I was pretty excited when I heard that the Monticello Central School District Performing Arts Club was presenting “Legally Blonde The Musical” this year. Not only am I a fan of musical theatre, but am even more so when the curtain is raised at one of our local schools. There kids work their extracurricular buns off throughout the winter months rehearsing, building, lighting, sounding, sewing and learning, learning, learning. That’s right: it’s not just about having fun, but it sure is fun if it’s done right.

If you’ve never seen the 2001 film starring the effervescent Reese Witherspoon, upon which the musical play is based, I’ll briefly break it down, with a hefty assist from the folks at Stage Agent (dot com).

“Legally Blonde The Musical chronicles the journey of the famously perky Elle Woods, a fashion-savvy, UCLA sorority girl who finds her life turned upside down when she is dumped by her boyfriend Warner. In an effort to prove that she is more than just some blonde sorority girl, she follows him to Harvard Law, where she struggles to fit in and do well. Ultimately, she defies expectations and manages to stay true to her delightfully pink personality.”

Before the lights went down, I scanned the program, which credited a small army of people who contributed to bringing the show to life on stage. Twenty kids in the cast, and 12 more on the crew backstage, with some either in the booth working the gizmos and controls that make the show run smoothly, or standing by in the wings. 

There are students moving the scenery around, making it appear effortless—in truth, it is anything but—while 13 musicians in the orchestra pit get to show off their skills for an appreciative audience as the overture ends and the musical fable unfolds. Yes, it’s the magic of live theatre, but it’s so much more, and I checked in with the Long Island School of the Arts (LIHSA) to see what it has to say on what this experience provides.

It can boost brain activity

“Time and time again, studies have shown that comprehension of musical language can benefit a student’s overall mental development. Music classes can aid in their overall cognitive development. And for teens, this can directly translate into achieving higher scores on standardized tests and better grades in school.” 

Having just seen the cast of “Legally Blonde” knock it out of the park, I’m going to assume they are all gonna ace their finals this year. 

Improves concentration

“Whether students are learning to play a new piece of music, memorizing dialogue for a play, or practicing a new dance routine, they are learning the value of hard work. At the same time, they must be focused on the task at hand to reach their goal. These skills can also help them in the classroom as they learn new subjects and retain new knowledge.”

I hesitate to name names, since I truly believe that everyone contributed to the overall success of the show. As the “father of modern acting,” Konstantin Stanislavski, once famously said, “There are no small parts, only small actors.” Whether portraying redneck ex-husbands, witnesses on the stands, UPS delivery dudes, jump-roping inmates or a highly entertaining Greek chorus, each and every “bit player” did their bit to be remembered.

Still, I would be remiss to not point out that lead actors Luke Robinholt (Warner), Maya Fernandez (Vivienne) and Kathleen Robinholt (Brooke) were entertaining in their roles, while Macy Miros (Paulette) and Morris Germann (Emmett) were given great moments to shine, and shine they did. 

Meanwhile, Julia Wysokinska, as the “ruthless and manipulative” Professor Callahan brought the house down with a solo turn in Act One, and oozed evil in Act Two. 

And then there’s Elle. Leading lady Emily Pine gave the audience a frothy, fun, feisty and fantastic performance as Elle Woods, the girl who proves that there’s more to simply being pretty in pink. Underestimated and misunderstood, Elle manages to win over her detractors with brains behind the beauty and the show about law school teaches us all a thing or two about humanity. Whoulda thunk it? What else can theatre do for our kids? Back to the L.I. School of the Arts.

Helps develop creativity

“Teens who study the arts learn to think creatively. The average school curriculum is full of classes that teach mathematics, the sciences and reading comprehension, leaving little room for studies that spark creativity. The best thing about musical theatre class is that there’s no right or wrong way to do things, offering a chance for students to branch out and explore different ways to come to the best solution to their challenges.”

And who better to help guide those students than the faculty behind the curtain. Director Kimberly Schneeberger and vocal director Marissa Jurow did a phenomenal job, while choreographer Kelly Keesler made magic happen on stage by turning ordinary kids into Broadway-worthy dancers. 

Not to be outdone, Michael Mingo, Hannah Powers, Andrew Verdino and John Bernstein helped lead the way with stage crew, costumes, props, conducting and playing—the super-important parts of the whole.

It improves teen self-esteem

“Musical theatre is not about perfection,” the arts school informed me, “but it is a place where students learn to give and receive constructive criticism to improve their performance.” It gives teens a chance to “turn feedback into positive change that in turn helps them build self-confidence.” 

And it gives us, the parents, the friends and the audience in general, an opportunity to bask in the glow of all that hard work. A note from the director sums it up: “This is probably the most challenging show I’ve ever directed, but with a dedicated team of teachers and a very talented group of students, everything came together beautifully, and I couldn’t be more proud of this production.”

And that, as they say, is entertainment! In my humble opinion. Bravo, kids, bravo!

For over 45 years, LIHSA has transformed the lives of young emerging artists from across Long Island through its high school and summer programs. To learn more about it, go to www.longislandhighschoolforthearts.org.