Omigod, You Guys! YAT Is Performing “Legally Blonde!”

How do you keep a blonde busy for hours?

Write “Please turn over” on both sides of a piece of paper.

What did the blonde say when she looked into a box of Cheerios?

“Oh look!  Donut seeds!”

Why did the blonde get fired from the M&M factory?

She was throwing all the W’s away.

Like other jokes based on broad stereotypes, blonde jokes don’t come anywhere near portraying their subject accurately, if at all.  But unlike jokes aimed at a certain race, gender, nationality or other distinguishing factor, blonde jokes seem to be the only socially acceptable form of comedic prejudice.  Why are blondes singled out when moronic behavior comes in all hair colors?  Pop culture might be the culprit—countless movies, TV shows, novels and hit songs have portrayed blondes as ditzy, daffy, and sometimes altogether brainless, which is why it was so refreshing when the 2001 film “Legally Blonde” turned the cliché of the dumb blonde on its head.

The film’s protagonist, Elle Woods, is blonde, bubbly, beautiful, and perpetually dressed in designer pink—looking every inch the stereotype from her sparkly heels to her perfectly-coiffed tresses.  But instead of drawing the character as someone who’s either dumb, or dumb on the surface but secretly smart inside (a classic modern movie trope), Elle is bright from the beginning, and spends the rest of the film proving it to others who underestimate her.  That’s not to say that she doesn’t use her natural charm to her advantage—she does, especially in the way she gains acceptance to Harvard Law School—but her looks and personality are just a few of the many tools at her disposal. 

But despite all her positive attributes, Elle is still the underdog of the story, which makes the stage musical version of the film a perfect fit for the Young Actors’ Theatre, in many ways an underestimated underdog itself. 

Because YAT got first dibs on the musical’s west coast debut, they moved the show’s venue to the classy Kroc Theater in San Diego—a good move, considering attendance at last Saturday’s show seemed to far outpace their other productions in Casa de Oro.  But aside from the ample stage room and orchestra pit, many of the YAT’s core elements remained—several set pieces from the home theater were brought in, along with, of course, many familiar faces.  In fact, the lead role for that night’s show ended up being performed not by YAT newcomer Megan Martin (who was ill), but by recurring YAT favorite Nicola Barrett (originally slated to play wrongly-accused fitness fanatic Brooke Wyndham).  Although Barrett did a fabulous job filling in, it would have been interesting to see what she would have done with the character if she had time to fully inhabit it, from Elle’s heartbreak at UCLA to her triumph at Harvard Law.

The fill-in for Barrett’s original role—Brooke Laver—also kept up without skipping a beat (quite an accomplishment considering all the literal skipping she had to do via jump-rope).  Laver was believably indignant at being accused of murdering the husband she loved, and hilariously frightened at the prospect of her solid alibi—undergoing liposuction—getting out and ruining her reputation as a home fitness guru.

Other show standouts included Danielle Gulihur as Paulette, a love-sick manicurist who gets an extra coat of confidence from Elle (her “bend and snap” was truly impressive); and Derrick Gaffney as Emmett Forest, the law associate who believes in Elle from the beginning—his natural hang-dog charm was effortless (and dang, does he clean up well in a suit).

However, even those with minimal roles made the most of them, such as Katee Drysdale as Margot, one of Elle’s sorority sisters and Greek chorus-style voices of encouragement.  In addition to enthusiastically spanking a Harvard admissions officer during Elle’s live personal entrance essay, Drysdale lovingly stroked a male cast member’s chest during another dance sequence and generally behaved like a handsy man-eater throughout the show—a delightful departure from the other characters that seemed to be completely ad-libbed according to Drysdale’s whims.

And of course, a shout-out has to go to the adorable, brave Chihuahua playing Bruiser, Elle’s beloved canine companion.  From the sharp downward angle of his ears to the saucer-wideness of his eyes whenever he was brought on stage, it was clear that the poor pooch was petrified.  But he didn’t jump out of Barrett’s arms or have an unfortunate fear-based accident—which means he has a bright future in show business if he so chooses (ditto for Paulette’s dog Rufus, who had less stage time but received equal fawning from the audience).

Of course, there were standout musical numbers as well among a show full of catchy tunes.  Although it almost seemed wrong to enjoy it so much, “Gay or European,” a question that could discredit a key witness in Elle’s first trial, was loads of trashy fun.  Likewise, “Ireland,” Paulette’s lament that her girlhood dream of marrying a strapping Irish lad was only a fantasy, featured a unique mix of absurdity, “Riverdance,” and romance.

While it is unclear whether YAT will host future productions in the Kroc Theater, it ultimately doesn’t matter how big the audience is or how much room the cast has to move around on stage.  As an underdog in the San Diego County theater community, YAT constantly proves that appearances can be deceiving, making up in personality, charm and talent what it lacks in size and budget—much like a perky blonde whose pink wardrobe hides the legal shark within.

Showtimes this weekend are: 7 p.m. Jan. 20 and 21; 2 p.m. Jan. 21; and 3 p.m. Jan. 22.