Lost Footage: Laura Bell Bundy as Elle Woods in the 1st US National Tour of Legally Blonde the Musical
This is the last 22 mins of the show and the only known video footage of LBB playing Elle in the US tour!
What is of particular interest to me is that this includes LBB's performance of the ballad without the door. I personally believe that there should be a door (a physical barrier) between Elle and Emmett when this song is performed so that Elle can't hear Emmett confess his love for her (the way it was played on Broadway). In the US tour version, Emmett confesses directly to Elle in the room, and she hears him.
However, I think that LBB's performance of this doorless version is quite beautiful. There are two distinct pauses she make during this piece (the music even stops with her). The first time is to touch D.B. Bonds' face (Emmett) with one hand (similar to how she touches Christian Borle's face before escaping into her room in the Broadway version). The second pause is to cradle his face with both of her hands before pulling him into a hug.
Even though I will always be a proponent of having the door during the ballad, I really love LBB's take in this performance. It is truly the only version of it that I like so far, and I actually kinda wish we could see her do this specific performance with Christian Borle.
I saw a community production of Legally Blonde the Musical over the weekend! Will share my rambling thoughts below the cut:
so I judge lbtm productions by THE DOOR(TM) bc door discourse so let’s talk about that first:
so I've been analyzing the show’s sizzle reel a bit too much haha, but from the staging I figured that there wouldn't be a door during the ballad. I said this to my friend but then she pointed out that the program literally says elle's door so I got excited
however I was right and there was no door :(
so what happened instead was that they wheeled out elle's desk and bed and luggage for her room. (oh and before that they turned on little lights that made it looked like a starry night while elle was singing the first part - very pretty). emmett comes "into" elle's room with the two champagne glasses, they sing, she cries, elle then takes her suitcase and exits through the main stage doors (these doors are the same ones used for harvard, callahan's office, courtroom, paulette's salon etc - it’s the doors seen in the video above)
so we have emmett in elle's room and elle out of her room
emmett sings *what about love* and THEN elle comes out of one of the side doors (like closet doors) and starts singing. so I guess she is still outside?? very hard to tell
but there are some steps so elle is singing from the top step, emmett on the bottom
and by the end of the song, elle has come down the steps and elle and emmett sing the ending back to back (but not touching each other)
also I would like to note that emmett tries to touch elle (to stop her from walking away) but elle flinches which I thought was a good touch
so yeah tldr: no physical door (but elle did walk out some doors), emmett is singing from inside elle's room(?), but at least he didn't confess his love to her face so yay?
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now from the beginning:
there was a lot of the barbie movie soundtrack playing during the preshow haha
so they definitely updated the show to the present day - there was a selfie circle light thing, everyone had iphones and ipads but I feel like they updated it in a very organic way. didn't feel forced or fake which sadly I feel like happens in a few updated versions (say regents park). also the ways they updated certain moments was quite clever - will get into it later
so the beginning has the girls doing the tiktok dance in front of the light circle for elle and then there was no candle lighting instead they said something along the lines of "find your light"
the store manager is a guy
okay clever modern day update! elle gives her phone to one of the restaurant customers so that they could film the "proposal". but then after seeing that warner didn't propose yet, she took her phone back
at "does look like the face of harvard law", the admissions guy is addressing the audience! there was a pause so we all shouted yeah! and he looked at us like we lost our minds haha
the admissions guy saying *ethnic movement* was followed by a pause and a big gasp from the audience for some reason
there was no marching band just cheer leaders and there were two guys in skirts
oh one of the guys has a character called kiki later (the gay guy in paulette's salon) and he is basically the best background character - he had the best outfits and omigod walking around in heels and later wore the cutest boots. yeah best background character
emmett is now a class of 2019. also he hasn't slept since 2016 (it should have been more haha)
aaron tries to shake enid's hand when she introduces herself but then she gets very enid and then he just backs away haha
bruiser watches rupaul drag race. oh yeah they had actual dogs on stage! very small very cute
elle pulls out a hydroflask and an E statue thing to put on her desk
emmett didn't sing along during blood in the water which I really like
paulette has a playlist instead of a cd. vivienne came into the salon and paid kiki for a gift bag of sorts
elle has a hello kitty toy and emmett threatened to throw it in the trash haha
no more redbull they drink celsius now. also I love that they drink from the same can
another clever update! elle texts warner during chip on your shoulder. so things like *and grandma bootsie!* is sent as like a second text. (we can hear the text sound). and the christmas message is a voice memo
oh yeah and when elle introduces emmett to paulette, she takes him by the hand and walks him towards paulette which I thought was cute
omigod so during the part where elle and paulette try to communicate behind emmett's back - paulette holds the shampoo bottle like it's a dick and we all lost it hahaha
after elle gives callahan her resume, she walks towards emmett and circle around him and they're both silenting squealing and then elle walks off stage squealing haha
they did not have a handshake during chip on my shoulder. nor did emmett do any silly dance
so much better - callahan sends out the results by email so everyone is looking at their phone
also I didn't catch if warner gave his phone to someone to film or someone was just filming on their own phone but someone was filming warner's proposal to vivienne
emmett was on stage for most of so much better and when he left with the rest of the people he gave elle two thumbs up
brooke now has an app, callahan does not speak twitter or tiktok
brooke was doing the long jumprope at one point - I forget what it's called like two people are holding the rope and brooke is jumping
emmett: we are here to whip up your legal defense *does some awkward dancing* it was very funny haha
okay so emmett was wearing his bag during this whole time and during take it like a man, he gives it to elle and then she wears it for the rest of the number (I just love that addition haha)
also this emmett wears glasses and it took me a while to notice/realize but after his makeover, he no longer wears glasses for the rest of the show
this kyle had a lot of kyle swagger haha. he walks through the audience, he freaking adjusts his belt, holds the package like *that* obviously, bends over a lot - a lot of kyle haha
and then when he comes back for his stylist, and elle is like do it - elle and paulette look at each other, nod, and then jump and did a chest bump - I was totally not expecting that and everyone was laughing at that haha
during the bend and snap scene, elle says that it works on straight and bi men
the news reporter reporting the trial is now replace with the delta nus watching the news coverage on a phone (and the reporter is a voice over) - I thought it was a nice addition!
my friend said that a fun update that they should have done was paulette and kyle taking an uber instead of an ambulance to the hospital haha
when elle tests the bend and snap on nikkos, there is a guard standing next to him and the guard’s eyes bulges out (he reacts haha) every time elle does it (and nikkos doesn’t) and it was very funny
I didn't notice it but my friend pointed out that elle doesn't sing during gay or european. I figured that it was so she can rest for a song. my friend said that it's bc elle already knows that she's right and doesn't need to reason it out like everyone else. I guess both can be true haha
I completely forgot to look out for carlos during the song but there was no need bc he wasn't sitting with the cast - he busted in through the stage doors haha
my friend said it would have been funny if carlos was sitting in the audience and honestly now I want that to happen in a production now hahaha
also carlos and nikkos are both dressed in black
callahan actually pushes elle against the wall (side of the stage) when he kisses her - it is like a full on make out but then she pushes him off her and then slaps him
warner walks and sees them kissing and then immediately walks out. vivienne stays long enough to see the slap
okay talked about the ballad already haha
when emmett says *and I don’t have to hit on interns professor*, elle’s dad rises a bit but elle’s mom pulls him down and they talk - really like that detail. gotta love parents concerned for their daughter
oh instead of it being just like apprentice, the delta nus call brooke a girlboss
the scene of the crime now comes with pink caution tape - very funny seeing them pulling it across the front of the stage haha
the court stenographer is a guy! The way he sang back *omigod we rock!* was very funny haha
during find my way, callahan comes out and glares at emmett when it’s said that his wife hired emmett to handle their messy divorce
paulette gives her cards to audience members in the front row!
elle is in a pink graduation gown
elle gets the ring from paulette and then proposes to emmett. he spins her around
curtain call: they all stood in one line and sang while doing different poses
overall it was great!! better than we expected haha - my friend and I have our nitpicks haha but we had a great time :) (main letdown was no door haha) also yay for filipino elle :)
also! some random thoughts that we had from watching this production:
- how did warner get the internship? like he didn't work as hard as the other people (we're assuming). we now figure that it might be that warner's dad called in a favor
- callahan's wife getting a divorce - that means that elle and emmett must have told her? And they must have reported him to the school so did harvard fire him? does he still have his law firm? my friend thinks that he is a slimy enough lawyer - that he got to keep both positions. I like to think that he got fired
I’m back on my legally blonde videoessay bullshit and my current obsession that’s probably not making it into the video I’d the progression from
this
To this
To the final broadway version. Like isn’t it insane how it had nothing to do with love originally. Like, in biased and like when it’s “how about love?“ but this is so precious and works so amazing for door-less productions I can’t!!! The instrumentation picking up!!! The profound sadness and Emmet not knowing!!!! (The way they deal with that is Definitely worse tho, I’m not shilling for Vivian telling him, not me)
But still it’s so!!!!!
hi! hope you are well :) and this is perfect timing bc I am also back on my legally blonde obsession haha
but yeah the San Francisco run doesn't have Elle tell Emmett what happened so he instead finds out through Vivienne which is quite strange especially since Elle does tell Emmett what Callahan did to her in the movie. So at the end of the ballad, Emmett is confused about why Elle wants to leave, finds out about the assault off-stage, and through a second party instead of through Elle herself which not only makes things feel less impactful but is also offensive (I am not sure if I am using the right term) to Elle - she is the victim in this situation and thus this is her story to tell not Vivienne's
but what I really love about the San Francisco version of the ballad is how the music swells after Elle shuts the door. And you see Emmett rushing to the door and calling out to her multiple times - ahhh it is so heartbreaking!! I do sometimes wish they kept that in somehow though of course I love the final Broadway version with all of my heart - "what about love?" "some girls were just meant to smile" 😭
here is a clip of an early san francisco version of the ballad scene for anyone who wishes to watch it:
also does anybody know what emmett is holding here?? I can't figure it out???
anyway wishing you the best of luck with your video essay!! so excited to watch it :)
I saw a local production of Legally Blonde the Musical today!
One of the local high schools in my city (my old school's "rival" in fact haha) is doing a production of Legally Blonde, and I went to see it today! I'm a huge lbtm fan, but this was my first time seeing a live production, and it was honestly very good!! I am very passionate about the door discourse so I was highly anticipating that moment in the ballad. And this production passed the test! As soon as I saw that they were wheeling out the door during that number, I was silently freaking out to my friend haha. Anyway here are some other random notes/thoughts that I had about the production:
Real dogs! Rufus was a golden retriever, and when he came out, the show paused for a bit bc of the applauding haha. Rufus also listened to Kyle's command to sit which was quite cute haha
A HUGE ensemble (it's high school so it makes sense). But they bring back the ensemble for like every possible song
Elle was great - she used some vibrato and trills during her solos. Most of So Much Better was kinda a mess (backing music/ensemble not really lining up well), but OMIGOD she held out that last note just like LBB did on bway so huge props to her!
Warner was a good singer not as strong as the other leads but he has the best expression/acting choices - more on that later
Serious: they didn't do the accidental proposal pose which I thought was a missed joke
The violinist during Serious walked back out with some great sad acting after Elle left before playing the last notes of the song (I thought that she was someone from the orchestra but they were actually part of the ensemble so that was cool!)
What You Want: Elle's white outfit was cute!!
They used the "Jet Blue" line!
The actors' school photos for the Elle x Warner poster which I thought was funny haha
Harvard variations: they got rid of Sandeep's character so the song was shorter
Aaron Sholtz and Enid Hoops were played by butch actors which was cool!
Bruiser now loves the Bachelor
Emmett - the actor playing him (who my sister knew from elementary school) is such a perfect emmett! Looks exactly like how one would imagine him haha
Background acting: Emmett introducing himself to the students and shaking their hands while Elle and Vivienne had their first interaction in class
Blood in the water: Callahan was also a very good singer. I think this was one of the strongest number of the show. They also added grey to his hair
He was kinda touching Enid during his lines with her but she kept on pushing his hand away from her - foreshadowing!
Paulette was amazing!!! I think she might be my favorite actor in the show. She sounds EXACTLY like Orfeh did on bway. Also asian representation!!
Ireland - she killed it obviously - seriously amazing!! (though she did accidentally came in early at one part). The lyrics are different from the bway version though (they were about her grandpa)
Playboy bunny costume - they added a little tutu to it which was cute!
Enid sat near them near the end of this scene (in preparation for Elle stealing her glasses). She tries to drink from a bottle but Warner took it away from her and drank it instead
Chip On My Shoulder: Elle wears Emmett's jacket!
Emmett saying he hadn't slept since 1998 killed me bc this kid is definitely younger than me haha
Elle and Emmett don't do any secret handshakes though :(
Elle sat next to Warner during her squealing exit and I loved that so much haha
Reclaiming Rufus scene: Elle ran back on stage and threw her arms around Emmett and Paulette - I am here for this trio friendship
When Dewey re-exited the trailer and saw Elle, he twirled his long hair
So Much Better, as I said before, was sadly not the strongest number but I do like that Elle's parents appear offstage when she called them. And Elle held out that last note!!
Once again no Elle x Emmett secret handshake :(
(Part 2 will continue in a reblog bc apparently I hit the character limit LOL)
An Incomprehensive List of Good Legally Blonde productions
aka a list of Legally Blonde productions that understood the importance of the door during the Legally Blonde ballad and didn't try to do the show without the door like most productions do *glares*
Please see this excellent analysis by @amaliabalash (and @jewishpoedameron) to read about the door discourse
Original Broadway production (duh. LBB and Christian are so good! Also I would love to see footage of the show where the door didn't come up in time so Christian was yelling his lines from underneath the stage haha)
Penn State 2018 MainStage Production (probably my favorite after the original production)
Tenafly High School (bonus points for Asian Emmett!! You don't see a lot of diverse casting in most productions sadly)
WVRHS (the emotions in this!)
Audubon High School (props to the actor playing Elle for doing the whole show despite her injury!)
Update 12/13/2023
Syosset High School (again bonus for Asian Emmett! and Asian Callahan! clearly a very talented cast :))
Summit High School (one that I watched years ago but didn't add onto to the list bc I remembered that they were just singing on opposite ends of the stage. Just rewatched it, and it turns out they do sing with the door near the end of the song! So props for excellent door acting that I completely forgot about haha. And easily one of the best high school productions overall!)
Update 01/02/2024
Garnet Valley High School (easily one of my favorite high school productions! Despite the huge cast, the singing is great, the acting is great, and Elle and Emmett are adorable together! Something interesting to note in the ballad scene is that while there is a door, Emmett is singing from inside Elle's room while Elle is outside)
