THE MUSICAL at Shea’s 710 Theatre

Gretchen Didio as Elle Woods embodied the vane blonde bombshell,  who at firstglance is every bit as shallow as you would expect for the stereotypical dumb blonde.  Her knowledge of fashion, make up and hair is unrivaled. She is fascinated with all things pink and carries her petite dog around like an accessory.  But looks are deceiving, and Didio convinces from the outset. Her endearing vanity makes her instantly likable. She faces adversity and insults with a stiff upper lip.  Her smooth voice is plaintive whenneeded and powerful when necessary. Didio lands the jokes without being campy and proves she is no dumb blonde. 

 Sean Ryan continues to establish himself in Western New York as a true leading man. Ryan captivates as Emmett, the young attorney who falls for Elle. His strong singing voice and good looks insured he was the perfect fit for this role.

The secondary characters truly shine in someof the score’s more interesting numbers. ”Gay or European?” was  quite hysterical and cleverly staged. “Bend andSnap” gave Paulette a moment to shine andCopps belted and strutted to great effect. Marc Sacco is wonderfully swarmy as the lead attorney Callahan, digging into his song “Blood in the Water.” Kudos to the kooky Lizzie Arnold for her brief star turn as Chutney, a woman whose hairstyle is the crux of  an entire court case. 

Penelope Sergi was terrific  as Brooke, the fitness instructor who is accused of murdering her husband. Her act II opener, “Whipped Into Shape” had some excellent choreography by Director and Choreographer Michael Oliver-Walline, including a creative nod to Jane Fonda’s fitness videos and Olivia Newton John’s “Let’s Get Physical.” Alex Anthony Garcia takes on the icky tole of Warner, and handles his scenes well. 

The set was simply designed but effective ,  allowing the fine projections to add cotton candy color and pizzazz, all designed by Chris Cavanagh. The tight six piece offstage band was led by Music Director Stephen Piotrowski.

Shows like LEGALLY BLONDE and MEAN GIRLS are some of this century’s musicals that aim to please an audience of a certain age. While they play out like shows written for The Disney Channel, there is certainly a crowd that eats up this genre. LEGALLY BLONDE succeeds in having a lead character that you root for and whose happy ending feels well deserved.

 LEGALLY BLONDE: THE MUSICAL presented by Musicalfare plays at Shea’s 710 Theatre through May 18, 2025. Contact sheas.org for more information 

_{Images are for reference only.Images and contents gathered automatic from google or 3rd party sources.All rights on the images and contents are with their legal original owners.}