“Legally Blonde” is More Than Just Another Musical

The modern classic “Legally Blonde - The Musical” took to the stage Tuesday, Feb. 7, at the Brick Breeden Fieldhouse. The immense amount of women of all ages that were empowering each other with words of affirmation created an electrifying energy and a contagious sense of joy. There, as a passionate fan of “Legally Blonde”, I was buzzing with anticipation to see the Broadway in Bozeman cast rendition of the feminist classic that has inspired women in education and the workplace for over a decade.

Bringing a large musical production of this scale to Bozeman is so important for representation of the arts and culture that is much needed in Bozeman, even more so, “Legally Blonde”itself is a powerful story about combating stereotypes, ambition and most importantly is one of the healthiest representations of women supporting women. Elle Woods, the protagonist, is a timeless role model for girls and women of all ages. Her powerful influence comes from her capability to stay true to her femininity while simultaneously being driven in her pursuit to prove others wrong and showcase that she is not a one dimensional character, but rather a multifaceted, intelligent woman. 

I came in with high expectations for this specific cast and the production quality did not disappoint. The elaborate set designs and attention to detail brought the characters to life and made the portrayal of each and every character convincing. Elle Woods, played by Hannah Bonnet, had a strong voice and impressed the audience with her profoundly animated stage presence. Her costumes always included a pink hue with fun embellishments and the costuming was captivating.

The movie inspired the Broadway musical production of “Legally Blonde” and Emmett, played by Aathaven Tharmarajah, has a larger role in the musical than his character does in the movie. He utilized that extra stage time to his advantage. I have seen three productions of “Legally Blonde” and Emmett in this specific version was by far the most engaging due to his vocal range and passionate acting. His emotional scenes of realization and revelation made me feel completely immersed in the story, as if I were a part of it and up on the stage with the outstanding cast. With their consistent energy and film-accurate costuming, this production was polished, fine tuned and the strongest adaptation I have seen thus far. 

Going to see “Legally Blonde -The Musical” is an experience I recommend to every woman looking to be inspired. Elle Woods was demonized and ridiculed for her bubbly personality, her love of fashion and all things feminine, and was stereotyped by her peers at Harvard, but she stayed resilient and kind despite all of the backlash she received for those attributes. She took back her own life, embraced her femininity, followed her dreams and proved to everyone that she is not what they presumed her to be. She had both beauty and brains. Her value ran deeper than just her looks, she stayed true to herself and continued to celebrate and encourage all different women throughout her story. She remained poised in the face of discrimination and for those reasons she is a feminist hero and a role model for women and girls everywhere.