What do you get when you combine fear-mongering propaganda, Broadway-level theater production, and copious amounts of weed? It’s Reefer Madness: The Musical, of course.
Reefer Madness: The Musical turns fake news on its head, pointing out the absurd yet relevant disinformation campaign around cannabis first disseminated in the original 1930s exploitation film. The show leans on parody and plenty of song and dance to point out the wild claims made about marijuana (it makes you a sex-crazed murderer!)—but it doesn’t end there. There’s an overarching theme of using scare tactics as a means of control, a prevalent practice nearly 100 years after the first Reefer Madness.
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The show recently celebrated its 25th anniversary revival with a star-studded premiere in the heart of LA. Celebs like Angelina Jolie, Neve Campbell, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, and Seth Green walked the green carpet, sipped on emerald-tinted champagne, and perused a Victory Garden complete with legal cannabis brand activations from Dompen, Sunstone, Blazy Susan, and more.
Kristen Bell, who starred in the original musical production and movie adaptation, told GreenState that while Reefer Madness may be nearly a century old, the story still resonates.
“I think the idea of critical thinking, curiosity, and questioning is always relevant—and it always will be,” Bell said. “It’s why our country formed a democracy, to begin with: to give people a little bit more freedom of thought. There will never be a time when a satire like this is not relevant.”
The celebrity sightings, an infused chocolate fountain courtesy of Kiva, and an ultra-chill consumption bus were enough to make any weed lover giddy. Still, the production itself was the crown jewel of the cannabis-fueled soiree.
Entering the ‘Reefer Den’
The energy inside The Whitley, a 360-degree immersive theater built from scratch in a nondescript building on Hollywood Boulevard, was almost electric. The audience found themselves in the middle of the action, with the cast so close you could literally feel their breath (and, for some, their props).
The actors’ passion was on full throttle, giving the production their all for the entire 90-minute run. Anthony Norman and Darcy Rose Byrnes were wildly endearing as good kids gone bad Jimmy Harper and Mary Lane. Nicole Parker, who played drug den mother Mae, won the audience over with her hilarious yet emotionally triumphant arc.
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College boy turned paranoid spaz Ralph, portrayed by Thomas Dekker, and stoned sex maniac Sally (J. Elaine Marcos) were a dynamic duo that kept the audience highly engaged (no pun intended). The cast was supported by an ensemble who often stole the show with their antics.
But Bryan Daniel Porter is definitely the Reefer Madness shining star, playing a dizzying seven different roles throughout the show and somehow nailing every single one. The costume changes and versatility alone were beyond impressive but Porter’s ability to make each character wholly its own was a testament to his artistic skill.
Porter told GreenState he originally auditioned for the role of Ralph but went full ham when given the opportunity to audition for the multifaceted role he ultimately landed.
“I went to Party City, and I bought some wigs. And I just really over-committed to it and used the movie as a template,” Porter laughed.
Reefer Madness ticket holders will laugh so hard it hurts, tap their toes in delight to the catchy numbers, find their jaws on the floor during a few outrageous moments, and leave the room with a thought-provoking sense of wonder.
Reefer Madness themes extend beyond pot
The irony that a film intended to cement marijuana as a scourge of our society inspired a musical comedy production sponsored by legal weed companies was lost on no one. Porter argued it was fitting, given the mindset of the original film’s creators.
“In a way, everybody involved with the propaganda knew that weed was not that big of a deal,” he said while puffing on a joint. “But they understood for certain political reasons that they could use it to radicalize people into being scared and, therefore, control.”
Several of the cast and crew echoed Porter’s sentiments, including lead producer Christian Campbell, who played the lead role of Jimmy Harper in the original 1999 musical production and movie adaptation.
“The show has never really been about cannabis. It’s about how power uses religion and flag to punch down on vulnerable groups,” Campbell explained. “Reefer Madness has become a proprietary eponym that extends beyond cannabis to encapsulate all bogus government propaganda—particularly how hysterical, illogical, and dangerous this rhetoric can be, not to mention the policy it inspires and promotes.”
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Bottom line? Reefer Madness: The Musical is not just for pot smokers. The appeal extends beyond weed culture, enticing musical theater fans, advocates for truth, and literally anyone who wants to have a fun night (or afternoon) out on the town.
The show is more than worth the price of admission (tickets are available online), and curated events such as drag brunches in the Victory Garden or post-show celebrations at the nearby Cannabis Cafe are the icing on the cake. If you happen to be in the Los Angeles area, Reefer Madness is a can’t miss (literally, there’s a massive mural on the Hollywood Walk of Fame). But the show is especially fun if you’re under the influence of the marijuana menace itself.
