November 17, 2015

By Tiffany Skelnik

The Dominican University Performing Arts Center debuted their musical to a packed house on Friday the 13. Opening night was sold out and people were scrambling to find the best seats. Right from the start, it was clear that the audience was in for a treat. The story of Elle Woods, a girl determined to prove to herself to both her ex-boyfriend and the world, is a story that a lot of people know thanks to the popular film starring Reese Witherspoon.

The show was a spectacle in the best possible way. The sets were elaborate and extremely well done, giving the cast the perfect backdrop for their performances. Ella Raymont played Elle Woods and did a wonderful job. She managed to bring out both sides of Elle in equal measure, adding a comedic twist equal to Reese Witherspoon.

Timothy Piotrkowski, who portrayed Warner, did a great job and his scenes with Raymont were really fun to watch. Wade Tischhauser who portrayed Emmett had great chemistry with Raymont and made the blossoming feelings between Elle and Emmett palpable. Annika Strolle, Vivienne, made a wonderful rival for Elle and the scenes that the two actresses shared were a delight.

The audience’s response to the show was overwhelmingly positive, ending in a standing ovation. Junior Samantha Sowa said, “I loved it! The girl who played Elle really reminded me of Reese Witherspoon.”

Junior Edgar Covarrubias said, “I didn’t watch the movie but the performance was amazing. It was better than I expected.”

I was lucky enough to be able to speak to Annika Strolle about her thoughts on the opening night.

“It was the most amazing opening night I’ve ever had,” said Strolle.

Abby Matus who played Serena said, “Amazing! It was so good. The audience was so into it. I can’t even explain how cool it was. I was crying.”

Overall, Dominican’s production was great. It had humor, standout musical numbers, two adorable dogs and, of course, a lot of pink. It was a stellar performance.

skeltiff@my.dom.edu