Berkshire on Stage

I know I saw the 2001 film Legally Blonde as a teenager, but I don’t remember much about it, except that I was unimpressed. I was (and still am) much more of a Sandra Bullock in Miss Congeniality sardonic tomboy type than a peppy, charismatic fashionista a la Reese Witherspoon in Legally Blonde. But Legally Blonde has gained some renewed attention in the 2020s and is frequently hailed as a feminist classic, so perhaps it was my own teenage cynicism and distaste for the ultra-feminine that turned me off to the film. And after seeing Playhouse Stage Company’s production of Legally Blonde: The Musical, I think I may owe the original film a second chance.

I am not going to pretend that Legally Blonde: The Musical is particularly nuanced or groundbreaking, but it sure is a whole lot of fun! Much like its protagonist, Legally Blonde is clever enough to engage a critical audience while also being unapologetically peppy and feminine, even if it’s a bit shallow and extremely in-your-face. Hot pink spotlights bathe the stage in shades of Barbie pink as the audience waits for the show to begin. The music, performed wonderfully by a talented ensemble cast, is upbeat and catchy and will be stuck in your head for weeks after you see the show. The natural charisma of the cast and crew is guaranteed to make the audience smile throughout the show; even a cynic like me had to cheer when Elle uses her legal expertise to get her friend’s dog back.

Selma Fabregas is magnetic as protagonist Elle Woods, so no matter your feelings on her character or the plot of the show, it’s impossible not to root for Elle. The ensemble of Delta Nu sorority girls, especially Margot, Serena, and Pilar (played by Cat Fitzgerald, Nora Miller, and Molly Kantrowitz respectively) are also exceptionally charismatic and a joy to watch. In a more subdued supporting role, Jon Maltz as Emmett is adorably sincere and rock solid (both in his character and in his vocal chops.) Maltz plays an excellent foil to Fabregas’s Elle, and the onstage chemistry between the two of them is undeniable.

In other stand-out supporting performances are Molly Rose McGrath as Paulette and Patrick Ryan Sullivan as Professor Callahan. McGrath is heartfelt and hilarious as the unlucky-in-love hairdresser. Sullivan commands the stage as Elle’s unsavory and unyielding law professor. (“Blood in the Water” was one of my favorite numbers in this show, thanks largely to Sullivan’s arresting baritone.) Finally, there is Hayden Chenette providing plenty of laughs as he hams it up for the audience in the small role of Kyle. And speaking of hamming it up, Josh Hoyt’s dance moves as one of the frat boys in “What You Want” are something to behold!

In most things aesthetic, Legally Blonde is something to behold. The choreography overall is excellent. The energetic cheer formations of the Delta Nu girls as they burst into the Harvard admissions office are a high point of the show. (In contrast, the cast’s Irish step dancing needs quite a bit of work.) The costumes by Minah Smith-Tucker are chic and striking, though in a show like this one I think Smith-Tucker could have gone even more over-the-top with some of the costumes. After all, this show is nothing if not over-the-top.

Legally Blonde does not get any points for subtlety–it has a pink confetti cannon for goodness sake!–but it doesn’t need them. The show and its cast get by just fine on raw charisma, catchy music, and visual spectacle. Even cynical tomboys like me will have to agree, Legally Blonde at the Cohoes Musical is rollicking, in-your-face, hot pink good time.

Playhouse Stage Company presents Legally Blonde by Heather Hach, with music and lyrics by Neil Benjamin and Laurence O’Keefe, directed & choreographed by AshleySimone Kirchner, runs from July 17-August 11, 2024, at the Cohoes Music Hall, 58 Remsen Street in Cohoes, NY. Cast: Cat Fitzgerald as Margot, Nora Miller as Serena, Molly Kantrowitz as Pilar, Selma Fabregas as Elle Woods, Molly Kirby as Kate, Keith DuBois as Grandmaster Chad & Others, AJ Halsey as Warner Huntington III, Jon Maltz as Emmett Forrest, Shayda Ramsammy as Padamadan & Others, Josh Hoyt as Aaron Schultz & Others, Katie Benanto as Enid Hoops, Olivia Gilbert as Vivienne Kensington, Patrick Ryan Sullivan as Professor Callahan, Molly Rose McGrath as Paulette Bonafante, Gabi Bazinet Douglas as Brooke Wyndham, Hayden Chenette as Kyle & Others, Liz Bazinet as Courtney & Others, Lancelot Douglas as Carlos & Others, and Nick Martiniano as Dewey & Others. Ensemble: Elizabeth Brown, Isabella Campos-Montanez, Ryan DeSacia, Emilia Errico, Anrwone Gardner, Jack Kalteux, Olivia Ledtke, Alexa Mertes, and Liam Yerdon. Scenic design by Marc Christopher. Costume design by Minah Smith-Tucker. Lighting design by P.J. Davis. Sound design by Tommy Rosati. Properties design by Casey Martiniano. Production Stage Manager: Lauryn Elizabeth.

Performances are Wednesday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30pm and Saturday and Friday, Saturday, and Sunday matinees at 2:00 pm. Tickets are $35 for adults, $25 for seniors 65 and up, and $18 for students with ID or 18 and under. Runs approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes with one intermission. Contains sexual innuendo. Recommended for ages 10+. Tickets are available online at https://www.playhousestage.org/legallyblonde by phone at 518-434-0776, or at the door for any performance.