THE FACTS
ACT I
The overjoyed girls of UCLA’s sorority Delta Nu, led by Margot, Serena, and Pilar, celebrate the engagement of Warner Huntington III to their perky, sweet, and strikingly blonde sorority president, Elle Woods, who is fretting over finding the perfect dress for the occasion (“Omigod You Guys”). Once she acquires her dream dress, Elle goes to dinner with Warner, where he tells her that he needs someone more “Serious” and breaks up with her. Elle is devastated and sulks for twelve days (“Daughter of Delta Nu”) but decides to chase Warner to Harvard Law School to show him that she can be serious. With help from Delta Nu sister Kate, Elle studies for the LSATs. Instead of writing a personal essay, Elle bursts into the Harvard admission offices backed by a squad of cheerleaders. She is accepted after revealing she is motivated by love. (“What You Want”)
Elle’s snobby classmates disapprove of her attire, and the only person who is willing to help her is law teaching assistant, Emmett Forrest (“The Harvard Variations”). However, he cannot protect her in class from the blood-thirsty Professor Callahan (“Blood in the Water”). Callahan kicks the under-prepared Elle out of class at the suggestion of her classmate Vivienne Kensington, who happens to be Warner’s new girlfriend. This “tragedy” summons the apparitions of the sisters of Delta Nu, who, acting as a Greek Chorus visible and audible only to Elle, tell her to stay “Positive”. Elle, deciding that being blonde is the problem, decides to become a brunette. She heads to the salon where she meets the spunky beautician Paulette, who tells Elle that when she is down, she puts on her favorite CD, and dreams of “Ireland”. At the salon, Vivienne gives Elle an unexpected invitation to a costume party. Paulette sends Elle off with a costume for the party, her positivity and blonde hair still intact (“Ireland (Reprise)”).
Walking into the party as a Playboy bunny, Elle soon realizes that she was tricked by Vivienne but courageously seeks Warner in an effort to win him back, leaving him unimpressed (“Serious (Reprise)”). Elle runs from the party, only to meet Emmett, who struggles to understand Elle’s love problems. He has Elle assess her priorities until she realizes it is her obsession with Warner that keeps her from earning his respect. Freed from her need to please Warner, she defeats Warner in a classroom debate (“Chip on My Shoulder”). Elle then helps Paulette in a way that proves she is beginning to understand law. Warner and Vivienne win two of Callahan’s coveted internship positions, and Warner proposes to Vivienne on the spot right in front of Elle. Vivienne accepts. Before Elle’s heart can break, Emmett shows her the internship list. Below the names of Vivienne, Warner, and classmate Enid Hoopes is the name Elle Woods, at which she is ecstatic (“So Much Better”).
ACT II
Callahan, Emmett, and the four interns are studying the workout video of their client, fitness mogul Brooke Wyndham (“Whipped into Shape”). Brooke’s stepdaughter, Chutney, is accusing her of murdering her (Brooke’s) much older husband. Callahan and the interns visit Brooke in jail, but are unable to extract an alibi from her, until she is alone with Elle and reveals she was getting liposuction on the day of the murder (“Delta Nu Nu Nu”). Not willing to betray her Delta Nu loyalty, Elle asks Callahan to trust her when she says that Brooke is innocent. Emmett begs Elle to break her promise, which she refuses. She takes Emmett to a department store to help him dress for success (“Take It Like a Man”). The results impress both of them.
Back at the Hair Affair, Elle is getting a manicure when Kyle, the sexy new UPS delivery man, walks in. Paulette is stunned, but she is too shy to talk to him. As she bends down to pick up the package, Margot, Serena and Pilar are summoned by Paulette’s amazing “Bend and Snap”. The sorority girls tell Paulette to use the “Bend and Snap” on Kyle, but when she does, she accidentally breaks his nose (“Bend and Snap”).
On the third day of Brooke’s trial, Brooke’s pool boy, Nikos Argitakos, shocks the court by claiming to be Brooke’s lover. Brooke denies it, and Elle believes her. Elle tries the “Bend and Snap” twice in front of Nikos and gets no response. She concludes that he is gay, while Callahan believes him to be simply European (“There! Right There!”). The question baffles everyone until it is revealed by Carlos, Nikos’ boyfriend, that Nikos is gay and European.
Later that night in Callahan’s office, the interns celebrate Elle’s skill. However, after dismissing Emmett and the other interns, Callahan forcibly kisses Elle, who slaps him. In turn, Callahan fires her. Warner and Vivienne both saw the kiss, though only Vivienne saw the slap. Warner mocks Elle, but Vivienne tells him to shut up and they both leave. A defeated Elle prepares to go home, even though Emmett asks her to stay, finally realizing that he is in love with her (“Legally Blonde”).
Elle heads to the Hair Affair to say goodbye to Paulette, but before she can leave, Vivienne convinces Elle otherwise (“Legally Blonde Remix”). Elle discards her lawyerly navy suits, dons a pink dress and leads a parade back to the courtroom. They meet Kyle on the way, who takes a liking to Paulette, and reveals himself to be the Irish man of her dreams, prompting a Riverdance amongst the ensemble. Back at the trial, Brooke fires Callahan and hires Elle. Chutney goes to the witness stand and her testimony is damning, but Elle triumphs by revealing Chutney’s lie with her knowledge of hair maintenance (“Omigod You Guys (Reprise)”). Chutney accidentally confesses that she was the one who killed her father. Warner proposes to Elle, having been dumped by Vivienne. Elle gently refuses, claiming to have been changed by the experience (“Find My Way”).
Three years later, Elle ends up as the valedictorian of her class. Paulette tells the audience that Enid practices family law, Vivienne is training for the Peace Corps, and Warner pursues a modeling career. Callahan ran for governor but was defeated, and his wife hired Emmett to handle their divorce. Paulette married Kyle, had two kids, and is pregnant with a third. They live in Worcester, Massachusetts and Paulette bought a new salon. At the end of the graduation, Elle proposes to Emmett, and Emmett accepts (“Finale”).
