Legally Blonde is a Hoot
December 4, 2014
UMD Theater’s Legally Blonde: The Musical is simply a buffet of fun.
The show, which opened Thursday in the Marshall Performing Arts Center, is about the UCLA sorority girl who follows a man to Harvard Law School and is another demonstration of director Anne Aiko Bergeron’s impeccable eye for the entertaining and skill with performers.
In the lead role of Elle, Elise Benson not only sings and dances with panache, she rides her preposterous, wisely ditzy character with grace, balance and a dazzling smile.
Even if you don’t know the story, you recognize from the moment he enters that Pascal Pastrana’s character of Warner will ultimately reveal himself as shallow and ambitious.
Jayson Speters’ Emmett is in contrast immediately recognizable as good, decent and solid.
And Colleen Lafeber stands out in the role of Paulette, the beautician who sings a hilarious, rousing song about Ireland and later is featured in a delightful production number about the female attention-getting technique of “Bend and Snap.”
Bergeron makes maximum use of a cast of 32 (plus two adorable dogs) in fresh, beautifully polished production numbers that are just one delight after another.
One of the more impressive opens Act II. “Whipped Into Shape” has dancers jumping rope while singing and performing other feats of athleticism and aerobic fitness. Interestingly, the leader is played by Katelin DeLorenzo, whose character is about as far away as one could get from her just-previous role as the repressed and depressed Nora in UMD’s production of A Doll’s House.
When Bergeron puts up a show, not only the performers dazzle. In Legally Blonde: The Musical, Kathleen Martin’s costumes are an integral part of the story, as when Elle sits radiantly in pink amid fellow students in somber tones. Ashley Wereley’s set and Jim Eischen’s lighting are so tightly integrated into the action, the effect is more than the sum of its parts.
The University of Minnesota, Duluth Department of Theatre’s production of Legally Blonde: The Musical opened on December 4th. In all, it was very entertaining and it intrigued the audience throughout its entirety. The director, Ann Aiko Bergeron described the musical in the following words: “Truth, irony, and satire co-exist seamlessly here, all wrapped up in a fabulously decorative package.” This statement rightfully describes the play because it encompassed many entertaining events that came together to form the overall story in a fun and entertaining way. The production was upbeat, hilarious, and retrieved well by the audience.
ReplyDeleteThe scenes throughout the play were designed nicely. The scenic designer, Ashley Wereley succeeded in displaying a realistic environment with a touch of fantasy. The touch of fantasy was portrayed in Elle’s room and house with all of the pink. The pink, being Elle’s signature color, allowed her to have a sense of confidence and comfort throughout the production. The designs were also laid out well with the use of two-sided walls to save time for scene changes. It was very clear to the audience the environment the characters were in thanks to the scenic display.
The costumes, designed by Kathleen Martin, helped portray the characters and helped them come to life. Many of Elle’s clothing involved pink, of course, except when she was involved in some of her law studies. This change in clothing added to the change in Elle’s character throughout the course of the production. The costumes of the ensemble also helped the musical come to life, especially when they were used to portray Elle’s Greek ensemble. These costumes helped the audience distinguish between what was happening in the reality of the play, and what was happening in Elle’s “mind”.
The choreography, also created by the director Ann Aiko Bergeron, was well planned out and organized. It was clear to the audience that the entire cast worked very hard on mastering the challenging dance moves and overall choreography. The choreography especially stood out in the “Whipped Into Shape” number of the production. The intricate jump-rope moves were up beat and awed the audience.
The music throughout the production, directed by Andy Lust, was excellent and well harmonized. All of the actors sung beautifully and astounded the audience. These harmonies could never have been done without Lust and it was obvious to the audience that the production had been well rehearsed. Paulette, played by Colleen Lafeber, stood out in particular as having a strong and powerful voice. Her solo, “Ireland” especially exhibited her vocal talent. She succeeded at hitting even the most difficult notes that sent chills down the backs of the audience.
The acting overall in the production was excellent. All of the actors were very professional and provided the audience with laughs and smiles. Elise Benson, who played Elle Woods, captured the whole world of Elle and succeeded at portraying it to the audience. She was able to go from her seemingly perfect life in Malibu to the realities of law school. While doing this, she still managed to convey humor and emotion to the audience, making the audience want to connect to her story and join in during her musical numbers. Emmett, played by Jayson Speters also did a superb job of conveying his character and his subtle want to be with Elle.
The UMD Department of Theatre is a very successful department and this production added to their wonderful reputation. Legally Blonde: The Musical was relatable for all ages, making it even more appealing. This type of upbeat musical is definitely something the UMD Department of Theatre should produce again in the future.
Tonight was the opening night of Legally Blonde The Musical. This play has high expectations and was the busiest of any of the plays so far this year. Throughout the entire play, there are many scene changes. Scenic designer Ashley Wereley does a fantastic job of making each scene feel so real with all of the unique props that are displayed and also by utilizing such large props that are eye-catching and illustrate the setting very nicely. The director/choreographer Ann Aiko Bergeron does a good job by keeping the play similar, but not the same, to the story of Elle Woods that most people like and are familiar with. The addition of choreography was done well and the dancers were talented and knew their steps. There were many costumes throughout the whole play to match the various settings and situations that the actors were taking part in. Kathleen Martin, costume designer, is a talented woman who knows what she is doing, contributed largely in all the amount of time and effort it must have taken to create each of these. Every costume or outfit matched each scene and really brought everything together. Lighting designer Nick Gosen is excellent in his work by choosing the right shade of lightning, and the occasional spotlight, in order to set the mood of the scene—whether it be serious, sad, dramatic, or comical.
ReplyDeleteActor Dylan Rugh is a talented man. He plays a few characters in the play and he performs each of them so well, with the right voice, personality, and persona. He also dances in some of the scenes during the performance and is surprisingly great at that too.
Elise Benson, who plays Legally Blonde’s Elle Woods, has a beautiful voice. She sings flawlessly and, depending on the song, shows all the right emotions with the expressions highlighted across her face. Her character changes from a “blonde” to a smart woman who learns a lot about herself, and she displays this transition wonderfully.
Paulette is a super fun and likable character portrayed by Colleen Lafeber. Colleen is humorous and sings with a big voice that is as equally likable as her unique personality. More times than one she had the audience dying from laughter at her random and quirky sense of humor. Her fun ‘east-coast’ accent added to her character by making her all the more real.
The way in which the audience reacted to all of the humor and various other scenes in this play and by the way they clapped loudly and often, Legally Blonde lived up to its expectations. After this play, there were echoes of people singing along to the songs from the performance, talking about how great it was, and even saying how they will maybe see it again because they liked it so much. This play is enjoyable from start to finish, as the audience watches undistracted with their eyes peeled at the progression of star Elle Woods. Along with her co-stars, who are all greatly talented as well, anyone can see that they all love what they are doing on stage, giving the audience exactly what they want—a great time.
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ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteLegally Blonde: The Musical by the Duluth Department of Theaters definitely lived up to the hype last night. It was the most busiest all year and those who were working at the theatre could also concur.
ReplyDeleteThe play was high with energy and animation coming from all the characters and the atmospheres that were created throughout the play which kept the audience zoned into it; they even added liveliness to the "boring" and "serious" law school teacher and students.
There were many different scenes and stage setups throughout the play. Sometimes they changed the scenes while the characters were still performing and sometimes when there was a pause in the play. The people changing the stage setup were not as noticeable as I thought they would have been considering that I was sitting in the front right corner of the seating area where I had angle to see the things happening the people sitting the middle couldn't. What prevented me from paying attention to these on-stage-scene-changers was what was going on at the front of the stage, the play kept rolling which is a great thing! Throughout the play lighting was used to set the tone of the atmosphere that was trying to be created for the audience. For example, when the law school teacher and students performed the song about going after blood, the stage had red light shining on the stage and to add emphasis to the meaning of the song, they put a dark red light shining on just their faces on the front of the stage rather than the whole stage. Another example was when Paulette performed her solo about her Irish background, the lights on stage turned a greenish teal, which are Irish colors.
The costumes designed for the play were on point. Elle Woods' house sisters used a variety of college apparel from the casual clothing to the togas. To contrast the party girls' apparel, they dressed the law school students in "serious" apparel like a serious law school student would. They also bring the different styles of clothing together when songs kick in that associate with Elles' schooling and her sisters.
The music of the production was directed by Andy Lust, which was fantastic. The songs were well harmonized and were filled with energy. Each actor/actress who sang individually did a beautiful job. Paulette's solo was splendid considering she wasn't even a main character of the play.
The play was more humorous than I expected it to be which was surprising in a good way. The audience reacted very very supportively to the end of each scene or song by applauding the actors/actresses very loudly with some whistling of joy. This play was awesome throughout the whole performance and kept the audience from checking their phones or being distracted by other things. Each and every actor/actress is very talented and deserve a huge pat on the back for pulling off such a wonderful performance.
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ReplyDeleteThe University of Minnesota Duluth opened their production of "Legally Blonde: The Musical" on Thursday, December 4th. The cast and crew did a great job making this musical a fun time for all, and was very well received by the audience.
ReplyDeleteDirector Ann Aiko Bergeron wrote in her show notes that, “The enthusiasm and energy that has been put into this show has been truly EPIC” and this was clearly seen throughout the show. Everyone in the cast seemed so excited to finally be presenting this to audiences. Their vibrant energy, exaggerated facial expressions and big smiles only added to the performance. This energy transferred to the audience, as they were laughing and cheering throughout the entire show. UMD worked hard to make this musical as big and flashy as possible, and their hard work paid off.
The main characters of the show all did a great job, but Colleen Lafeber’s performance as Paulette was exceptional. Her eccentric behavior had audiences laughing, but as the audience starts to learn more about the difficult life Paulette has been through, it’s easy to relate to her struggles. The audience loved Lafeber’s performance of “Ireland” and was rooting for her as she used the “Bend and Snap” on Kyle, the delivery man. Lafeber was just one of the great choices made for this cast of crazy and fun characters.
The only actor that didn’t seem to be the best fit for his character was Ryan James Fargo, playing Professor Callahan. After seeing Fargo in UMD’s production of "Damn Yankees" last year as the Devil, it seemed like he was playing the same character in "Legally Blonde." Fargo was also the only person who seemed to be too over the top. When he was on stage, his performance demanded the audience’s attention, even when the focus wasn’t supposed to be on him. If Fargo would have toned down his performance a little bit, he would have been a better fit for the character.
Another slight problem with this production was the microphones. Maybe they didn’t have enough mics for the entire cast, or maybe they didn’t have them turned up enough, but when any minor characters or ensemble members had a solo, it was difficult to hear what they were singing over the pit. This wasn’t a problem with the main characters, or when the entire ensemble was singing during a number, but it did bring the audience out of the performance as they were struggling to listen. If they didn’t have enough microphones for the ensemble members or minor characters, then they should have considered turning down the mics in the pit to make the soloists easier to hear.
The set was designed by Ashley Wereley and succeeded in being realistic, but was still as glamorous and vibrant as the cast. Since there were many different locations throughout the play, there were quite a few scene changes that needed to be done throughout the performance. The scene changes were often done during the scene. The actors would move downstage, and the scene change would take place behind them. This often worked well, and was necessary to keep from wasting time between scenes, but at times the stage crew was distracting from what was happening on stage. During “Omigod You Guys” one of the members of the stage crew was dancing along with the cast. Because the stage crew was dressed in all black, they were not supposed to be a part of the scene. This really distracted the audience from the actors on stage, and drew their attention to the scene change, where they were not supposed to be looking.
Overall, this was a very entertaining performance. The cast seemed to be really enjoying themselves on stage, and this excited tone was also seen by the audience. The hard work of all involved was very evident throughout the performance. This musical is great for all ages, and is a must see this holiday season.
Charles Kovacovich
ReplyDeleteLegally Blonde: The Musical
The University of Minnesota – Duluth’s Department of Theater opened Legally Blonde: The Musical on Thursday, December 4th. This musical, based on the novel by Amanda Brown and the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer motion picture, was directed and choreographed by Ann Aiko Bergeron. This large cast production is sure to produce a laugh, and is a must see for anyone looking to see an amazing performance.
The opening song, “Omigod You Guys”, grabs the audience’s attention almost immediately. The girls on stage do a great job portraying a stereotypical sorority. They jump and run around stage, elated for their friend Elle, as they think she will be proposed to that night. It was easy to get the idea that they were excited, but it was very hard to hear the lyrics and what they were saying at some points because the music was too loud. This was not the case for the whole production, but it happened often enough to be distracting and made the audience strain to hear what the actors were saying.
The lighting throughout the musical was superb. Lighting designer Jim Eischen did a spectacular job during the song “Blood in the Water.” As Professor Callahan sang about successful lawyers needing to be like sharks, a red light gradually grew brighter and more intense until the whole stage was flooded in red lighting. At the end of that particular song, all of the students in the professor’s class were lined up along the edge of the stage, and red lighting from below suddenly shone onto them, creating a very cool (and somewhat frightening) visual effect.
Costume designer Kathleen Martin did a nice job creating the costumes for this play. The outfits that the sorority girls wore in the opening scenes were very fitting to stereotypical college girl clothing. A few of the minor characters outfits, such as Paulette’s ex-boyfriend the drunken redneck, and Elle Woods’ parents, were done exceptionally well.
Ashley Wereley, scenic designer, did a wonderful job designing the various sets. The opening scene utilized a two story piece of scenery that is rarely seen in productions. It was the sorority house of the main character, Elle Woods, and her friends, and it was very well designed as it was clear that it was their house. The hair salon was very distinguishable, as was the courtroom and Elle’s bedroom. Paulette’s ex-boyfriends house was also well made, as it was obviously a dirty, messy, nasty home that a drunk would live in.
The acting throughout the production was good, but the singing was even better. Elise Benson, who played Elle Woods, did a phenomenal job in all of her pieces. She was always very clear, and right on tune. The best vocal performance goes to Colleen Lafeber, who played Paulette. She did a great job singing about Ireland, and hit the last note of that song beautifully. There were two other performers that did wonderfully as well: Bruiser and Rufus. These two dogs not only behaved, but added some laughter to the play as well.
Legally Blonde: The Musical is a great show for all ages. The play itself is enjoyable, but the singing and dancing make it more than your average theatre production. It combines all of the best forms of entertainment in one: acting, singing, dancing, and of course, laughter. Legally Blonde: The Musical is a must see, and hopefully the UMD Department of Theatre will do more shows similar to this one in the near future.
Legally Blonde Review
ReplyDeleteJared Steel.
Pink, Perseverance, love and singing is what Legally Blonde is all about. Bright lights and bright pink start the adventure of Elle Woods played by Elise Benson. The sound and feel of the show really give off that special kind of college vibe. The sets, lights, costumes, and let’s not forget the music and singing are astounding displays of talent and effort of the time put into the production that is Legally Blonde the Musical. The cast did an absolutely amazing job and could have not done it any better. Everyone involved deserves a pat on the back.
The costume choices for the show where very well done, a lot of pink but that is to be expected. They all gave the impression of modern times whether the character was rich or just your average working class person. The business/ lawyer suits were executed very very well and is what one could expect to see in a court room of the halls of Harvard. The costume design team should be very pleased with their work, Bravo to you! The fact that most characters had at minimum two changes of costume is in and of itself astounding. Plus the fact that they were able to change so quickly is so impressive.
The lighting was very bright and flashy as it should be form this kind of show. Tons of red, pink and blues can be seen at this show. Be warned there are flashing lights which may or may not, hurt the eyes. You may walk out with a smile and a headache. Other than the over whelming brightness the lights where on par with every other element of the show. Very impressive amounts of time must have went into putting the lighting scheme together.
The set was littered with pink at the beginning of the show and towards the end as well, but as the story goes on and a few musical numbers the show moves into the gray walls of Harvard University which even seemed to have a paint style that made them look weathered and dim. The solon set really felt like being in a place to get a haircut. To be able to adapt things from a book and movie, and bring it to life on the theater stage is a testament to the time and effort that was truly put into bringing this production to life.
The cast was absolutely amazing! Props to all of you! Well done. It was as if they had walked of the movie screen right out onto the stage. They performed flawlessly. It was as if watching Legally Blonde the movie on stage. That is truly the feeling that the audience felt. The ability the actors and actresses have to be able to switch from dialogue to spontaneous and loud singing is something to behold.
If someone wants to go see a show that is tons of fun and full of laughter, Legally Blonde the musical is the show for you! It is a story with comedy, romance, perseverance and of course the color pink!
On December 6, 2014 the University of Minnesota Duluth’s Department of Theatre, put on a production of Legally Blonde, The Musical. The actors of this production provided incredibly believable characters. The main character Elle had facial expressions that made the audience believe every emotion she felt. It created a bond with the audience, when Elle was happy the audience was happy, when Elle was sad the audience felt that as well. The scene designs really helped to support the style of the production. When the scene design was pink and colorful theme that gave the audience an emotional feel of happiness. During the theme of Harvard the scene design used bland colors to represent the seriousness of Harvard. The costume design also supported the style of the production by creating the theme necessary for that time. For example during the Harvard scenes the characters wore dark clothing with bland colors showing the audience the characters were serious. Where as Elle wore bright pink in most costumes in order to show happiness and an up-beat personality.
ReplyDeleteThe artist attempted to achieve a play similar to the movie of Legally Blonde, but not following it exactly. The play cut out many parts of the movie and added parts that were not in the movie, which added surprise to the production. The audience was unaware of which parts would be included from the movie and which parts would be different until the very night while watching the production it self, which gave the production a sense of mystery. There is no possible way that every part of the movie could be included in the production along with the musical portion of the play, it would just take to long. The artist did a great job of keeping the few important details from the movie to make it Legally Blonde, but adding in extra scenes and lines to keep the accidences attention and keeping them on their toes.
The musical portion of the play was just outstanding. The audience was speechless with the level of enthusiasm that was performed on stage that night. The facial expressions, the dancing, and the singing of every character put together to create that believable story line, and to create that unbreakable bond with the audience. The remarkable level of talent on stage that night was really what brought the production from a good play to a great play. The audience was blown away but the incredible voices herd that night. The music that went along with the play really connected with the audience. For example the lyrics of the songs sung played a major role in the play, the audience members had to listen to each song in order to receive the message given. Most of the lines the characters gave were sang to create that musical feeling.
The play was very much so worth attending, as an audience member I was affected greatly by the play, it left me in an up-beat mood ready to conquer the world. The play left the audience with a boost of encouragement and ended with a positive message that created a wave of inspiration.
Legally Blonde: The Musical opened on December 4, 2014 in the Mainstage theatre. The Musical was fast-moving, full of excitement, laughs, and wholesome fun, which was carried through with the help of the play’s lead, Elise Benson who played Elle Woods. Elle is a California valley, sorority, fun-loving girl trying to prove to her ex-boyfriend that she is “Harvard material” after he broke up with her to attend Harvard and to find “someone serious, someone orderly and someone who wears black even when nobody’s dead” in the words of Elle, who is the complete opposite.
ReplyDeleteThe set pieces were not too complicated, however, they did get the point of the scenes across efficiently. Scenic designer, Ashley Wereley, designed the play with functionality in mind. She used the fronts and backs of different flats for different scenes, making very good use of her set, given the fact that there were many location changes during this musical. But the set would not have come to life without the help of the sound and lighting designers, Nick Gosen and Jim Eischen. The pre-show was an introduction by the character, Margot, welcoming the audience to the Mainstage theatre. It really helped set the tone for the rest of the production and made the audience feel involved in the Legally Blonde world that was being established. Additionally, the lighting designer did a magnificent job lighting the different sets, helping to differentiate the times of day and the locations without having to significantly change set pieces.
Choreographer and Director, Ann Aiko Bergeron made the choreography lively and fun to watch, while also staying true to the heart of the show. She kept it fast paced, natural, and extremely energetic. The staging, likewise, was also very realistic. Costume designer, Kathleen Martin, also helped to create that realm of realism with the fun and chill costumes for not only the sorority girls, but also the more structured and formal costumes for the students that attended Harvard.
Although a great set and technical crew is fantastic, a musical is nothing without its performers and singers. Elise Benson did a great job as Elle and keeping the show interesting along the way. She played her role with comedy and confidence, which is the entire essence of Elle Woods. Her singing voice was phenomenal, both character driven and beautiful, which was wonderful to listen to. Her transforming relationship with Emmett (Jayson Speters) throughout the show was also fun to watch. Emmett being the charismatic and supportive guy that helped with Elle’s success at Harvard, he was definitely a crowd favorite. Another comedic crowd favorite was Elle’s quirky and incredibly funny best friend, Paulette (Colleen Lafeber). Lafeber’s first song talks about her love for Irish men and her calming music, which was the sounds of moaning whales. Lafeber is the character in the play that the audience seems to empathize and love the most because of her unfortunate love affair and her weird personality. She is definitely the comedic timing of the show.
Legally Blonde: The Musical was a lively show to watch. Not only was the staging great, but the acting and singing was also above par. Although containing an enormous cast, each person, leads and ensemble alike, made Legally Blonde an amazing production. “Omigod! Omigod You Guys” Legally Blonde: The Musical was a wonderful ending to UMD’s 2014 theatre season.
UMD Department of Theatre presented Legally Blonde: The Musical, which opened in the Marshall Performing Arts Center on December 4th, 2014. Being the well-known show that it is one may go in with high expectations, but the UMD Theatre Department once again, did not disappoint with this one.
ReplyDeleteThe leading lady, Elle, portrayed by the beautiful Elise Benson makes her first entrance dolled up in one of many pink ensembles of the show. For those of you that don’t know the color pink is kind of a big deal. Representing her sorority girl and not so serious stereotype, Benson did an excellent job taking the typical Elle character and making it her own. Walking through Elle’s stages of law school throughout the show with grace, elegance and poise. Oh, not to mention the vocals of Benson were spot on.
Arrogant and pretentious are the first words that pop to mind when Warner, played by Pascal Pastrana, makes his first entrance to pick Elle up for their date. Pastrana takes the self-centered character to the next level, with his pretty boy appearance and all about me personality, which is absolutely fitting for Warner’s character.
The other main man of the show is the complete opposite of Warner, which was revealed not only by his clothing, but his body language as well. Elle’s true love, Emmett, is played by Jayson Speters.
It was in the hair salon where we met the woman who stole the show, Paulette, portrayed by Colleen Lafeber. Her reactions to others were always on point, her vocals were extremely impressive and she provided a comedic element that was unlike the other cast members. It was obvious Lafeber knew exactly who her character was, and gave a superb performance.
And the show wouldn’t have gone on with just the leading rolls, the ensemble members played many rolls throughout the show. An impressive chorus number was “Whipped Into Shape,” where multiple ladies were in an aerobics class performing a difficult jumping rope routine in unison, as well as singing. It’s safe to say the rehearsal process “whipped them into shape.”
Not only were the performers impressive, but the set, costumes, lighting and sound dazzled as well. High expectations were met by the UMD Theatre Department with a must see performance this season.
UMD’s theatre department opened its musical Legally Blonde on Thursday, December 4, 2014. This production showed the ideas of love, ambition, and finding one’s self.
ReplyDeleteAnn Aiko Bergeron showed her skills very well in her direction of this show.
The technical crew of this show did well in all of their areas. The music, lighting, and scenic design were all very tasteful, while also fun, and exciting. The sound seemed to have some problems throughout the night, examples would be the microphones cut out quite often, and sometimes the music seemed louder than the actor’s singing. At one point it seemed that the set gave some of the scene changers some problems, because they almost knocked down the border of the stage at one point, but recovered very nicely.
The choreography was also very well put together, done by the director Ann Aiko Bergeron. It was exciting, and lively, and very well synced. The actor’s really took to it, and brought it out to its best ability, even if there were one or two who would lose step, or count, they picked it up, and got back on beat as soon as they could, and the audience didn’t take notice.
The ensemble was also very well on pitch, and together throughout most of the show.
Elise Benson took the sass, ditziness and strength of Elle Woods with pride, and showed the audience how well she could play the lead role of a musical, with grace, and talent.
Jayson Speters played Emmett very well, and seemed to know his character, which helped the audience fall in love with the personality of his character along with Elle.
Colleen Lafeber was absolutely stunning as the role of Paulette, she had all of the elements of the perfect supporting role. Her humor, and sass carrying throughout the entire show, and left the audience wanting more of Paulette the whole time.
It takes a lot to play an egotistical, shallow character such as Warner. Missing his cue only once in the show, went unnoticed, because Pascal Pastrana knew what he was doing, and owned the stage when the spotlight was on him.
Vanessa Barr played the character of Vivienne with spunk and attitude, and made the audience love, and hate her all at the same time.
Katelin DeLorenzo couldn’t have played such a different role, than the role that she played in A Doll’s House. Owning the opening song of Act 2, “Whipped Into Shape”, and playing the spunky Brooke, she definitely owned her audience.
Ryan Fargo, played the character of Professor Callahan well, although there were points, when he seemed to be more controlling of the scene, when he shouldn’t have been. The character was indeed cocky, and hard headed, and Ryan did that well, but there were times when he didn’t come off that way, he just seemed sort of annoying at times.
Ann Aiko Bergeron knows how to show an audience a show full of sparkle, dazzle, and the play definitely showed that. Legally Blonde was a show that left the audience wanting more, even after the show was over. Kathleen Martin’s costumes enhanced the shows sparkle, and pink flare throughout, so did Ashley Werely’s set’s. Andy Kust’s music, Denise Brophy’s sound and Nick Gosen’s lighting brought the audience on an unforgettable journey, and only enhance the talent of UMD’s theatre department that is already known.
Legally Blonde: The Musical opened at the University of Minnesota Duluth’s Marshall Performing Arts Center on Thursday December 5th. The show follows a young bubbly blonde named Elle as she follows her love to Harvard Law School and ultimately discovers more about herself than she thought possible.
ReplyDeleteThe singing in the show was phenomenal. Solos were performed confidently and with the right amount of pop blend combined with theatrical style, which was a strong combination for this type of modern musical. The chorus was well blended with no single voices too loud or soft, and were the perfect back up to the main characters without overpowering any actor. It was obvious the cast put a lot of time and effort into the blend of the chorus and between main characters.
The opening night of the performance did show some shakiness that most opening nights do display. In the opening scene, the Delta Nu house that was being moved by stage hands nearly knocked over the upper set that had been added onto the stage just days before. This is a mistake that can easily be fixed by the crew in future performances. It also seemed that the sound department had some difficulty picking up the voice of Katelin DeLorenzo who played Brooke, and other minor issues receiving too much feedback between microphones. Two set pieces crashed and nearly broke in the first act, a prop ring was forgotten for one of the three proposals that takes place in the show, and there was a collision back stage that could be heard by the audience. Despite these mishaps, the overall quality of the performance was strong
The strongest aspect of the show was the character Paulette, as Colleen Lafeber did an amazing job. She quite possibly stole the show with her facial expressions and body gestures that filled out the character and made everyone in the audience focus on her as soon as she stepped foot on stage. The chemistry between her and Josiah Thompson who played Kyle the UPS man perfectly showed the relationship between the two characters in a hilariously entertaining way.
The choreography could have been presented by the cast in a crisper and more put together way. Specifically, the workout video scene involved the performers using jump ropes to enhance the choreography. This was a very unique choice, but it allowed a lot of room for error by the performers as the ropes became tangled in feet and other ropes during the scene. It would have been better to have less actors on stage to improve spacing or cut out the jump ropes all together and chose another prop to use to enhance scene.
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ReplyDeleteThe University of Minnesota-Duluth’s Theatre Department opened Legally Blonde: The Musical December 4 at the Marshall Performing Arts Center. The over-the-top production features a hilarious storyline about a sorority girl turned Harvard Law School student and her journey to find true love.
ReplyDeleteThe production was directed and choreographed by Ann Aiko Bergeron. Bergeron’s unique flare was added to each and every dance number. During “Whipped Into Shape,” Bergeron choreographed the dance number so that the actors were not just singing and dancing, but jumping rope as well. Not only did this showcase Bergeron’s innovative choreography, but also the athleticism and talent of the actors. Another Bergeron creation was Kyle and Paulette’s Ireland dance. This dance showed off how well Kyle, played by Josiah Thompson, could jump and leap.
The costumes were easily one the best parts of the entire production. Kathleen Martin is responsible for designing the elaborate, over-the-top costumes. Martin’s skill and eye for detail was evident throughout the performance and kept the audience guessing at what the actors would come out in next. The variety of costumes that Martin had to pick, design, and produce were numerous. The actors switched from cheerleading and marching band uniforms, to all pink ensembles, to suit coats and dress pants.
Pascal Pastrana played Elle’s past lover, Warner. Pastrana did an excellent job depicting the sleazy and sly character that Warner is. Pastrana tackled his character, (especially the sly grin), with great ease.
Jayson Speters played the part of Emmett, a Harvard Law School grad and future love interest of Elle. It was exciting to see Speters’ showcase how Emmett changes his views on Elle. Speters ultimately did an excellent job showing Emmett’s transformation from judging Elle, to falling in love with her bubbly personality. Watching Speters’ transform not just physically, but emotionally as well, was definitely a highlight.
The ever-funny Paulette was played by Colleen Lafeber. Lafeber brought charisma to the production. Lafeber had everyone in tears just from her presence when she found her way to the stage. From her east coast laden dialogue and accent, to her hilarious and over-the-top song “Ireland,” Lafeber produced her character with ease and hilarity.
Completing the main cast line-up would be non-other than Miss Elise Benson, who portrayed Elle Woods. Not only did she tackle the ditzy blonde side of the character, but she also invited the audience along to explore her journey to womanhood. Benson handled the transformation of her character with grace and ease. And what a voice. Benson’s vocal performance was out of this world. Benson, a powerhouse, used her voice to help the audience understand her struggles and triumphs through singing at different volumes. Benson’s maturation in musical theatre was evident throughout the entire production as she changed the mood by using just her voice.
Legally Blonde: The Musical will have you on the ground laughing by intermission! This musical makes the audience reexamine what a person needs in order to be in love by exploring new age dialogue, over-the-top musical numbers, and gut-busting comedy. This production is yet another great show put on by the University of Minnesota-Duluth Theatre Department. Bravo!
The show, Legally Blonde opened on Thursday, December 6th. It was put on by a wonderfully talented cast at University of Minnesota Duluth. It left the audience feeling positive and recharged.
ReplyDeleteThere was never a dull moment in this show. From the opening scene the show took off on a spiral of energy containing upbeat beautiful music, and intensely focused sorority girls. It was really entertaining to watch the chorus throughout the show. Even while being exhausted from singing and dancing on back to back numbers, they stayed energetic. The audience could tell how each of the chorus had their own distinct personalities. All of their different reactions brought life to the show.
The choreography was well done, it was very entertaining. As well as the actors danced it almost impeccably. If there was a mistake, the audience could not tell. The choreography also seemed very strenuous, especially in the act 2 song “Whipped into Shape,” They had to sing while jumping rope. Not an easy feat.
The sound was absolutely fantastic in this musical. The orchestra never seemed to miss a beat, although at times, the pit got louder than the actors and actresses singing. The costumes also fit the show so very well. This especially stood out with towards the end of the show Elle walks out in the pink suit. The contrast was really solidified between her and her classmates. The set design looked really nice. Everything on the stage could be seen from all edges of the audience. Although when they were tearing down part of the stage the middle of the top border was almost knocked off. It was covered up pretty well though. There was also moments when one singer was louder than the rest, but was fixed quickly. These were just some small things that could have been noticed. Over-all the technical crew did a wonderful job on opening night.
Elle was played by Elise Benson with finesse and confidence. It was great to see her transition from blonde to a smart lawyer. She sang and danced beautifully and did the character justice.
Pascal Pastrana plays Warner with confidence and a great voice. He portrayed the shallowness of Warner with his voice inflection, body gestures and the way he carried himself.
Emmet, played Jason Speters was a refreshing contrast to Warner. Jason portrayed the character very well. The audience was begging for him and Elle to be together throughout the entire show. The connecting between him and Elle was seen from the very beginning.
Colleen Lafeber seemed to steal the show with her spectacular performance of Paulette. The audience guffawed at just about everything she said. The accent was perfect. Her song about her journey in Ireland was entertaining and hilarious.
Another great choice for the show was bringing in the real dogs. Those adorable pups brought the show to a whole new reality. Through and through this musical was upbeat, energizing, and had lots of pink. I would recommend this show to anyone who enjoys musicals.
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ReplyDeleteLegally Blonde: The Musical, which opened in UMD’s Marshall Performing Arts Center on December 4th under the direction of Anne Aiko, was a job well done by the entire cast and crew. It was by far one of the best productions University of Minnesota Duluth has put together.
ReplyDeleteThe show is based on Elle Woods, played by Elise Benson, a sorority girl who received her bachelor’s degree in Fashion Merchandising from UCLA. In order to win back the man of her dreams, Warner, played by Pascal Pastrana, she enrolled at Harvard Law School. She was the laughing stalk of the school with her pink outfits, lack of motivation to do her schoolwork, and bringing her dog to class. She enlisted the help of Emmett, played by Jayson Speters, and impressed everyone with her ability to solve a case. She later found out that the man of her dreams is not who she thought he was anymore.
The actors and actresses of Legally Blonde: The Musical did a phenomenal job. The unique and quirky character of Paulette, played by Colleen Lafeber, was unforgettable. Lafeber did an unbelievable job at embodying her character. She supplied a vast majority of the comic relief and put the audience nearly in tears. The two dogs, Bruiser and Rufus, gave the audience members a heartwarming feeling as the word “Awe!” echoed throughout the auditorium.
The orchestra pit did an excellent job at supplying the music for the production. They were able to portray the emotions the characters were feeling through the sound of music. Whenever a character was excited, the music sped up and vice versa. There was also a wide variety of lighting vs. color lighting. Red lights were used during the performance of “Blood In The Water.” The piece ended with red lights shining up on each of the characters faces.
The set was made up of double-sided walls to make it easier when transitioning from scene to scene. It resembled a lot of what the movie displayed since both sorority houses in the movie and the musical were painted pink. They were also successful with making Paulette’s ex boyfriends house look run down by adding smears of red paint to the set and putting beer cans in the window sill.
The choreography of the performance was very professional. “Whipped Into Shape” was one of the most eye-catching productions as they jump roped repeatedly performing a wide variety of moves. It was made obvious the amount of time they spent rehearsing that number to make it perfect. Some characters got tangled in their jump ropes a few times but did a remarkable job at picking up where they left off and continuing with the number. Brooke, played by Katelin Delorenzo, had to freeze in place propping her torso and legs up into the air. It took a lot of core strength to hold that position for that amount of time and it was very impressive.
Overall, each element came together in unity to create a very upbeat and cheerful performance. It was a family friendly show so people of any age could come and enjoy what it has to offer. There was a standing ovation of the audience, which proves that it was the perfect performance to wrap up the end of the semester.
Legally Blonde The Musical produced by the University of Minnesota Duluth Theater department was one of an excellent show. There was a lot of interesting scenes and well creativity performed by amazing actors/actresses. The show opened on Thursday December 4th in the Marshall Performing Arts Center. The director Ann Aiko Bergeron put in a lot of good work in Legally Blonde. A lot of things through out the show got the audience's attention, such as lighting, customs, and acting in general.
ReplyDeleteElle Woods played by Elise Benson was a positive main character, she did well on grabbing the audience attention, she had different personalities, she has spunk and is charismatic. The other side of her personality is intelligent her tone was at the perfect pitch every time she tried to express her feelings by singing. The color pink was a big impact on the show it made it seem more lovable and romantic, Lighting designer Jim Eischen took a smart decision on setting up the light between different scenes and having the lights moving with the actors/actresses. In the scenes where the law Professor Callahan would walk in class the lights would perfectly move in the same position he goes towards to. The Sound designer Nick Gosen was one of the most important cast member in the whole show, the whole musical was based on him because it involved a lot of music since it was a musical show. The sound of the singing was heard well. In The endings of Act 1 and 2 the sound was exciting it made the whole show more interesting. The music in general had a big impact on the show, it kept a smile on the audience the whole time, the actors helped making the music funny. The sorority girls did well performing, they cracked the audience up they did great trying to be funny. Also the happy and sad music got the audience's attention the most, music helped setting up the right mood of the show. . Custom designer Kathleen Martin Light designer was a smart cast member as well. The customs of the characters were looking great. The sorority girls custom strengthened the play by adding realistic elements. The out fits illustrated what a typical sorority girl would wear. Kathleen helped making the customs look classy on Professor Callahan and the internes as well. On the other hand my sight of the play was alright, my view was coming from the far right corner on stage, it was hard for me to see more than two actors on stage. The actor/actress who was first closest to me, their back was given to me, that's one thing that bothered me as an audience.
The stairs on stage resembles a sorority houses, they represented the females colors which were pink and white.
Overall Legally Blonde The Musical was worth watching, the show contained laughter and lovely moments. The actors did amazing on being able to switch from being comedian to romantic. It represented a true life of a Elle who wanted to follow her goal as a sorority girl and how the color pink had a whole impact on the play. The cast members helped on making this play as creative as possible, for everybody who is trying to see a successful show Legally Blonde would be my first choice.
Jake Tanner
ReplyDeleteThe University Of Minnesota-Duluth Theatre Department put on a production of Legally Blonde: The Musical which opened on Thursday, December 4th. This musical which is based on the novel by Amanda Brown, was greatly anticipated and very entertaining throughout. Ann Aiko Bergeron was the director of this success of a show, and clearly did an amazing job.
From the opening song, “Omigod You Guys”, the audience was hooked. The actors on stage did an excellent job of portraying what a sorority would act like if they found out that one of their sisters was going to be proposed to later on. Throughout the play, the actors did a solid job of showing the truth of how their character would really act, and that is why this play was such a big success. The actors did a nice job of keeping the audience entertained during the play, which is very important in theatre. They kept it funny, but also it had a realism to it that made it very genuine.
There were several scene changes throughout the play which were designed nicely by the scenic designer Ashley Werely. She did a nice job of showing the audience a realistic setting, but still showing a different type of world that the characters lived in. All of the pink in Elle’s house really showed the fantasy world that she lived in. The pink helped display the self-confidence Elle had, even more than just her personality did. The way that the scenes were set up were really clear to the audience to know where the characters were during the scene. Very good job by Ashley Wereley throughout the play.
There was a tremendous amount of costume changes in this play. The costume designer, Kathleen Martin, did a very great job giving the characters life through what they were wearing. The main character Elle, was always wearing something pink, except for when she was studying or doing some sort of law task. The way that the rest of the cast were designed, made it kind of clear when the scene was reality or when it was part of Elle’s imagination. Overall, Kathleen did an amazing job with the costume design of this extraordinary play.
Lighting designer Jim Eischen did a very good job the whole night. During the song “Blood in the Water”, Professor Callahan was singing about lawyers needing to be like sharks. As he kept going there was a red light that kept getting stronger, and at the end of the song the whole stage was lit up with red which made a very interesting and kind of scary feel. All throughout the play the lighting was on point. It didn’t seem like there were any mistakes or errors in the lighting, and that is always a good thing in such an entertaining play such as this one.
The acting in this play was very good as well. Acting is the piece of the puzzle that brings all of the other components together, and finishes the final product. Elise Benson, who played Elle Woods, was the main character in this play and did a very good job. Not only was her acting great, her singing was even better. The two dogs in this musical, Brusier and Rufus, did a very good job and made the play more exciting and funnier as well.
Legally Blonde: The Musical was a huge success for the UMD Theatre Productions. It is a great show for every age group, it keeps you entertained, keeps you laughing, and you do learn some valuable lessons during the play as well. Overall it was just a great show, and I am looking forward to what is coming next for UMD Theatre.
On Sunday December 7th 2014, the UMD Theater Department presented its matinee performance of Legally Blonde: The Musical. Before the performance even started, the atmosphere was outstanding. The audience was filled with mothers and daughters all dressed in pink—truly a preteen girl’s paradise. Unlike the “chick-flick” movie that Legally Blonde is usually stereotyped to be, the live theatre version captivated the entire audience. This show truly had it all; from huge musical numbers, side splitting monologues, and even live animals! One of the most impressive aspects of the show was the wonderfully designed set. Being both structurally sound and aesthetically pleasing, the set fit the style and atmosphere of the show to a tee. Scenic designer Ashley Wereley did a great job in designing this complex and technical show. The use of the fly wires made for impressive changes and cool effects. Pink was also an overall theme of the show set pieces, props and costumes all being Elle’s favorite color of course! The use of wagons to make the set easily manipulative made for quick scene changes that did not interrupt the flow of the performance. In regards to the plot, few criticisms arise. There weren’t any major loop-holes and the overall story was easy to follow. Upon seeing the musical one might directly compare it to the popular movie. However, the plot did follow the story line of the movie quite closely, most likely due to them both being derived from a popular book as well. All of the actors did a fabulous job in making this a very entertaining show. Elise Benson in the part of Elle, fit the character perfectly. From her great singing voice, to her amazing acting skills she was the most entertaining to watch. Elise really made the part her own as if the entire show was about her real life, making for a very engaging show. Another young actor that really caught my eye was Jayson Speters. A great singer and actor, Speters was great in the part of Emmett. Both Benson and Speters really made chemistry on the stage, leaving the audience to believe that they were actually falling for one another. The live orchestral work directed by Andy Kust was also a home run. The only thing that I would recommend is using mics for the beginning of the performance, the orchestra drowns out the actors voices making it hard for the entire audience to understand the dialogue. Other than that all of the technical aspects of the show fell nicely into place. This show was a great end to the winter theatre season. Whether young or old, Legally Blonde: The Musical is great for people of all ages. Get out and go see this amazing show, it won’t be around much longer! The UMD Theatre Department never fails to disappoint, and this show was no exception! So grab your pink clothes and get to UMD, and enjoy Legally Blonde.
ReplyDeleteOn Friday, Dec. 5th the UMD Department of Theater held their second night of the production Legally Blonde: The Musical. This was an extremely entertaining and interesting play that kept the audience engaged and looking for more throughout its entirety. Directed by Ann Aiko Bergeron, the play took on a story filled with trial, tribulation, love and determination one often finds through life. The energy in the theater was high and expectations seemed to be fulfilled for all. Perhaps the most impressive piece of the performance was the way the scenes merged together to form flawless movement from one scent to the next. Often times there were scene changes occurring while characters were moving, running or singing across the stage that were executed brilliantly. The beauty parlor, Paulette’s ex-boyfriend’s house and Elle’s bedroom were spot on, creating a visual tie from character descriptions to how they live their lives. A great deal of credit must be given to Ashley Wereley for allowing this aspect of the play to succeed and give character to the stage as it was constantly changing in front of the audiences eyes. The scenery was complimented by the impressive costume design work of Kathleen Martin. Each character had to change costume multiple times, sometimes very quickly, yet the changes seemed to be performed flawlessly. There was a good effort put forth to capture Elle’s love for the color pink, as well as making sure other characters such as the Greek Girls, Professor Callahan and Paulette had appropriate outfits. These aspects coupled with the work of lighting designer Jim Eischen made every scene “pop!” Lighting from scene to scene was very impressive given the quick changes from one to another. There appeared to be a lot of work with different filters, dimming and color patterns that went along with what was occurring in each scene. For example, when the law class was signing blood in the water, red lighting shot up from below illuminating the faces of the actors. This captured the audience through a strong emotional connection to the song. The song and dance performances throughout the play were no less than fantastic. Elle played by Elise Benson and Paulette played by Colleen Lafeber complimented each other beautifully through solos and vibrant vocal chords. Elle showed the audience how a ditsy blonde could change her life around and learn about the serious side of life. There was a great transition of character throughout as she discovers womanhood and what she truly wants in her life. Paulette’s hysterical Irish background complimented Elle through her encouragement and past troubles. Paulette’s goofy character brought the house down with a solo that was undeniably the best of the evening. Pascal Pastrana who played Warner and Jayson Speters as Emmett also played their roles very well. Warner exemplified a sly and arrogant man who only realized his love for Elle after he fell short in making her happy. Speters played this role very well, but was noticed to be a little out of tune a couple times. Emmett, Elle’s eventual lover, played his role well as having to first be a good friend, then something much more later on. He was observed as changing throughout the play from a judemental Harvard Law grad, to someone who accepts and love’s Elle for who she is. One of the only downfalls of this performance was the kickback and crackling of the actor/ actress’s microphones. There were many times, especially before intermission, when the sound was off and negatively impacted the audience. After intermission this seemed to be in check for the most part. Overall, this was a very solid performance that was action packed and filled with comic relief. A must see before the end to a great semester of work from the UMD Department of Theatre!
ReplyDeleteLegally Blonde
ReplyDeleteThe University of Minnesota Duluth’s Department of Theater put on Legally Blondethe Musical on Sunday (12/7) afternoon and it was quite comical and entertaining! The director and choreographer was Ann Bergeron, the music director was Andy Kurst, and the scene designer was Ashley Wereley. Legally Blonde was originally a book by Heather Hach.
Legally Blonde was a very captivating musical and Elle Woods was the ideal blonde. Elise Benson as Elle had a great performance. Her singing throughout the production in their musical numbers or by herself were superb, quite enjoyable. A great scene was when she tried the “whip and snap” on the gay man who “surprisingly” never quite noticed. To explain the “whip and snap” Elle’s imaginary Greek Sisters (Greek Chorus) came to make sure everyone’s dancing and having a grand time. Margot, Serena, and Pilar played by Amelia Barr, Alyson Enderle, and Lauren Hugh were quite amusing and their little antics from Elle’s mind was quite the riot. As said, they demonstrated the “whip and snap” and the number was hilarious to watch as they tried to teach Paulette how to do it in order to win her man.
Paulette is a divorced manicurist at a local salon. She meets Elle when Elle decides to change her hair style to impress Warner. Paulette is played by Colleen Lafeber and convinces Elle that she does not need to change her hair because it is great the way it is. Paulette’s accent and demeanor are great throughout the play. Lafeber does an amazing job of entertaining the audience and showing that Paulette is feisty but needs a little confidence when it comes to men. One of the favorite characters by the audience throughout the play.
Emmett the young lawyer who takes Elle under his wing did a swell job. Jayson Speters played Emmett and fit the character well. Emmett did not come from much but worked his way up in the world by his own accord. The number “Chip on my Shoulder” sung to Elle by Emmett show’s this and Speters did a splendid job singing in this performance. When Elle takes Emmett out to get a new suit in order to impress Professor Callahan, Emmett and Elle just fit together as they interact and sing. You just cannot help but want them to end up together in the end. The acting between the two main characters just sparked and in the end you were not disappointed.
The scene designer Ashley Werely did well with little she used on stage for different scenes. Elle’s bedroom at Harvard was a door, bed, desk and wall and it was all that was needed. The beginning set up at the sorority house was entertaining with the hanging windows and staircase up to Elle’s original bedroom. The hanging windows was a perfect idea as Elle’s sorority sisters sang in them as if they were in their own bedrooms gossiping about Elle’s suspected fiancé.
Over all the performance was never dull and full of fun antics. I would definitely go to a performance before times up! The University of Minnesota did a great job again!
Legally Blonde: The Musical was a treat to see on December 10th in the Marshall Performing Arts Center. The production followed closely to the movie storyline, while adding unique personal touches, and an engaging streak of energy that lasted the entire time.
ReplyDeleteBeing a well-known and widely popular movie, this production had high expectations, especially for the main character. It was suspenseful to see how Elle Woods would be physically presented and who she would be played by. Only being a few scenes deep into the show it was clear that Elise Benson was committed to, and owned the character. Not to mention, she had a breathtaking voice, only serving to enhance the musical aspects required in her part.
Woods’ destined-to-be, and charmingly handsome ex-boyfriend played by Pascal Pastrana was another main character in the show that made it complete. Pastrana did an excellent job in his role through playing the hard to get man with great prominence and smarts.
Another main character that deserves special recognition was Paulette, characterized by Colleen Lafeber. Her accent and expressions portrayed the shabby salon worker remarkably. Her character brought a great bulk of humor to the show, reflected by the audience’s extensive laughter and applause. When she was featured in the “Bend and Snap” number, her body language was priceless to watch.
The scene designer for this production was Ashley Wereley, who did a strong job of initially capturing the atmosphere for this production, making it last through every scene. Besides the consistent pink-colored theme, the set was fairly simple. This was helpful in creating more focus on the characters and dance numbers. With the help of an efficient tech crew, the stage was able to transform into multiple different settings in a matter of a few seconds.
Kathleen Martin did costume design, and it was clear she put a lot of time into carefully selecting appropriate attire for each character. The “Whipped Into Shape” number had a fun costume selection that matched well with the workout scene.
Ann Aiko Bergeron, director and choreographer, was a key component in making the show so intriguing and fun to see. The dance moves were quick, groovy, and added flare.
To comment on the sound design by Nick Gosen, it was clear he had numerous responsibilities throughout the whole show from music, to sound effects, to making sure all characters’ headsets and microphones were working correctly. As an area for improvement, the characters’ voices could have been projected a bit louder. It was often hard to hear some of the words spoken while background music was playing.
The pit orchestra and chorus were aspects of the production being almost physically hidden to the audience, but should not be disregarded. They added musical enhancement and melody to many of the scenes.
Overall, it was phenomenal to see how many of the actors and actresses had strong vocals to pair with their characters. Be sure to make it a point to see this production of Legally Blonde!
Over the weekend UMD’s Theatre Department put on Legally Blonde: The Musical, and it was nothing short of spectacular. Everything was executed very well from the scene changes to costume changes, and the singing and choreography was wonderful. It was an amazingly fun time and a great stress relief, and the comedic moments had the audience on the floor laughing. The guest appearances of the two dogs, Bruiser and Rufus was a nice touch and had the audience lost in their cuteness with “Aww’s” and “Oh’s” whenever they appeared on stage. All of the actors did a fantastic job, and the pit orchestra, with Andy Kust conducting, were hitting all the right notes.
ReplyDeleteThe actors were superb with not only their singing, but overall performance as well. Elise Benson, who played Elle Woods, played her role to near perfection. She could have improved the experience if she were louder all around because even with a mic on her it was difficult to hear her over the orchestra or sometimes during talking scenes. This was a slight issue throughout the production and it wasn’t just her. Benson showed great character progression in her actions, facial expressions, and even singing. Benson really showed the audience how much her character grew as a person. Her character grew on the audience as the production went on. Ryan Fargo, who played Prof. Callahan, portrayed an exceptional villain with an even better voice. For the few songs he had, he sung phenomenally for his role. However, the audience was blown away by the performance of Colleen Lafeber, who played Paulette the hairdresser. She let her accent slip a few times, but everything she did with her character, whether it was her accent, singing or demeanor, was nothing but magnificent. So magnificent that she got a standing ovation when the show was over and they took their bows. Overall, everyone that appeared on stage had a little something to add to the production as a whole.
Kust and the rest of the pit orchestra were incredible throughout the whole show as they played to the beat of the actors. They were outstanding at keeping up or slowing down with the actors as they sung and played with wonderful emotion. They could have played a little softer because they did drown out the actors at times, even when the actors were singing loudly. Also, all the songs were played remarkably with very little error and great precision.
In conclusion, this has been the best production of the season for UMD’s Theatre Department and is definitely well worth attending. There is something about musicals that brings a magical feeling to the audience. This is no exception as they brought everything they had and left the audience wanting more. It will be exciting to see what they will do in the future, especially when it comes around for another musical. This is a show that almost anyone will enjoy and is a show that should not be skipped over.
Legally Blonde: The Musical directed by Ann Aiko Bergeron, opened on December 4th in the Marshall Performing Arts Center. The play was full of energy and the characters were vivacious. It effectively accomplished what the purpose of a musical is. The purpose of a musical is to evoke different emotions through the music. People are going to feel differently when they hear messages through song instead of through normal dialogue. Through a theatrical perspective, the costume, scenery, lighting and sound contributed to the production of the play and greatly strengthened the emotions the play was evoking.
ReplyDeleteThe sound designer was Nick Gosen and he created an atmosphere with live music and great interludes between songs. Although there were a few sound effects such as the ringing of a cell phone, most of the play was centered on the music because the play is a musical. The audience seemed to feed off of the energy in songs like “Omigod You Guys” and “Positive”. They even had an array of instruments that were played in the pit. The piano played by Nathan Olson was perhaps the most impressive aspect of the live music. The timing between the actors and the musicians was also impressive because it is a difficult task to time the start of a song with how quick set changes will be. The sound production made the transitions almost flawlessly. The sound designer also makes sure to include a bit of humor. The funniest and most whimsical song was sung by the hairdresser Paulette played by Colleen Lafeber. The song was called “Ireland” a musical piece describing Paulette’s over the top affection for Irish men. This piece brought laughter to the audience and enforced the comedic genre.
The costume design was strategically done by Kathleen Martin. She used the color pink to her advantage and created pink suits, and robes for Elle Woods played Elise Benson. The clothing of each character was meant to reflect his or her personality. The nerd was dressed in a sweater vest and big glasses to represent his studious character. Vivienne played by Katelin DeLorenzo, wore dark colors to represent her villainous attributes. Elle ultimately was given all the pink clothing to make her stand out from the other members of the cast. Her smart yet ditzy attitude made her character unique. Martin reflected this by creating the pink suit to show off both of Elle’s dynamics.
The lighting design was done by Jim Eischen. The play was mostly comprised of pink lights but there was a flurry of different colors as well. Eischen consistently kept the spotlight on the person who was singing. He also changed the colors of the lights to match the mood of the play. When the cast sang “Blood in the Water” the colors immediately changed to red, signifying the intensity of the scene. When the play was serious the colors changed to blue. When Elle is in the play the lights are usually pink. Pink is the primary color Eischen used and it definitely is the signature color that represents the play. This is evident in all the flyers and advertisements hung around the University of Minnesota Duluth.
The scenic design was done by Ashley Wereley. The pink stairs added a realistic element because these types of stairs could be seen in a sorority house. The small bleachers that were rolled in accommodated for both the classroom and the courthouse. This was convenient because it makes the scene changes a lot easier. Other than that, the scenery did not add as much to the play as the other components previously mentioned.
The elements of lighting, sound, and costumes added significantly to the play while the scenery could have been a little more diverse. They only had a few different sets to choose from. The lighting helped establish the central color theme of the play and the sound helped evoke laughter. The costumes reflected the personalities of the characters. Overall, the musical was very entertaining and a delight to partake in.
UMD’s Talent Sparkles in Legally Blonde
ReplyDeleteLegally Blonde: The Musical, which opened on Thursday, December 4th in the Marshall Performing Arts Center, was a bright and entertaining performance for all. This lighthearted comedy breaks through stereotypes, proving that a little bit of heart and self-perseverance can help you exceed even your own expectations.
The musical opens with an upbeat piece appropriately titled “Omigod You Guys,” which sets the tone for the rest of the show as high-spirited. The performances portrayed a hilariously satirical representation of a typical valley girl (“Elle Woods”) and her journey into the harsh reality that is Harvard Law School, in search of the love of an ex-boyfriend. Underneath all the comedy, though, lies the whole-hearted message to be true to yourself and love will always find its way.
Director Anne Aiko Bergeron brilliantly casted the actors and lead them to produce a play that was one of the best UMD performances of the year.
Elise Benson floats about the stage as bubbly Elle, singing and dancing with a certain blonde confidence. Although Elle is somewhat ditzy, Benson connects with the audience on a level beyond Elle’s squeaky voice. As Elle begins to realize her true talent in law as portrayed by the song “So Much Better,” Benson changes in acting style as well. As the show moves on, Benson perfectly depicts the emotional realization when Elle has feelings for Emmett, the dorky teacher’s assistant played by Jayson Speters.
Speters seems to fit the role of Emmett extremely well, showing a transition in character as well. When Emmett realizes his true potential as depicted in “Take It Like A Man,” a switch turns on and Speters’s sentimental acting skills as the chemistry between himself and Benson is almost palpalable.
Speters and Benson are surrounded by a cast full of talent. Colleen Lafaber plays Paulette, a hilarious beautician who mentors Elle throughout the story. Lafaber’s hyperbole representations of Pauette’s dream to visit Ireland had the audience laughing out loud. Along with the laughs, though, came the sentimental sides of Paulette. Lafaber performed with such heart that the audience couldn’t help but “awe” when Paulette was reunited with her dog.
As well as Paulette, Elle’s Greek chorus of sorority sisters, played by Amelia Barr, Alyson Enderle, and Lauren Hugh added many laughs. The Greek chorus popped into the show at random moments, highlighting the comedy in all parts of the show, such as the trial. Pascal Pastrana played the shallow ex-boyfriend Warner, who in the end embarrasses himself as the superficial jerk; Vanessa Barr played Vivienne, the bratty snob who breaks through her smarty-pants stereotype in the end.
Along with the talented actors, Ashley Wereley, Jim Eischen, and Kathleen Martin added the effects of set, lighting, and costume design to what was already a great production. The actors were wonderfully talented, but without the effects of set, lighting, and costume design the show would not be as wonderfully as endearing as it turned out to be.
The play was adapted from the movie, “Legally Blonde,” and since Reese Witherspooon is such a popular actress, the title does a great job at grabbing attention. It was a new experience to attend to musical theatre play called, “Legally Blonde,” at University of Minnesota Duluth. It was interesting to see the differences and similarities between the film and theatre. It was unbelievable and amazing how wonderful the performance was to watch, because of the closeness to the actors and actresses at the theatre. Another thing that was very interesting and helped with the experience was the presence of sign language interpreters. For the movie, there is just closed captioned, so if there are words that are hard to understand, viewers would have to look them up. However, at the theatre, the interpreters were able to translate the words for the audience- closed captioning could not do that. It was great seeing all of the facial expressions from the actors and actresses with the bonus experience of seeing the interpreter’s expressions, too. The best part about the live performance was that it had more dancing and singing that caused the audience to smile more. The actors and actresses looked like they really enjoyed to perform and had fun at same time; that was fascinating for the audience. All of them did a fabulous job acting, dancing, singing, and collaborating as a team. There was a surprise at the end when the actors and actresses continued singing after the audience was clapping, telling them to go home. It was good to see the empathy they expressed to think about the audience. It is not something audiences will often see at theatres.
ReplyDeleteThere were also puppies that were part of the play. They were so cute, friendly, and real. They also provided many good laughs. It was entertaining and admirable to see how Colleen Lafeber was acting and singing on the stage. There was a hilarious scene where Lafeber had to carry a dog off of the stage. Lafeber did have a talent in acting how she paused to show the audience how she had a crush on a boy, then injured the boy; she also opened her arms while she was singing, to display emotion, and being good friends with Elise Benson. Lafeber’s makeup, hair, and costume were gorgeous and fit her character’s style.
The set design overall was impressive, but there are a few suggestions. The colors from the lighting toward to the actresses were stunning and very good to capture the audience’s attention while the actresses were talking. The best part with lighting was when the act was talking about “blood” while there was red lighting on the floor. The curtains were very creative and the best scenic design for the whole play. The designer did the best to change the curtains with different colors and styles to fit to each act. It was awesome to see it change backward and forward; for example, backward was for men and forward was for women to save time and being prepared for the stage. The huge blue screen was beautiful to see while the actresses were dancing and singing. It would be a great accessibility to have a stereo box for hearing impaired people to feel the music, meanwhile they feel the music on the floor. The lighting to the stage was a little too bright at some times, so it needed to be adjusted. The decorations for the stairs needed some more sparkles and they could add pink and white feathers.
Overall, many people enjoy going to see musical theatre because it provides a positive atmosphere with happiness and energy. They want to feel great after seeing the music and dance. It was important for people’s health to have laughs, and that performance was hilarious and sweet.
The University of Minnesota Duluth put on an adaption of the Broadway show Legally Blonde: The Musical. The Broadway show was an adaption of a popular film with the title Legally Blonde. I think that the production which UMD put on stayed pretty close to the actual film. The story line is about a sorority girl who loses the love of her life and goes to Harvard to get her man back. Through all the triumphs and tribulations that Elle deals with she ends up finding her own self-worth and dignity knowing that she does not need a man to define who she is. I thought it was amazing how Elle, played by Elise Benson, had seventeen costume changes. This seems like a lot of changes for one person but in the film version, Elle, changes quite often. I also like how with all of those costume changes of the main character. Elle was still able to keep true to her-self and her personality of being the bubbly sorority girl. All of the costumes were done by Kathleen Martin and it was nice to see that she was able to use pink throughout the whole entire show. Pink is such an eye popping color that it was easy to point out Elle, on stage.
ReplyDeleteI thought that the lighting played a big role in the production. While it was easy to use pink tones while Elle was on stage. There were many other colors used throughout to signify changes in the attitude or emotion of the scene. Some other colors that were used were blues and reds. Which may have been used to evoke softer or darker tones throughout the play, colors that are not as vivacious as pink.
I thought that the scenery also really helped identify the setting of the play. The play starts out in sunny California at UCLA and then moves to the East Coast. The different scenes from the sorority house, to the school, and the courthouse all show evolution of not only the character development but the changes that take place physically. Over all, I thought that this play was wonderful. It had a little bit of everything from humor to serious parts, to singing and dancing. I liked the fact that this play focused on a positive role within the sorority realm. Being someone who is currently in a sorority I thought that it was nice to see all the positivity that can happen with being in a sorority. Since, today there is a negative connotation with sororities. The best part of the play was the fact that there were two dogs that played Bruiser and Rufus. I thought it was fun to see real dogs on the stage because they brought a sense of realness to the play and they invoked many laughs from the audience. I would definitely recommend this play for others to see because of all the comedic elements while still keeping to the original story but emphasizing everything with bursts of song and dance.
On December 4th, 2014, Legally Blonde: The Musical made its debut at the Marshall Performing Arts Center. Director Ann Aiko Bergeron set out to explore a story “rife with stereotypes” while also trying to provide audiences with a fun time. Considering how the entire theatre felt stuffed with audience members, it seems this type of story successfully reached a wide variety of people.
ReplyDeleteThe actress Elise Benson portrayed the main protagonist of Elle Woods. Not only fitting in terms of looks, Benson provided the charisma and range of emotions required for the lead role in a musical. Additionally, her vocal range felt clear and powerful enough to command the audience’s focus during her musical numbers. The male leads of Jayson Speters and Pascal Pastrana also provided a satisfying performance, each expressing a different set of emotions when conversing with Benson’s character. Another noteworthy cast member included Ryan James Fargo, who portrayed the ruthless Professor Callahan. He gave the character a fantastically snide magnetism, cementing Callahan as one of the more memorable characters from this performance.
Special mention goes to Colleen Lafeber and Josiah Thompson, who respectively played Paulette and Kyle. This duo nearly stole the show with their characters antics, causing the audience to explode with laughter whenever they came on stage. Lafeber felt highly expressive and physically emotive throughout her scenes, and Thompson’s relaxed attitude (combined with his revealing costume) created an entertaining juxtaposition between their two characters.
In terms of the musical numbers, Legally Blonde provided a pleasant mix of memorable singing and impressive choreography. It seemed that this show must have physically challenged some of the actors, considering the complicated dance numbers that also required the actors to sing clearly. During the beginning of the show, it felt that the live band overpowered some of the singers, but this issue seemed to have disappeared as the show progressed. A few times later on, though, it seemed that one of the microphones picked up some interference. For the most part, I could hear the actors effectively and witness their impressive dancing abilities.
The lighting featured throughout the show felt vibrant and colorful, quite fitting for a musical like Legally Blonde. Much of the lighting looked amplified by a simple white background, which reflected the color of lighting used. For the number “Blood in the Water,” the stage bathed in a blood-red hue that augmented the mood presented by the performers and the lyrics. More subtle uses of color, such as the changing of seasons, also felt like an effective use of lighting.
From the prestigious Harvard Law School to a beat up trailer home, the variety of settings featured in Legally Blonde called for resourceful set design in order to quickly transition between scenes. Upon seeing the set designs used for this performance, it seems apparent that the crew of set builders and designers creatively condensed multiple set pieces into the same object. A notable example occurs near the end of the musical, where a court room flips around and suddenly turns into a bathroom. The sets looked impressively large and extravagant, which fit the tone of this musical, while also providing an environment that felt spacious enough for the actors’ dancing.
Even though director Ann Aiko Bergeron initially looked down on the play due to the stereotypical writing, it felt like each actor brought life into their characters. In the end, this musical did not set out to tell the same old coming-of-age story, but rather craft a tale where characters break out of their expected roles. With never a dull moment, Legally Blonde: The Musical sent the audience into a standing ovation during the end, proving this fun and energetic show is absolutely worth seeing.
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ReplyDeleteUMD’s production of Legally Blonde: the Musical has a lot of hype, and the performers certainly lived up to it on Friday night. The high level of professionalism from the cast was astounding. Although the sound crew appeared to be having trouble throughout the show, it did not significantly hamper the performance. By the end of the show, the audience was on their feet. Legally Blonde: the Musical is one show that should not be missed.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, the show started approximately twenty minutes late, and the opening song was difficult to hear. Some actresses were too quiet, and some were nearly deafeningly loud. After the first few minutes, thankfully, the sound crew got the situation under control, and everyone’s microphones were at least functioning, if not well, by the close of the first number. It appeared for a moment that the problems were resolved, but balance between the pit musicians and the cast onstage continued to be a problem throughout the performance. There were obvious volume spikes during passages of dialogue from the beginning to the end of the play. However, the cast appeared to respond well, adjusting magnificently to make sure that they were well-heard in the house.
The good casting was immediately apparent. It is difficult to imagine anyone but Elise Benson in the role of Elle Woods. She looked the part, sang splendidly, and even seemed to physically embody her role with gestures and movement. Benson was so in character, that it seemed Elle was real and alive onstage, sporting an infectious smile for the whole night.
Many times throughout the performance, the whole cast got together and did big song and dance numbers. It appeared that they were not always perfectly in sync. However, the spirit and energy onstage which made up for it. It was easy to see how much fun the performers were having, particularly in the big number, “Gay or European?” which had the audience on the floor laughing. The supporting characters of the witness and his boyfriend had a glorious moment during this song, dancing off the stage in each other’s arms.
Paulette, played by Colleen Lafaber, also delivered a showstopping performance, and was cheered enthusiastically at the curtain call. It’s nearly impossible to say one bad thing about her performance. Her jokes and songs had the audience both empathizing and laughing throughout the play. Her emotionally-delivered solo, “Ireland” was both hugely entertaining and touching.
The leads also played very well off of each other. “Chip on My Shoulder” was both sweet and inspiring, delivered excellently with the wonderful voices of Benson and Jayson Speters, in the role of Emmett. Speters’ expert portrayal of Emmett had the crowd rooting for him throughout the show.
The costumes (by Kathleen Martin) were also fantastic, well-suited to each character. Jim Eischen’s lighting also perfectly fit the show, keeping up with the fast-moving, roller-coaster plot, whether the scene was upbeat and fun or quiet and contemplative.The set can’t be ignored either. Ashley Wereley had an absolutely inspired design, especially seen in the beauty shop. All of the pieces of the production came together and complemented one another.
The show also came with a strong message, showing a strong female character who learns to push herself to get exactly what she wants. There were even a few tears during the graduation scene (narrated by Paulette’s amusing quips). The audience definitely went away with huge smiles. This show will likely be talked about for a long time. Legally Blonde: the Musical may very well have been the best show UMD has put on in recent memory.