By Kayla Davis

Photos courtesy of @flhsmusicals on Instagram

On March 14th, I was so lucky to catch Fair Lawn High School’s Legally Blonde opening night! I have seen many Fair Lawn High School musicals throughout my time in the community, but I have to say, this one stuck out. The musical here at FLHS never fails to exceed everyone's expectations, but Legally Blonde was something like I’ve never seen here. From all the feedback I’ve heard from peers, teachers, and administrators, they all feel the same way. As I was sitting in my seat with everyone flowing into the auditorium, I could tell it was going to be a hit. The show was set to start at 7:00, but it ended up starting a few minutes after, which no one minded as we were all interested in the playbill given upon our entrance. 

When the show started I was extremely impressed with the amount of energy given by the cast. From the minute the lights dimmed, I could feel how excited everyone was to participate in this performance. The props were done extremely well. The opening scene–and numerous others–used large stairs that were on both sides of the stage. The decorations for the sorority and Elle Woods’ room were done beautifully as well. The lights were bright and engaging, along with the demeanor I was getting from the whole performance. Throughout the show I never found myself bored or questioning a choice made — everything was done perfectly! It was so entertaining and showcased truly how much talent FLHS has, not only musically, but in acting as well. I thought the producer and vocal Music Director, Juliana Duenas Lopez, who is a music teacher here at FLHS, did such a great job putting this show together and making it the art it was. I have to give a bunch of credit to staging director, Stephanie Beaudoin, as well. Not only was the main performance intriguing, but even the small moments going on in the back captivated audiences. 

I wanted to highlight the dancing done by choreographer, Jaime Frola. The choreography, I thought, was done very well, and I know a lot of people agreed with me. The live orchestra directed by Scott Avidon was also amazing and it’s incredible how many students were involved in this production, whether it’s the music, makeup, lighting, stage crew, and more! The whole cast did amazing and usually there are some people that stick out more than others, but in this musical, everyone fit their role perfectly and audience members could tell how passionate and talented the performers were. Everyone had their own strengths and the talent shone through clearly. The sets, costumes, and makeup were also very well-suited and all these components combined with the talented actors made a play to remember. 

The whole production was done well and everyone fit their character’s personalities perfectly. You could tell how much hard work and time was put into this show and I continue to hear such positive feedback. Fair Lawn High School’s musicals are truly one of a kind and it is inevitable that the talent displayed will travel long after high school.