…but she’s not sad for long, as she then sees the acceptance list for Callahan’s internship, sparking one of my personal favorite numbers in the show, So Much Better. A notable quote: “But you might look up to find I’ve moved on to bigger things, better jobs and bigger rings, I don’t have the time to cry, I’m too busy loving my name up on that list! Kind of a cool ironic twist…”
Perhaps one of the most touching additions to the musical is the treatment of Elle and Vivienne’s relationship — the latter states quite clearly in Legally Blonde (Remix), following her seeing Elle reject Callahan’s inappropriate advances that “Maybe Warner saw a blonde who was sleeping her way to the top, but I see a woman who doesn’t have to.” Further encouragement from the snarky but honest V: “Get back in the game, back on the case, take a good look at my face — I’m not a fool, and as a rule, I do not ‘bond’. But I see a star, you’re my new muse, you’ve got the best freaking shoes! And you lit a fuse, so go show them who’s legally blonde.”
Where in the movie, Vivian was an obstacle in Elle’s path from the very beginning who only came to realize her mistakes after Brooke validated the claims against Callahan, the musical’s Vivienne sees what Callahan does and undergoes a change of heart, coming to respect Elle as an equal instead of an enemy, leading to Elle’s triumpahnt return to the courtroom (of course, a quick costume change was needed first…)
The budding friendship between Viv and Elle is heartwarming, but it’s not the only complicated female friend dynamic in the show — Elle’s Delta Nu sorority sisters, serving as a reimagined Greek Chorus for the show, act as welcome comedic relief, but they also throw in pointed and observant remarks when needed, almost breaking the fourth wall as they drive home the real messages of the show. In the barb-laden engagement parade serenade during Omigod You Guys, the Delta Nu sisters sing “now that a man chose you, your life begins today” among encouragement of Elle’s engagement to Warner and marriage advice (“…and so he does not roam, try not to look your age,”) but just a few moments later, they acknowledge; “Still in your hour of need, let it be understood, no man can supercede our sacred bond of sisterhood”.
And they hold true to this promise — throughout the rest of the show, they follow Elle and encourage her, whether Elle faces conniving shopkeepers (“Omigod, omigod you guys, Elle saw right through that salesgirl’s lies”) or stern Harvard admissions personnel (“What you want is right in front of you, front of you.”) As they progress from trying to keep Elle’s attitude sunny while she goes toe-to-toe with Vivianne (“Keep it positive as you slap her to the floor, keep it postitive, as you pull her hair and call her whore”) to supporting her as she takes on the final courtroom scene (“We came to see our president be legally blonde,”) the Delta Nus are a microcosm of the journey the show takes as a whole.
But no one changes more than Elle herself — without losing sight of who she is, she learns how to rely on herself and not back down from a challenge — two important sklils that are even better when put to song, like she says in Legally Blonde (Remix): “Girls it’s a fact, when you’re attacked, you’ve got to respond!” Elle’s journey is not without it’s low points: in fact, arguably the most painful moment of the show comes when Elle explains to Emmett in the title track, Legally Blonde, that she’s returning to her “own very small pond” because “some girls fight hard, some face the trial, some girls were just meant to smile” (and on the word ‘smile’, Elle’s voice breaks, just like all of our hearts.)
But just like the movie, Elle emerges triumphant, supported by her sisters and her peers and ready to take on the case — not only take on, but win, because as we all know:
So if you’re looking for a bright musical that combines easy listening and deep thought with a whole lot of pink and legal jargon, give this show a listen. While there are places where improvement could be called for to allievate problematic areas, as a whole, this musical tells a fun and feisty story of redemption, self-discovery, and shopping. The Originial Broadway Cast Recording of Legally Blonde: The Musical is available on Spotify now for your listening pleasure.
Bend and snap, Collegiettes!