Maya Baker, April Cook, Kelsey Verzotti, Sarah Horsman, Layne Labbe in Legally Blonde. Citadel Theatre and Theatre Calgary. Photo by Nanc Price.
By Liz Nicholls,
Omigod you guys…. This doom-laden summer, the peppy pink Broadway musical singing and dancing across candy-coloured frames on the Citadel mainstage is your invitation to, like, get happier.
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Legally Blonde, which started out as a novel (by Amanda Brown) and became a 2001 movie hit with Reese Witherspoon before it arrived in 3-D on Broadway in 2007, is a daffy but energizing empowerment fable that gives you an enjoyable buzz, and no hangover whatsoever.
The work of Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin (music and lyrics) and Heather Hach (book), it tells the story of pink-clad UCLA sorority girl Elle (Kelsey Verzotti), a super-vivacious fashion merchandising major who goes to Harvard Law School. She does this in pursuit of her callow climber of an ex-boyfriend Warner Huntington III (Kaden Brett Forsberg) who’s dumped her for not being “serious” enough for his upcoming legal career.
At Harvard Law Elle discovers her inner-navy blue suit, so to speak, once she finds her textbooks that is. But in the end, underestimated, she defies everyone’s low expectations, including her snooty “serious” classmates including her ‘ex and his “serious” new girlfriend (Chelsea Woodard), and their intimidating tyrant of a law professor (John Ullyatt). Yup, Elle is a winner by being true to her own blonde rich Malibu girl self (and also because she’s the smartest person in the room).
Kelsey Verzotti and Daniel Fong in Legally Blonde, Citadel Theatre and Theatre Calgary. Photo by Nanc Price
Cheeky (and a wee bit subversive): this is a musical that shamelessly has its cake and eats it too, by looting the time-honoured archive of blonde jokes for fun, then turning them on their head. Do not judge a legal mind by her blonde highlights. Paulette (Patricia Zentilli), a sage hairdresser with romantic bruises, doesn’t make that mistake. Neither does the Law 101 teaching assistant Emmett (Daniel Fong), a helpful shlepper of a new friend who lends a hand (and then a heart).
John Ullyatt (right) as Professor Callahan in Legally Blonde. Citadel Theatre and Theatre Calgary. Photo by Nanc Price.
The Citadel/Theatre Calgary co-production directed and choreographed, with non-stop pizzaz, by Stephanie Graham is a veritable explosion of pink-fuelled energy. Beyata Hackborn’s set design is a fantasy arcade of successive proscenium arches in glowing popsicle colours, lighted by Renée Brode. Rebecca Toon’s pink-forward costumes, and there’s a wild profusion of them, are a riot. At the preview performance I was kindly allowed to attend, surrounded by excited pink-frocked people, costume changes were greeted by audience cheers. The “serious” Harvard types look pretty drab by comparison, and, really, where does it get them?
There’s been a touch-up of roots on Legally Blonde for the sensibilities of 2025. Professor Callahan, for example, refers acidly to “Gen Z enthusiasm.” Good humour does prevail, but the slightly queasy courtroom scene, for example, with its argument about the sexuality of a witness — is he gay or European? — now ends with a Pride flag flourish and boyfriend-boyfriend kiss. Elle’s rich papa’s throwaway comment about the ethnicity of the people she’ll meet at Harvard is gone.
Kelsey Verzotti in Legally Blonde. Citadel Theatre and Theatre Calgary. Photo by Nanc Price.
What saves Legally Blonde from earnestness about the sisterhood or female empowerment, is its light application of self-mockery at crucial moments. For one thing Elle has her own brightly pumped Greek chorus, who enter singing, dancing, and advising up a storm whenever tragedy — like getting dumped, making bad hair decisions, getting outfaced by Warner’s new girlfriend, or being between issues of Cosmo — threatens. They are very amusing as the live in-person personal “essay” that accompanies Elle’s law school application (may I single out Maya Baker for her contagious vigour?). Their song Positive is a highlight: “keep it positive/ as you slap her to the floor. Keep it positive/ as you pull her hair and call her whore….”
Gunho Kwak, Buttercup and Patricia Zentilli, Legally Blonde. Citadel Theatre and Theatre Calgary. Photo by Nanc Price
And Elle has canine back-up, too. She arrives at Harvard Law School with a fluffy purse-sized dog named Bruiser, played with exemplary gravitas by Koko, last seen by Citadel audiences as an understudy in The Garneau Block. He was an audience favourite at the preview I saw. The other scene-stealer is Buttercup in a walk-on walk-off as Paulette’s dog, held hostage by her -ex. Ah, and the sexy UPS guy played with comic pizzaz by Gunho Kwak.
The O’Keefe/Benjamin songs aren’t particularly catchy in melody. But the rhymes will make you smile. Warner’s breaking-up song, Serious, a little gem of crossed wires, is nailed by Forsberg and Verzotti, “if I’m gonna be a senator when I’m thirty, I’m gonna need somebody … Serious. Less of a Marilyn more of a Jackie/ somebody classy and not too tacky … serious.”
Professor Callahan’s review, in song, of the legal profession, Blood in the Water, is a highlight, delivered by Ullyatt with carnivorous aplomb. “Read your Thomas Hobbs/ Only spineless snobs/ Will quarrel with the morally dubious jobs.” There’s a rhyme to savour.
Daniel Fong, Kelsey Verzotti , Kaden Brett-Forsberg in Legally Blonde. Citadel Theatre and Theatre Calgary. Photo by Nanc Price
Elle, in Verzotti’s spirited performance, negotiates the chin-up girly brashness of our heroine without getting too cloying. You want her to succeed (and are secretly relieved she’s opted for law and not, say, neurosurgery). Graham’s cast, including Verzotti and the appealing Fong, are first-rate physical performers and singers.
There’s a certain appealing kookiness about the whole thing. Suddenly there’s a Riverdance spoof, for heaven’s sake, pertaining to Paulette’s taste in dream men. What? And there’s a whole production number devoted to the motivational skills, in action, of gung-ho fitness queen Brooke (Sarah Horsman), whose murder charge requires an Elle intervention. What? The answer is: just for the theatrical fun of it.
This fizzy concoction is not dinner, my friends, nor was meant to be. This is not even champagne (more like bubble tea), but no matter. It’s spiked with some sass, and a sense of humour about itself. There’s a buoyant summer message about verve and self-belief (and wearing pink at all times). A perfect summer drink.
REVIEW
Legally Blonde
Theatre: Citadel and Theatre Calgary
Written by: Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin (music and lyrics), Heather Hach (book) based on the Amanda Brown and the MGM motion picture
Directed by: Stephanie Graham
Starring: Kelsey Verzotti, Daniel Fong, Kaden Brett-Forsberg, Sarah Horsman, John Ullyatt, Patricia Zentilli, Gunho Kwak, Maya Baker, Jessica Jones, Layne Labbe, Jameela McNeil, Robyn Ord, Mark Sinongco, Dean Stockdale, Chelsea Woodard, Buttercup, Koko
Running: through August 3
Tickets: 780-425-1820, citadeltheatre.com
