“What, like it’s hard?” Cypress Bay High School kicked off Women’s History Month with their empowering production of Legally Blonde the Musical, a show full of strong role models for women everywhere.
In 2001, author Amanda Brown published her hit novel, Legally Blonde. Brown recounts her own experiences as a bubbly blonde attending Stanford Law School through the character of Elle Woods. Elle is feminine, intelligent, and tenacious, and there is only one thing her glittery eyes are focused on: winning back her ex-boyfriend, Warner. Soon after its publication, the story of Legally Blonde underwent the makeover of a lifetime to become the cult classic it is known as today. New characters were introduced in the film, including a new love interest, and the ending was altered. Even more changes ensued in April 2007, when the story made its debut as a musical. The production featured 18 songs and ran for over a year on Broadway.
Isabella Saralegui, playing Elle Woods, brought outstanding energy to the stage, from the sorority house of Delta Nu to the Harvard lecture hall and even to the courtroom. Her driven characterization stayed consistent while also displaying satisfying character development as she became more emotionally independent. Elle’s growth wouldn’t have been possible without Emmett, played by Connor Lirio. He convincingly portrayed sincere charm and support as Elle’s love interest. The two actors exuded chemistry in both “Chip on my Shoulder” and “Take It Like A Man.” Aside from their sensational acting, both leads exhibited strong vocals that blended beautifully.
Alongside the wholesome roles of the protagonists are their more bloodthirsty counterparts– that is, when searching for the “Blood in the Water” in the courtroom. Professor Callahan, played by Adrian Graff, commanded the stage in such a way that the audience could not tear their eyes away from him. Even when his character’s intentions took a turn for the worst, his dedication to the role made him easy to despise. Just as cold and calculating was Gianna Gomez, playing Vivienne. Her attitude and self-assurance was captivating, and she did a fantastic job juxtaposing herself against the equally smart but much more easygoing Elle.
Intricate choreography and phenomenal use of the space elevated the production to new levels. In “Bend and Snap” the Greek Chorus of Margot (Julia Poms), Serena (Mya Wolf), and Pilar (Neena Shaw) shined with their excited encouragement. Gianna Schulz, playing Brooke, wowed the audience with her incredible stamina and vocal clarity even while jump roping in “Whipped Into Shape.” In “Gay or European,” Miguel Cabrera stood out in his flamboyant portrayal of the pool boy, Nicos. The scene featured spectacular reactions from background characters playing off of their surroundings as well. The dance captain and choreographer, Keira Hochberg, must be commended for her amazing organization of all of the numbers. Although there was some difficulty with missed cues and unintentional silence onstage, overall energy from the cast picked up in the second act and finished the production on a “Positive” note.
Cypress Bay High School’s production of Legally Blonde the Musical was “So Much Better” thanks to its cast full of big personalities that reminded us all that being true to yourself never goes out of style.
