Oh my God, oh my God, you guys! You have to go see Legally Blonde at PA Playhouse. This highly energetic show is fun from beginning to end.
The opening announcements are cleverly done by the Delta Nu sisters, making the audience feel like we are part of the show before it starts.
Bambi is totally adorable as Bruiser Woods.
Cat McKenna starts out understated as Elle Woods, then we see her get more confident as the show progresses. Her characterization shows the audience that Elle may be blonde, but she is not dumb.
Lauryn Littlejohn does well as the salesperson who tries to down sell to Elle, but Elle is too smart for her.
Robert Samuel Morris performs very nicely as the not-so-nice Warner Huntington III. He has a really good tenor voice, and during his song “Serious”, there are waiters dancing in the background. That was very entertaining.
Rachel Kemmerer as Kate does an excellent job as Elle’s “tough love” friend, making sure Elle stays focused so she can get into Harvard.
John Leiderman is sympathetic as Emmett Forest, and it really shows throughout the performance how much his character cares for Elle and wants her to succeed.
Carlo Igot is charming as “His Majesty” Sundeep Padaman.
Lizzie Witek is delightfully sarcastic as Enid Hoops, and is also very good as the no-nonsense store manager.
Karina Hernandez does a great job as Elle’s nemesis Vivienne Kensington.
Shaun Hayes is smarmy as Professor Callahan, the perfect stereotype of a lawyer. His “Blood in the Water” is on point. He does very well going from “strict but fair” professor to later on showing his true colors.
Effe Lambrinos is wisecracking as hairstylist Pauette Bonaparte. Her New York accent is done very well, and she sounds beautiful when singing “Ireland”.
Leiderman’s tenor is sweet and almost haunting in “Chip on my Shoulder”.
Nic Penn has a really good balance as fun dad when he plays Elle’s dad and bad ex-boyfriend when he plays Paulette’s ex Dewey.
Matilda steals the show as Bruiser.
Delta Nu ensemble member Mya Detwiler does an impressive front aerial during “So Much Better”.
The energy in “Whipped into Shape” is palpable. Stephanie George does very well showing Brooke Wyndham’s hesitancy to share her alibi with the legal team but then opening up to Elle when she learns they were both Delta Nu sisters.
David Lippincott is great as sex symbol Kyle, the UPS deliveryman.
Andrew Galdinez is both boisterous as Grandmaster Chad and believable as Nikos, his accent making him seem almost charming. Joey Troiano is wonderfully flamboyant as Nikos’s boyfriend Carlos, as is ensemble member Caleb Flannery during “Bend and Snap”.
The “Legally Blonde” reprise plays as peppy and fun.
The final trial is well conceived and executed.
If I could change one thing about the production, it would be to put the crew in costume so that it doesn’t take away from the action as much when they have to do changes when the scenes are in progress.
The next show dates are August 7, 14 and 15 at 7:30 p.m.; August 9 and 16 at 6 p.m. There is no show listed for August 8. Pennsylvania Playhouse is located on Illicks Mill Road in Bethlehem. Tickets are $30 for adults, $26 for seniors and $18 for students, plus a $2 processing fee. Groups of 20 or more can purchase tickets for $25 for adults; $24 for seniors, plus $2 processing fee.