The war on drugs, whether real or imaginary, is not a new concept in America. Reefer Madness, the original film, was premiered in 1936 as a cautionary tale. In 1937, the Marihuana Tax Act came into effect, leading to the criminalization of the drug. With this federal prohibition in mind, Reefer Madness, The Musical takes the audience back in time, presenting the use of cannabis not as a moral lesson, but as a parody of the general panic of the 1930s.
With a few tweaks here and there, the musical sticks pretty much to the original story. Jack (David T. Crane) and Mae (Nicole Parker) are pushing marijuana out of their home, marked with the number 420. Hanging out at their place is Ralph (Andre Joseph Aultmon), a college dropout hooked on weed. Another character in the house is Sally (Jane Papageorge), also addicted to marijuana. She ends up selling her kid while heavily stoned. Jimmy (Anthony Norman) and Mary (Darcy Rose Byrnes) are the lovebirds who also succumb to the Devil’s lettuce.
The choreography is energetic, including tap dancing and some disco moves during Jesus’ (Rory O’Malley) number, “Listen to Jesus, Jimmy”. The inclusion of Jesus and the Devil as the two moral opposites give the musical an edge and a satirical element to the core of the story.
The red lighting symbolizing the sexual awakening and the dangers of criminal activity conveys effectively the situation of the characters: Living in the fast lane; tragedy just around the corner. The innuendos of BDSM and the presence of the Devil make the musical numbers even more sinful and attractive.
In terms of text, the book by Kevin Murphy & Dan Studney is playful and gives the actors plenty of opportunities to shine through the delivery of their lines and the physical comedy involved in the action. The two characters showing the most important transformations are Mary and Jimmy, but it is Mary who changes more dramatically. From a naïve girl to the vixen sadist with a whip, she embodies the aggressive loss of inhibitions, all thanks to the use of marijuana. The text pays homage to Mae West as well. Sally delivers one of West’s most famous lines involving feet and inches, but backwards.
Director and choreographer Spencer Liff does a fantastic job utilizing the excellent elements at his disposal. He unifies the talent and creative components of this production to present a kinky, hilarious, and engaging performance. The limits of legality and the temptation of illegality contribute to create an alluring story that becomes timeless and reflects our complicated relationship with a humble plant that has been used by humans for thousands of years.
Reefer Madness, The Musical
The Historic Whitley Theatre
6555 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, CA
Extended through S
Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays at 8pm; Sundays at 2pm.
Tickets: reefermadness.com
Book by Kevin Murphy & Dan Studney. Lyrics by Kevin Murphy. Music by Dan Studney. Musical Direction by David Lamoureux. Direction and Choreography by Spencer Liff. REEFER MADNESS THE MUSICAL is executive produced by Wendy Parker and co-produced by Maia Falconi-Sachs, Madison Mohn, Nick Padgett, Matthew A. Rosenthal, Jason Turchin, Amirose Eisenbach, Josie Yount, and Raji Kalra. Presented by Kristen Bell, Christian Campbell, Alan Cumming, Andy Fickman, Kevin Murphy, America Olivo, and Dan Studney.
Cast: Anthony Norman, Darcy Rose Byrnes, J. Elaine Marcos, Nicole Parker, Thomas Dekker, Bryan Daniel Porter, Andre Joseph Aultmon, Claire Crause, Jane Papageorge, Alex Tho, David T. Crane, Rory O’Malley, and Natalie Holt MacDonald.
Creative team: Production Design by Mark A. Dahl; Lighting Design by Matt Richter; Sound Design by Charles Glaudini; Costume Design by Pinwheel Pinwheel. The Casting is by Michael Donovan, CSA and Richie Ferris, CSA. The Production Stage Manager is Melissa Ritcher. The Company Manager is Paul Nygro.
Music band: David Lamoreaux (Conductor/Drums), Jordan Lamoreaux (Bass), Max Wagner (Guitar), Andrew Lederman (Keyboard 1), and David Catalan (Keyboard 2).
