Legally Blonde
The Arvada Center: 6/12 - 7/1
Diabetics beware!
“Legally Blonde” is a musical designed for those theatergoers with a
seriously-“Omigod You Guys!” - sweet tooth.
It’s a great big fluffy cotton candy pink summer musical that has lots
of positive philosophy that’s aimed primarily at an extremely youthful audience
that believes that image is at least as important as substance.
Mature theatre lovers may opt for holding off until The Arvada Center
produces “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” this September.
Actors have been imported for the roles of Elle Woods and her two beaus,
Emmett Forrest and Warner Huntington III. These are three fine actors who do a
superb job. They are Hayley Podschun, Brett Ambler and Curt Hansen
respectively.
Haley Podschun is cute, talented and perky. Her performance in the role
of Elle Woods is outstanding.
Left to right: Sarah Rex (Paulette) and Hayley Podschun (Elle Woods)
If one is not spoiled rotten - as this theatre reviewer is - by having seen the Arvada Center's superb productions of such mature works as "Ragtime,""Sunset Boulevard," "Chess," “Les Miserables” and “Miss
Saigon” and has a totally awesome, rad and gnarly sweet tooth (can you say bubble gum?), you will
enjoy this show.
Sarah Rex gives us a beautician named Paulette that is outrageously well
acted. Her singing of “Ireland” is one of the truly memorable moments in the show.
Jeffrey Roark's portrayal of Law Professor Callahan is brilliant! Roark's acting and
singing of “Blood in the Water,” was for this reviewer the high point of the
evening.
The fantasia of costumes created for the show by Mondo Guerra is
astounding, eye-popping and well, just plain FABOO! Without this artist’s
creations the show would be legally bland.
The comic character work done by Ben Dicke, Matt LaFontaine and Markus
Warren is sensational.
Julia Perrotta, Katie Ulrich, Amanda Earls and Heather Doris spark the
ensemble with outstanding character work and singing.
Kitty Skillman Hilsabeck gives us great creative punch and drive in her
choreographer’s vision of the show.
The actor playing Warner (Curt Hansen) has a nice song describing his
overblown male chauvinist ego at the top of the show (“Serious.”) The grey sharkskin suit Mondo created for him is smashing!
Director Gavin Mayer gives the proceedings a snappy pace.
It is no surprise that all the show’s technical work is outstanding! The production values are always outstanding at Arvada Center.
In this isolated case it's the book, lyrics and music that are eminently forgettable.
In this reviewer’s not so humble opinion this show is primarily for the very ‘young at Art.’
The Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities
6901 Wadsworth Blvd. Arvada, CO 80003
For tickets call the Box Office at 720-898-7200 or go online at arvadacenter.org
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