An audience jam-packed with friends and family greeted the opening night performance of Conundrum Theatre Company’s Legally Blonde with the kind of cheers usually reserved for a Taylor Swift concert, and if the production playing this weekend only at NoHo’s El Portal would not under normal circumstances generate that rhapsodic a reception, an energetic young cast headed by a captivating Paloma Malfavón make it a definite crowd-pleaser.

Tony-nominated book writer Heather Hach is smart enough not to fool with success, sticking closely to Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith’s 2001 film adaptation of Amanda Brown’s novel, which has jilted UCLA Fashion Merchandising grad Elle (YouTuber Malfavón) acing her LSATs, winning over the Harvard University Admissions board, and entering Harvard Law School in a bid to win back the heart of ex-boyfriend and future political hopeful Warner Huntington III (Zach Troutman), who’s dumped her in favor of Vivienne Kensington (Avery Bebon), someone “less of a Marilyn and more of a Jackie.”

Naturally, Elle finds herself in for a lot more than she bargained for both in and around hallowed Ivy League halls peopled by (among others) legal teaching assistant Emmett Forrest (Drew Maidment), Machiavellian Professor Callahan (Grant Garry), hairstylist/new best buddy Paulette (Jordan Kaiser), and fitness guru Brook Wyndham (Analisa Idalia), on trial for murdering her much older multimillionaire spouse.

Also along for the ride are Elle’s three best UCLA sorority sisters Serena (Kelly Ciurczak), Margot (Jess Jani), and Pilar (Riayn Christina), left behind in SoCal but still very much present as Elle’s “Greek Chorus.”

Suffice it to say that the road to a Harvard Law Degree and (hopefully) Warner’s hand in marriage is a rocky one, filled with unexpected twists and turns, and this time round with song and dance as well.

Legally Blonde The Musical adds to the movie’s proven plot one of the brightest and best Broadway scores in recent years (Tony-nominated music and lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin) and one rousing dance number after another, choregraphed on Broadway by a Tony-nominated Jerry Mitchell.

Morgan-Wixson favorite Mirai directs her talented cast of volunteer performers with considerable flair and her own original touches, and the same can be said about choreographer Marcus S. Daniel’s high-energy dance numbers, among them Elle’s “personal essay” to the Harvard Board Of Admissions), the taeboe/jump rope aerobics moves of “Whipped Into Shape,” and an R&B celebration of the man-catching move known as the “Bend And Snap.”

Still, Conundrum’s Legally Blonde wouldn’t work nearly as well as it does without a star-quality-blessed leading lady like Malfavón, who lights up the El Portal stage like a young Mariah Carey, sings and dances up a storm, and gives Reese Witherspoon’s Elle a run for her money where girl-next-door appeal and legal smarts are concerned.

Opposite Malfavón, Maidment is such a rumpled charmer as unlikely romantic lead Emmett that it’s no wonder Elle finds herself smitten.

Kaiser’s big-voiced, big-personality Paulette is another winner and so is Idalia’s brunette ball of fire (and cardio-workout dynamo) Brooke.

Troutman’s lanky, floppy-haired Warner, Bebon’s ice queen of a Vivienne, and Garry’s slimy-slick Callahan are terrific too as are Elle’s trio of besties Ciurczak, Christina, and Jani, and Steven Michael is hot as blazes as the studly, mini-shorts sporting UPS guy who’s caught Paulette’s eye.

Giving it their all in cameo roles are Roni Gayer (Chutney), Rory Gill-Smith (Enid), Danny Holmberg (Aaron), Natalie Kahn (Kate), Christina Martino (Leilani), dance captain Jillian Stern (Gaelen), and Rachel Yoffe (Whitney), with Michael Angel, Sofia Gutierrez, Christine J’Mae, Ellie Martino, Eric Millard, Ethan Mullen, Donnie Riddle, Spencer Scruggs, Tessa Stokes, Leo Tamez, Norman Thatch, and Ewa Tonia completing the hard-working onstage cast and Keeley Bell, Mara Greene, Jordan Nitsch, and Melanie Uba sweetening ensemble vocals from the orchestra pit under Jonny Perl’s assured music direction. (Perl also conducts a seven-piece pit orchestra that sounds just fine once the Overture is over.)

Last but not least, Lemon B. Pup (Bruiser) and Ziggy Pitt (Rufus) prove themselves two of the most scene-stealing canines in the biz.

Designers Jett LaFever, Kristen Pickrell, Catherine Pitt, D’Angelo Reyes, and Michael Thorpe make the most of their limited budget on the great big El Portal stage, with special snaps to Pickrell for her eclectic array of colorful costumes.

Aliza Berger is assistant director. Mallory Wynne is assistant music director. Jack Colyer is both co-choreographer and assistant choreographer. Isaac Rodriguez is sound mixer.

Ariella Salinas Fiore is intimacy director and Danica Waitley is dog trainer and wrangler.

Bouket Fingerhut is production manager. Kelly Frisch is stage manager and Ashley DeFrancesco is assistant stage manager. Edwin Pleitez is technical director.

At a dozen productions and counting, Legally Blonde is a show I never get tired of seeing, and its mostly 20something characters make it a perfect choice for a cast just starting out in musical theater like the ones Conundrum Theatre Company has assembled at the El Portal.

With Paloma Malfavón winning me over from her the moment she enters the stage, even minus Equity performers and regional theater sheen, this dozenth Legally Blonde left me tickled pink.

The El Portal Theatre, 5269 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood.
www.conundrumtheatreco.com

–Steven Stanley
June 21, 2024

Tags: Conundrum Theatre Company, El Portal Theatre, Heather Hach, Laurence O'Keefe, Los Angeles Theater Review, Nell Benjamin