As I excitedly took my seat in Edison Theatre, I had high hopes for this production of “Legally Blonde.” The movie is a favorite of mine, and I have invested many, many hours of my life into watching and rewatching Reese Witherspoon as Elle Woods make a name for herself at Harvard Law.

Whether presented in film or in theater, it is a necessity that “Legally Blonde” marries humor with the sentiment of conquering the impossible to make this heart-warming story come to life. Evident from the crowd’s continuous and boisterous laughter and the pep in my step after the musical, I think I can safely say that this production achieved this feat.

Grace Bruton | Student Life

Junior Emma Flannery stars in the lead role of Elle Woods in musical “Legally Blonde.” The production will be showing for its second weekend in Edison Theatre Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The set was the first thing that impressed me about this production. The stage was strategically designed and brought character to the show. From the towering staircase that the sorority sisters began the production on to the actual golf cart that Elle’s mom and dad drove on and off the stage, the set elements added a measure of professionalism to the production that I wasn’t expecting.

But it was the actors’ lively performances which made the musical so engaging, especially the two adorable dogs—Tuco and Meatball—who made multiple appearances throughout the show. Each actor put their own spin on the characters I knew and loved, so this production felt familiar and fresh at the same time, which I appreciated. Junior Emma Flannery led the company with her energetic portrayal of Elle Woods. Her vocals and series of quick changes into Elle’s numerous pink ensembles were both impressive.

The musical numbers took the already upbeat storyline to another level. Many of the tunes were catchy, but the real show-stoppers were the dance numbers. Elle’s three main sorority sidekicks continuously brought the moves, energy and twerking that made me both tired watching them and made me want to get up and join them. Another impressive number, “Whipped into Shape,” included jump roping and doing pushups all while singing! How these performers continue to do these numbers successfully each night amazes me.

Grace Bruton | Student Life

Senior Jamie Hendler performs “Bend and Snap” in the Performing Arts Department’s production of “Legally Blonde.”

I’m not one to laugh easily, but this musical definitely had its comedic moments. I found senior Max Shteiman’s—who played Warner, Elle’s clueless ex-boyfriend—self-absorbed act particularly amusing. Some of the comedic storylines added to the musical did not land with me and left me wondering what the point was, but overall, there were few moments that the auditorium wasn’t filled with laughter, so I just chalked it up to my bias towards the movie.

I’m not going to say that this musical production of “Legally Blonde” matched my love for the movie, but it was definitely worth seeing. Musicals are always a hit with me and this one was no exception. More than anything, it was the actors’ heart that won me over. I think the entire audience could feel the effort these actors were putting into this famous production and really appreciated it. I know I did.