As all of my Osgoode classmates have now come to know, musicals have defined much of my life. I mean, how fun is it to just burst into a song and dance to explore a big moment or dilemma in your life?
Although not a realistic route to conflict resolution, song and dance have been integrated into much of my life since I was a young child. I began my passion for performance as a competitive dancer, slowly transitioning to performing in various musicals in high school. From Grease to the Wizard of Oz, I could not get enough of the ways that the combination of the story, dance, and musical arrangements transported me into another world. This love for musical theatre has remained with me throughout my university experiences, where my participation shifted from being a performer to being a choreographer. Regardless of my specific involvement in a show––whether it be as a performer, a choreographer, or as an audience member––I find myself drawn to the excitement of the lights, costumes, dance moves, and glorious notes radiating from the stage.
The Most Recent Show
On January 24th, I sat in the audience of Hart House Theatre to watch a sold-out performance of Legally Blonde: The Musical, which was even more intriguing as a law student. As a child, I think I saw the movie more times than I can count, and since the musical’s debut on Broadway over twelve years ago, I have become familiar with the cast album, learning every lyric, tune, and harmony. When I saw that a production was happening at Hart House Theatre, I could not miss my opportunity to finally see the show.
So, how was it? Well, starting with the design aspect of the show, I was initially impressed. Upon walking into the theatre, the set was a very simple (and pink) house-like structure, allowing for multi-level dancing in the opening number. The production also used hollow rotating books to change settings and ease the scene transitions. The constant variety of costume changes kept the stage lively. The production also chose to use wigs as a feature throughout the show. Elle’s wig blended well into her overall costume; however, other performers wore multiple wigs throughout the show, which ended up being distracting as a viewer because of the number of changes.
Outside of the design elements, the performance value was also high. The choreography was both campy and high-energy as it used the full space of the stage. Wherever you looked, especially during a musical number, you were likely to see a wide variety of on-stage activities.
The Greek Chorus, which is a trio of women that serve as Elle’s inner voice throughout her law school journey, was particularly engaging in terms of dance. The use of triangle formations and repeated dance moves, particularly for songs like “What You Want” and “Positive”, created a sense of familiarity with which the audience could connect. Another number, entitled “Whipped Into Shape”, incorporated skipping ropes; the cast belted beautiful notes while intricately skipping rope throughout almost the entire song. The audience was so impressed that this song in particular received claps and cheers at several points during the song.
As for the vocal abilities of the performers, the actress playing Elle Woods, Emma Sangalli, stood out immediately as a result of her clear diction, well-rounded tone, and sustained notes. Her talent level was matched by most of the other performers; however, I left feeling a little disappointed by the vocal stylings of Emmet Forest, who was played by Ethan Vasquez Taylor. Although his embodiment of the character was convincing, his voice rang in flat when singing his main number “Chip on Your Shoulder”, which also happens to be my favourite track on the Broadway cast recording. Sadly, I think that his vocal talents were not a perfect match for the vocal requirements of the Emmet role.
Overall, I would absolutely recommend this production to both musical theatre newbies and dedicated theatre lovers. Hart House Theatre produces well-constructed, affordable, and engaging shows each season. So, if you are looking to expand your musical theatre knowledge, I would suggest checking them out, especially since tickets usually cost no more than $30.00. Their final show of this season is Oh, What A Lovely War!, which runs from February 28th to March 7th, 2020. For more information, you can visit their website here: https://harthouse.ca/theatre.
So, What’s Next?
After seeing the very relatable Legally Blonde production, I am beyond excited to see Hamilton in Toronto at the end of April. Hamilton is a much-acclaimed musical, famed for integrating the genre of hip-hop into an American historical story. Created by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton is about America’s founding father Alexander Hamilton, who became George Washington’s right-hand person and the nation’s first Treasury Secretary after immigrating from the West Indies.
I was actually fortunate enough to see Hamilton in Chicago this past summer, and I can confirm that this musical is deserving of both its hype and myriad of sold-out performances. The story is created in such a way that the constant flow of lyrics keeps audience members at the edge of their seats. I laughed, cried, and left the theatre with a craving to see it all over again. Now that I am seeing it in Toronto, that desire is being actualized. Only one question remains: Will the Toronto production compare to its Broadway version?
For more information on Mirvish’s Toronto production of Hamilton, check out this site: https://www.mirvish.com/shows/hamilton?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI4LOKjbqf5wIVGWKGCh0VrwXzEAAYASABEgIlBfD_BwE. There are still VERY limited tickets available; so, if I have convinced you that Hamilton is worth its ridiculous price tag, I would encourage you to buy one of those remaining tickets today!