Cappies Review: Legally Blonde The Musical At Walt Whitman High School

By Shia Ringold of Quince Orchard High School

Harvard Law is a dog-eat-dog world packed with patronizing professors, pigeonhole stereotypes, and high stakes. But there is a new student on campus who means business — in a pink suit.

Tony-Nominated and Olivier Award-winning "Legally Blonde" is a 2007 musical composed by Laurence O'Keefe and Nell Benjamin with a book by Heather Hach. The show was based on a combination of Amanda Brown's 2001 novel and the iconic 2001 film, both of the same name.

The show came to Broadway at the Palace Theatre after tryouts in San Francisco. It gained so much momentum that a pro-shot was recorded to air on MTV Entertainment, pushing it further into the pop culture spotlight.

"Legally Blonde" recounts the story of Elle Woods, a sparkly, quintessential sorority girl on a serious mission (in the name of love, of course.) After getting tragically dumped by her boyfriend, Warner Huntington III, for not being "serious enough" Elle sets out to win him back by doing the most serious thing she can think of — following him to Harvard to become a lawyer.

Maddie Belanoff dominated the stage with her fierce acting abilities. Belanoff exceptionally embodied her sassy, confident character's range of emotions from leading a drum line, to winning back a dog, to redefining what it means to be a blonde. Belanoff demonstrated an aptitude for physical comedy by boogieing with fraternity boys one second and splaying out on her bed to lure back Warner the next.

Her performance was made exponentially more remarkable by her immense vocal skills. The pinnacle of which was a three-and-a-half measure long belt at the end of the act one finale, "So Much Better."

Along Elle's journey through law school, she gets acquainted with many new people, one of which is Paulette Buonofonte, an eccentric salon owner who is determined to aid Elle in her journey for love. Paulette was brought to the stage by Ellie Arenstein who skillfully developed the quirky character. Arenstein's witty comedic timing and enchanting voice (especially in her song "Ireland") made for a charming interpretation of the character.

Whitman's production also featured an accomplished 36-person pit orchestra. Each of its members brought the production to life with their synchronized, harmonious playing.

Other noteworthy technical elements included the costume crew composed of Gabriela Murray, Katelyn Leonard, and Jasper Murray. This inventive group of students not only designed an abundance of well-thought-out costumes, but also managed many impressive quick changes on and off-stage.

Walt Whitman's "Legally Blonde" was a spectacle in itself with cheerleaders soaring through the air, groovy workouts, and even a real dog. All elements of the production worked famously together to create a theatrical delight. The show addressed relevant themes and was packed with political commentary about feminism, diversity, and being true to yourself.

"This is Harvard Law, not Match.com!" But the outstanding students at Walt Whitman High School and "Legally Blonde" were undoubtedly a perfect match.