Majesty Scott and Cast Photo by Jon Bauer

Yet, I am almost always disappointed by the theatrical experience at Ray of Light shows. Not because of the shows or the cast or the direction or even the sets or lighting–those aspects usually range from solid to stellar. No, the problem with Ray of Light is their usual venue, the Victoria Theatre in San Francisco's Mission District. On top of the fact that it's in one of the sketchier parts of the Mission, and the bathrooms are too small to even come close to being adequate for a theater that seats nearly 500 patrons, resulting in queues serpentining up the stairs or down the aisles, the joint has the absolute worst acoustics of any theater I have ever visited. (For their stagings of The Rocky Horror Show, they wisely decamp to the more compact and immersive environment of The Oasis, a nightclub/bar/cabaret in SOMA.)

Despite the horrific acoustics of the Victoria (which happens to be San Francisco's oldest theater, so I guess it deserves a bit of slack), I managed to have a great time at Legally Blonde The Musical, thanks to a talented cast, a tight band, creative choreography, skilled direction, and an entertaining, feel-good, fish-out-of-water story.

If you haven't seen the movie (or read the book) on which the show was based, Elle Woods (Majesty Scott) is a UCLA senior, celebrating (with her Delta Nu sorority sisters in the best song of the show, "Omigod You Guys) her expected engagement to Warner (Seth Hanson), an ambitious preppie type who hopes to be a senator after he finishes Harvard Law School. But at the special dinner where Warner says he wants to get "serious" (in the song of the same title), it's not the sort of serious Elle is expecting. Warner, you see, wants a more serious girlfriend than a seemingly ditzy fashion merchandising major. Heartbroken, Elle decides to impress Warner with her seriousness by also applying to Harvard Law.

By skipping spring break to study for the LSAT and preparing an in-person pitch to the admissions board (assisted by her fellow UCLA cheer squad), Elle shocks Warner on the first day of class after being accepted to the elite school. "What, like it's hard?," she says. After being ostracized to a degree by her new peers, Elle decides her blonde hair is holding her back. But when she goes to the Hair Affair salon, the owner Paulette (a delightfully snappy Mikki Johnson) talks her out of going brunette and becomes Elle's personal career cheerleader. She is assisted in this role by Emmett (Roeen Nooran, who is blessed with a lovely, sonorous voice), a third-year student who takes a liking to Elle.

Elle, of course, rises to the challenge of Harvard Law, impressing the hard-nosed professor Callahan (Nelson Brown), and achieves success as a courtroom intern, helping out on a big murder case, using a knowledge set the vast majority of law students (and lawyers) would lack.

This adorable, clever story is well told by a terrific ensemble cast of more than two dozen. (Though it's a shame it's so hard to hear them over the excellent seven-piece band–that at times sounds like a full orchestra!–led by Jad Bernardo.) Majesty Scott is a terrific Elle, with a strong soprano and a bearing that is both approachable and imposing. Her Elle is not one to be taken lightly, even if almost everyone around her makes the mistake of underestimating her skills.

Scott is well supported by the rest of the cast, especially Mikki Johnson's Paulette, who is the kind of no-nonsense, sassy best friend everyone needs at least one of. Kaylee Milterson does a bang-up job as Warner's new, more "serious" girlfriend, the snotty, bitchy, stuck-up rich girl Vivienne, who finally comes to realize she has hitched her wagon to the wrong star.

Legally Blonde is definitely a more lightweight musical comedy, but its core message of achieving success by being true to yourself and your convictions brings a real sense of heart to what would otherwise be a rather insubstantial tale of rich people's problems. Ray of Light is to be congratulated for staging Legally Blonde with such love and commitment. Now if only they could find a different venue.

Legally Blonde The Musical runs through September 29, 2024, at Victoria Theatre, 2961 16th Street, San Francisco CA. Performances are Wednesdays - Saturdays at 8:00pm, with 2:00pm matinees Saturdays. There will also be a performance Monday, September 16 at 8:00pm and a 2:00pm performance on Sunday, September 29. Tickets are $22-$75. For tickets and information, please visit www.rayoflighttheatre.com.