The lights dimmed as the orchestra hummed a peaceful tune. Before long, the serene music was jazzed up in unison to the color changing lights on the all-pink stage and the actors made their grand entrance, ready to share Elle Woods’ story.
“Legally Blonde: The Musical” is the Chappell Player’s first production since the start of the pandemic. It was amazing having all the actors back on stage singing their hearts out to an enthusiastic audience in the Little Theatre – which was an almost full house on Oct. 14, one of the six days of performance.
There is a great deal of new talent with the Chappell Player’s this year and I am here for it. Amanda Sinclair (Elle Woods), Alejandro Yau (Emmett Forester) and Jordan Mathis (Paulette) are the first few names in the Playbill’s cast list and they are all sophomores, meaning “Legally Blonde” is their first show because there were no productions last year. Their energy and enthusiasm was evident on stage and their passionate portrayals. The entire cast won over the audience’s hearts, from the UPS guy Kyle (played by Matthew Ululati) and his dog Teddy to the cheerleader’s performance trying to convince Harvard Law to accept Woods’s application.
Emmett, played by Yau, was the crowd favorite the night I saw the show. There were about three times during the performance that the crowd could not contain its excitement and support for Yau, especially when he walked on stage in a suit and his hair slicked back for Brooke Windham’s court case. His vocals were on point all night and he deserved all the attention he got.
Mathis’s performance as Paulette caught my attention. Her attitude and presence on stage are really strong. Her energy and confidence vibrated through the theatre, reaching me all the way in the back.
Sinclair’s voice was smooth and soft, which was a happy complement to Elle Woods’ bubbly and overly-optimistic personality. She made her grand entrance in a sparkly white dress, and she changed out of that dress into a cute multi-colored spaghetti strapped dress within seconds. The speed and swiftness of her outfit change reminded me of those magicians who change 10 outfits in 10 seconds.
From getting a letter of recommendation from Doja Cat to having someone dress up as a turkey to throw leaves and indicate how much time has passed, the production’s attention to details was meticulous and a nice modern touch to the musical.
Although the orchestra was a bit overpowering at times, masking the actors voices, all the actors and the staff and musicians put together a successful musical. “Legally Blonde” was a great choice for the first production on campus after the lightening of regulations. It was lighthearted, comical and bubbly – just what we all needed amid the pandemic.
