Legally Blonde
at Bullis School

Reviewed on February 6, 2016

Amanda Hampton
Riverside High School
Submitted for publication to Washington Post - Montgomery

OMG, you guys, Bullis School's eye-catching production of Laurence O'Keefe's Legally Blonde was a total success! The musical, based on the novel Legally Blonde by Amanda Brown and the 2001 film of the same name, opened on Broadway in 2007, receiving seven Tony nominations and ten Drama Desk nominations. It tells the story of a seemingly frivolous blonde sorority girl, Elle, whose perfect world of manicures and college parties is shattered when her boyfriend, Warner, breaks up with her on the night she was expecting him to propose. She then decides that to win back her man, she must get into Harvard Law School, entering the world of evil preppies and murder trials.

The cast did an impressive job of bringing effortless animation and charisma to the show's lovable, larger-than-life characters. Sophie Glassman's genuine portrayal of the perky Elle made the role, which could easily have become a sunshiny spoof, feel much more substantial. Her striking, unwavering vocals added greatly to the charm of her performance. The sincerity of the connection between Glassman and her counterpart Will Evans, who played the endearing Emmett, was palpable in numbers such as "Chip on My Shoulder" and "Take It Like a Man."

Julia Lowenthal was another standout as the kind, quirky hairstylist Paulette. Her inept attempts at flirting with hunky UPS man Kyle (Justin Chapin) had the audience in stitches. Elle's personal Greek Chorus of sorority sisters, Margot, Serena, and Pilar, played by Siena McKnight, Maddie Mancuso, and Emma Bookoff respectively, were a dynamic force on the stage. Their tireless enthusiasm and ditzy humor made them an engaging presence, and McKnight's adept dance moves played a large part in their success as an ensemble. Lastly, Sarah DeLeonibus stole the audience's attention in many scenes as the humorless feminist Enid, and Nicolas Cala gave a properly fear-inducing performance as the ethically challenged, intimidating Professor Callahan.

The backstage elements of the show seemed to go as smoothly as the onstage performance. The crew did a commendable job, performing difficult scene changes with skill and ease, and most of the scene changes were seamless and professional. Although at times some actors failed to fully embody the lively, almost cartoonish quality associated with the characters, they did a magnificent job of taking a wildly improbable plot and offsetting it with real emotion and depth.

Bullis School took to the task of Legally Blonde with exuberance and elegance, and gave a thoroughly enjoyable performance of the comedic yet heartwarming tale of a vapid beauty queen turned brainy lawyer.

Samuel Intrater
Albert Einstein High School
Submitted for publication to Washington Post - Montgomery

BULLIS

When the cast and crew of Bullis School were called to the stand to put on Legally Blonde, they did the show justice by mounting a hilarious, surprisingly moving production.

The story of Legally Blonde follows the academic endeavors of Elle Woods, a sunny sorority girl who attempts to win back the heart of her ex-boyfriend by enrolling at Harvard Law School, but ends up getting more than she bargained for. It was originally a novel by Amanda Brown before being adapted into a film in 2001 starring Reese Witherspoon. Its success spawned a sequel in 2003 and ultimately a Broadway musical in 2007.

Sophie Glassman had a full time singing job in the starring role of Elle, and she did not disappoint. Her gorgeous voice never seemed to tire, and as such, it never got tiring for the audience. She managed to convey her character's gradual evolution throughout the show without losing her cheerful personality. Leading the show with her was Will Evans, who endeared himself to the audience as the likable underdog Emmett. Those going into the show expecting nothing but laughs were taken aback by the genuinely heartfelt duets between Emmett and Elle in the second act.

Apart from the two leads, the other memorable performances were almost too many to name. Julia Lowenthal in many respects stole the show as Elle's sassy beautician Paulette. Nicolas Cala (Professor Callahan) and Adam Schwager (Warner) were despicably scummy in their antagonistic roles, while the Greek Chorus of Siena McKnight (Margot), Maddie Mancuso (Serena) and Emma Bookoff (Pilar) could only be described as harmonic, both musically and comically. It would also be a travesty not to mention Justin Chapin (Kyle), who played a beefy mailman with a secret that had the audience doubling over with laughter when revealed. Several of the performers struggled with enunciation and comedic timing, but the personalities they created came through very clearly.

The colorful set pieces added pizzazz to the show's most exciting numbers, such as the especially funny "There! Right There!" and the show-stopping "Legally Blonde Remix," in which Sophie McIntyre (Vivienne) was given a much-deserved chance for her vocals to shine. The stealthy running crew was frequently called upon to move props and set pieces around, sometimes at inconvenient times, yet they mostly went unnoticed and almost never distracted from the performers.

The sound crew had a particularly difficult job due to the show's many solos and heavy dependence on body mics. With that in mind, there were fewer sound issues than expected from a high school production of such a difficult show.

Bullis School showed competence and aspects of professionalism in their production of Legally Blonde. They told the story faithfully and made it captivating for both those new to the show and for those who knew every word by heart.

Joshua Wisdom
Riverside High School
Submitted for publication to Patch.com - ARL/MC/Mont/DC

Purse? Check. Emergency hair care products? Check. Law books? Check. You're going to need all this and more for Bullis School's sparkling production of Legally Blonde.

Based on the 2001 book and movie of the same name, Legally Blonde tells the story of Elle Woods, a bright, blonde, and bubbly sorority president living in California when her longtime boyfriend, Warner Huntington III, decides to break up with her in order to pursue someone more "serious." Devastated, Elle decides to chase her man across the country to Harvard Law School, where she not only helps defend her fitness role model, Brooke Wyndham, in a murder trial, and possibly find true love in the process.

Written by Heather Hatch with music and lyrics by Nell Benjamin and Laurence O'Keefe, Legally Blonde was nominated for seven Tony awards, ten Drama Desk awards, and won three Lawrence Oliver Awards, including Best New Musical. The musical was so successful that MTV released a reality television show about the audition process to find the next Elle Woods on Broadway.

Sophie Glassman stole the show as Elle Woods with a perky attitude and vocals that seemed to soar above the busy courthouse and into the audience. Never breaking character, Glassman often had the audience in hysterics, perfectly balancing her blondness with the intellect one would expect from a Harvard law student. Opposite Glassman stood Will Evans, playing the scruffy assistant to Professor Callahan, Emmett Forrest. Evans had a truly endearing quality and quickly got the audience to root for him as the underdog of the story. Although there were some bumps along the way, that did not stop the auditorium from erupting into joyous applause as he finally got the girl of his dreams and lived happily ever after.

In addition to the two leads, the show had a terrific crew and cast of supporting characters including Sophie McIntyre, who played the somewhat bratty and arrogant Vivienne Kensington, who, by the end of the second act, also had the audience behind her. McIntyre showed great vocal strength in her song Legally Blonde Remix, nailing almost every single note. Another clear standout was Sarah DeLeonibus, who portrayed the extreme feminist and lesbian, Enid Hoopes. With carefully crafted comedic timing, DeLeonibus never fell short on any of her hilarious lines. Finally, the crew of this production worked swiftly and silently throughout the show and although there were some instances where the crew was seen, most of the set pieces seemingly moved on their own!

Bullis School's production of Legally Blonde was a true success and showed us all that being true to yourself, never goes out of style. Case closed!

Callie Gompf-Phillips
Montgomery Blair High School
Submitted for publication to Maryland Theatre Guide

Bubbly Delta Nu sorority sisters, a scantily clad UPS man, and two dogs graced the stage during Bullis School's production of Legally Blonde. A musical based on the novel and movie of the same name, Legally Blonde first premiered on Broadway in 2007. Nine years later, Bullis School has brought it back to life.

Legally Blonde follows the adventures of Elle: a devoted Delta Nu sorority sister, a lover of pink, and, most importantly, a blonde. The story begins with Elle following her ex-beau, Warner, to Harvard Law School in an attempt to prove that she can be the "serious" girl he needs to have a successful career in law. Along the way, Elle, supported by a scruffy teacher's assistant (Emmett) and a naïve hairdresser (Paulette), learns that she does not need to change her "blondeness" in order to succeed.

The cast brought energy and enthusiasm to their roles. The charming, idealistic Elle was played by Sophie Glassman whose lovely voice made songs, such as "Legally Blonde," sparkle. Playing Elle's underprivileged, practically-minded love interest, Will Evans effectively embodied the endearing underdog, Emmett, in a way that made the audience root for him from the very beginning.

The show's humorous spirit was accurately captured by the supporting cast. Julia Lowenthal's comedic performance as unassuming, Ireland-obsessed Paulette and her heartfelt rendition of "Ireland" were highlights of the show. The ever-present Greek Chorus, (including Siena McKnight as Margot, Maddie Mancuso as Serena, and Emma Bookoff as Pilar), always excited with its energetically performed choreography and perfect harmonies. Justin Chapin's sensual saunter as Kyle, "the hot UPS guy," induced throngs of laughter from the audience every time he appeared. Other notable performances include Sarah DeLeonibus as radically feminist Enid, Cammie Honesty as resentful Chutney, and Henry Feigen as the flamboyant "gay or European?" Nikos. Members of the cast had some difficulty enunciating, but their strong characterization and high energy performances made up for their struggle to articulate clearly.

The stage manager, Jennifer Shorb, assisted by various stage crew and cast members, did a fantastic job of coordinating the swift and noiseless movements of gigantic set pieces across the stage. The numerous complicated set transitions were seamless and allowed the flow of the play to continue uninterrupted. Using individual body and stage floor microphones, Alex Alagia and Matthew Berman skillfully ensured that the performers could be heard at all times.

"Fun" and "funny" are the words to describe the Bullis School's charming production of Legally Blonde: The Musical.