KMPH FOX 26 | Central San Joaquin Valley News SourceDean Reviews "Legally Blonde"

Our performing arts correspondent Dean Rhodus shares his review of the Good Company Players production of "Legally Blonde."

The show continues through November 13 at Roger Rocka's Dinner Theater in the Tower District.

For more information, call (559) 266-9494 or (800) 371-4747.

"Legally Blonde" is a Testimony to Hard Work

I caught the Thursday night, October 14th performance at Good Company Players. It is not easy to make a dumb blonde, the proverbial "Valley Girl", caught up in hair coloring, clothes labeling and BFF's and douse her with a cold splash of Ivy League reality (a well worn idea) and make it fresh, innovative and compelling WHILE turning it into a musical. O'Keefe, Benjamin and Hach (composer, lyricist and author) have done just that.

However, without solid directing the strokes and dots just lay there on the page. Enter Elizabeth Fiester to translate strokes and dots into a living entity. I know Biz's work and appreciate her style of directing. She is famous for assembling a talented cast and nurturing them to fruition. It takes maturity and patience to direct this way. She achieved vibrancy, shallowness, hormonal blindness and intellectual pomposity with her deftness, without the slightest hint of a heavy hand. I have never been young enough to direct this kind of a piece. Brava Biz!

Kaye Migaki's choreography is equal to her best work. I am impressed that year after year she keeps being innovative and honest to the style of each show and song. Obviously this requires talent and personal integrity. Likewise, David Sarkisian's vocal coaching was attentive to details like diction, pitch and style. A note to the performers: stay true to the discipline of articulation (as I'm sure David encouraged) through to the end of the show, not just the first third.

Without the brightness of Emily Pessano this show could not hold together. She performs like an old soul, obviously born to do just that. Teddy Maldonado is very attractive as her slow to come around class mate. His singing is for real. Daniel Hernandez is properly oblivious to what's really important. We like not liking him. Good job. Greg Ruud captures quite well the professorial aloofness and litigious cunning of the older, somewhat predatory Professor Callahan. Cheyenne Gray and Megan Uribe are very important to the seamless flow of the directing. I appreciate their work ethic.

Ginger Kaye Lewis-Reed's costumes were fan-tas-tic!!! David Pierce's sets are designed well and work the space cleverly. Jennifer Sullivan's lighting played and danced and "explained" some of the scenes (helpful in limited space).

Forget about the movie. This musical version is much more fun and PWI!