Cover The cast of Ateneo Blue Repertory’s ‘Legally Blonde’ (Photo: CJ Ochoa)
The cast of Ateneo Blue Repertory’s ‘Legally Blonde’ (Photo: CJ Ochoa)
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Themed around sisterhood and breaking societal expectations, Ateneo Blue Repertory’s ‘Legally Blonde’ tells a relevant story to the Philippines and today
Making its return to the Philippine musical theatre scene after 15 years, Legally Blonde reintroduces us to Elle Woods under Ateneo Blue Repertory, the production company that brought us Zsazsa Zaturnnah The Musical… ‘Yun Lang!, The Prom and Spring Awakening, among others. Directed by Meann Espinosa, a senior artist-teacher from PETA, the adaptation continues a conversation that keeps getting set aside with an empowering story against the backdrop of comedy.
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Above The sorority sisters of Elle Woods (Photo: CJ Ochoa)
The sorority sisters of Elle Woods (Photo: CJ Ochoa)
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Upon entering the theatre, audiences are immediately immersed in a set that extends to the seats—making for an intimate watch. A simple portico rests on the main stage with a banner overhead to depict either Harvard Law School or the sorority house of Delta Nu, while the centre stage is a small pit that often transforms into the Hair Affair salon. Finally, a stairway leads to a balcony to the right, creating intimate moments or dynamic ensemble numbers. The whole set is adorned with small LED strips that dance with the actors to complement the musical’s tone.
Above Daniella Nicola Tan as Elle Woods (Photo: CJ Ochoa)
Daniella Nicola Tan as Elle Woods (Photo: CJ Ochoa)
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Ateneo Blue Repertory’s rendition stays true to the Broadway show—not the 2001 film—and incorporates a few modernised and localised dialogue for comedic effect. For instance, Elle Woods is jokingly mentioned to have a letter of recommendation from Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa for her application to Harvard Law School, which garnered plenty of laughs from the audience. It’s little changes like these that make adaptations more enjoyable to watch, allowing the production to play around their source material while staying faithful to the main plotline. More jokes are sprinkled throughout the musical, yet none of them felt forced or present just for novelty.
Above Ron Balgos as Emmett Forrest and Daniella Nicola Tan as Elle Woods in Ateneo Blue Repertory’s ‘Legally Blonde’ (Photo: CJ Ochoa)
Ron Balgos as Emmett Forrest and Daniella Nicola Tan as Elle Woods in Ateneo Blue Repertory’s ‘Legally Blonde’ (Photo: CJ Ochoa)
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Legally Blonde’s iconic characters were brought to life by a mix of newbies and veterans. Daniella Nicola Tan (alternated by LJ Bala) brought out Elle Woods’ bubbly nature and cranked it to 11 with her flashy but not excessive portrayal. Ron Balgos (alternated by MC Dela Cruz) served as a great foil to Tan as the lovable Emmett Forrest. I entered the theatre expecting a showstopping performance from Balgos. We’ve seen it before with his roles in Blue Rep’s twinbill production, Excess, and The Sandbox Collective’s The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee; he masterfully plays his charming characters and did not disappoint.
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Above Misha Fabian as Brooke Wyndham in Ateneo Blue Repertory’s ‘Legally Blonde’ (Photo: CJ Ochoa)
Misha Fabian as Brooke Wyndham in Ateneo Blue Repertory’s ‘Legally Blonde’ (Photo: CJ Ochoa)
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Raflesia Bravo’s (alternated by Gel Basa) portrayal of Paulette was hilarious to say the least. She commanded the audience through laughter every time she was on stage and captivated us with her vocal range while Norbs Portales’s (alternated by JV Fulgencio) Professor Callahan introduced us to a kind of teacher we’re all familiar with—a terror academician who takes no quarter. Misha Fabian (alternated by Senanda) was a great casting choice for Brooke Wyndham as she was able to perform her character’s many stunts as a fitness instructor. Her high energy and entrancing vocals matched Brooke, as expected.
As an ensemble piece, the musical utilises every cast member perfectly to keep the energy high. The upbeat songs, coupled with over-the-top choreography, made for an exciting experience that felt empowering. While most law students today would attribute their passion to the hit television series Suits, Blue Rep’s Legally Blonde could do the same, albeit in a playful manner.
Above The sorority sisters of Elle Woods (Photo: CJ Ochoa)
The sorority sisters of Elle Woods (Photo: CJ Ochoa)
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One thing that hopefully gets addressed is the acoustics. While the actors can often compensate for the low sound quality in the black box theatre with their vocals, my immersion was broken once in a while due to microphones malfunctioning or flat-out being turned off. Excusing this, Blue Rep’s Legally Blonde was a beautiful watch. The highs were astronomical as we saw Elle Woods achieve her dreams, while the lows were downright discouraging when Professor Callahan revealed his true colours. It reminds us that these things happen in real life and must end.
Ateneo Blue Repertory’s Legally Blonde runs for another weekend from May 8-11, 2025, at the Ateneo de Manila University. For more information, follow their social media pages.
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About
Gabriel found his passion for writing through poetry in high school. He sharpened his skills at Ateneo de Manila University and hopes to write a play worthy of Broadway one day. A self-proclaimed geek, he loves to spend his free time playing video games and board games. When he's not clicking heads on Valorant or roleplaying as a barbarian in Dungeons and Dragons, you can find him exploring art galleries or watching stage plays.
Work
A creative writer who writes about anything and everything, Gabriel loves to dive deep into the arts and culture scene—as well as going on long road trips for travel pieces.
You can reach him on Instagram at @gbohol for any leads, casual conversations or game invites.
