The Verdict is in on Legally Blonde

My little friend Lucy saw her first high school musical this weekend. Better than Broadway, she said. “We were dazzled,” gushed a neighbor. “Great talent, professional direction!  Such dancing!”

With such glowing reviews, the verdict is on Legally Blonde: OMG!

With a smart (and amazingly talented) blonde, fun-spirited, toe-tapping music – and yes, well-behaved dogs – the CHS musical was a hit in South Orange/Maplewood. And on St. Patrick’s Day there was even a jig and rousing song to Ireland.

Each spring, the high school musical is a highlight in the community, with full houses to welcome what you could call a rite of passage for the performing arts in South Orange/Maplewood.

There in the orchestra are the children who learned to keep rhythm with egg shakes at preschool music classes.

The artist who doodled with crayons, drawing plans for an elaborate set.

On stage is the girl you knew as a 5-year-old jumping rope in sync to demanding choreography.

The backyard neighbor who belted show tunes on a makeshift tree house stage.

And the soprano in the church’s youth choir, her cartwheel a punctuation mark to a big dance number.

I’ve been taking my daughter to the shows since the days she twirled around the house in purple sparkly dance clothes. In heels and an eggplant suit, so poised in her wig and makeup, I nearly didn’t recognize her in her first high school production.

It’s that type of confidence that’s essentially at the core of the performing arts. Students are discovering the lifelong enjoyment and wonder inherent in dance, music, theater, and visual arts -- and some important academic and life skills along the way.

The reward to the dedication displayed on the stage at CHS over the past two weekends? Sure, the intrinsic value of the arts, collaboration, creativity and focus.

But the applause is pretty nice too.