Video: A Preview of ‘Legally Blonde,’ at Morristown Onstage 2017
By Alexandra Monfalcone
What unites actors, dancers, singers, cheerleaders, football players, musicians, artists, and two adorable dogs?
Well, musical theater at Morristown High School. And more particularly, Legally Blonde the Musical, which combines all of these incredible talents to put on a fantastic show.
But how does a high school theater program put on a show this ambitious? The answer is quite complicated.
Though the show is known for its glamour, behind the scenes it’s more like a well oiled machine. Putting on a show like Legally Blonde takes an enormous amount of teamwork from an eclectic group of people.
From the actor’s aspect of the performance, in addition to the difficult vocals, Legally Blonde is known for its challenging choreography.
The dance numbers are intense and include front walkovers, pyramids, lifts, Irish step dancing, and even jump ropes.
In order to ensure that the dances look flawless for the performances, theater students frequently have been giving up their lunch blocks to practice, on top of the six-hour rehearsals after school.
The crew has had its hands full with this show. Building approximately 17 set pieces has been no easy task, especially since there is very little space to store them.
Crew members have been working day and night for the past two months on these beautiful sets. Their other challenge is actually maneuvering the sets on stage during the performances.
Since there are so many sets, and multiple scene changes, the crew has been practicing getting the massive sets on and off stage over and over again for the past week.
The show opens with a very special feature that MHS Theatre has never used before: A scrim. It’s a sheer curtain that holds light beautifully while also showing the actors behind it. It allows for eye-catching special effects, and it starts off the show with a bang.
To add to the difficulty of this production, the music is very challenging. Legally Blonde is more amicably known as a “rockra,” or a “rock opera,” because there is almost always music playing.
As a result, the pit orchestra plays an integral role in the performance. The pit is comprised of MHS students who are exceptionally talented on their respective instruments and have a passion for theater.
Legally Blonde, The Musical
Morristown High School, 50 Early St.
March 23, 24, 25 at 7 pm, March 26 at 2 pm
Tickets: $8 to $15, mhstix.com
Since the music is so difficult, the pit has been rehearsing practically as long as the cast. In addition, since the music calls for such a variety of instruments, one of the pianos is connected to a computer that is programmed to make the sounds of different instruments.
This handy innovation allows the pit to sound like a 40-piece orchestra, when in reality it is closer to a 20-piece orchestra.
What makes Legally Blonde so special is how it combines all of these complex aspects into one remarkable show. The magic comes when the actors, the crew, the pit, the lights, and every aspect of the show work in perfect harmony.
It certainly won’t be easy. But the MHS Theatre Department is up for the challenge. If you’d like to see these students put their skills to the test, you can find tickets at mhstix.com — but hurry, because they’re selling fast!
Editor’s note: Morristown High School senior Alexandra Monfalcone is too modest to say it, but she’s one of the stars of ‘Legally Blonde.’ Break a leg, Ally!
