October 23-November 14, 2010
Book by Kevin Murphy and Dan Studney; Music by Dan Studney; Lyric by Kevin Murphy
Have you seen the show? Vote for us at the New York Innovative Theatre Awards! (login/registration required)
“A wild ride of refreshing recklessness. The Gallery Players’ Reefer Madness may have the answers to many of America’s woes: laughter, sarcasm and satire. When you attend a smokin’ show like this, you are guaranteed to have a blast.”
-Retrovision Media
“The Gallery Players have gone to pot — but you’re the one who’ll get high. This smoke-filled room is a laugh-a-minute affair. It’s a quick-moving performance with great sight gags that goes off without a hitch. The comically choreographed numbers use the space well, and there’s as many costume changes as a Lady Gaga concert as the fresh-faced ensemble easily transforms into flesh-rotting zombies, high heel, corset-sporting cherubs (men included), and wholesome, milkshake slurpin’ kids. A silly, kinky production.”
-The Brooklyn Paper
[An] incredibly funny and lively production. To miss this talented cast performing song and dance would be regretful. From the dance sequences to the strength in the lyrics to the overall movement, Reefer Madness deserves an Innovative Theatre Award. The cast seems to revel in the material with as much pleasure as the audience. This professional cast and production meet high standards of content and execution.
-Rugarberry.com
Producer – Heather Siobhan Curran/The Gallery Players
Director – Dev Bondarin
Musical Director – Brandon Sturiale
Choreographer – Joe Barros
Fight Choreographer – Dan Renkin
Set Designer – Lilia Trenkova
Lighting Designer – Dan Jobbins
Costume Designer – Soule Golden
Sound Designer – Kim Fuhr-Carbone
Props Designer – Jennifer Stimple
Production Stage Manager – Jodi Witherell
Associate Producer – Robert Earle Jones
Assistant Director – Rachel Dart
Assistant Choreographer – Jackie Covas
Assistant Stage Manager – Renee Marie Heffel
Assistant Costume Designer – Celina Ferencz
Follow Spot Operator – Josh Hummert
Originally directed by Andy Fickman and produced by Stephanie Steele for Dead Old Man Productions
Pictured (l to r): Michele Scully and Jason Edward Cook in The Gallery Players’ production of Reefer Madness. Photo by Bella Muccari.
The Cast
Jimmy Harper- Jason Edward Cook*
Lecturer- Greg Horton*
Mary Lane- Rebecca Dealy
Jack Stone- José Restrepo*
Mae- Jaygee Macapugay*
Ralph Wiley- Zak Risinger*
Sally- Michele Scully*
Ensemble- Natalia Barzilai, Laura Elizabeth Brandel, Robert Conte, Joshua M. Feder, Katharine Pettit*, Travis Slavin
*appearing courtesy of Actors’ Equity Assocation
Let’s be blunt…it’s a hit!
Inspired by the now-classic propaganda film of the mid 1930s, this raucous musical comedy tracks the mayhem that ensues when fresh-faced, clean-cut teenagers fall prey to society’s “Public Enemy No. 1: the dreaded menace and leafy green assassin: marijuana! â€It’s an uproarious downward spiral hazed with a heady mix of orgies, dismemberment, zombies, swing dancing and, of course, Jesus. This much fun shouldn’t be legal. At its core, this wild and sardonic romp is a timely piece of political commentary, questioning the truth and motives of prominent mouthpieces, ultimately proving that even the most all-American dreams can go up in smoke if you let your morals go to pot.
Pictured: Greg Horton and the cast of The Gallery Players’ production of Reefer Madness. Photo by Bella Muccari.
Reefer Madness premiered in Los Angeles in 1998, directed by Andy Fickman. The show won five Ovation Awards and seven L.A. Drama Critics Cricle Awards. A short-lived off-Broadway production starring Christian Campbell, Kristen Bell, Gregg Edelmann and Michelle Pawk opened on September 15, 2001 at the Variety Arts Theatre, garnering two Drama Desk nominations. A movie musical adaption premiered in 2005 on Showtime with Campbell and Bell reprising their roles, and co-starring Alan Cumming, Ana Gasteyer, Steven Weber, Neve Campbell and Amy Spanger. Original 1998 cast album and 2005 movie soundtrack are available on Ghostlight Records.
“Reefer Madness broadly expands on the skeleton plot of the original film and turns it into a deliciously campy, wickedly funny romp… This show combines the main character from Godspell with the kinkiness of The Rocky Horror Show and the traditional musical theatre aesthetic of A Chorus Line…” Johnnie Walker, Strand (Toronto)
“Reefer Madness…is deliberately outlandish and silly. And that’s what makes it so good…[the show includes] a dozen or so over-the-top and hilarious production numbers.” Robert Dominguez, New York Daily News
“The funniest thing to come down the pike — or the pipe — in a while.” Eric Marchese, Backstage
Pictured (l to r): Jason Edward Cook, Michele Scully, and Zak Risinger in The Gallery Players’ production of Reefer Madness. Photo by Bella Muccari.
Performance Schedule:
Saturday, October 23 at 8:00 PM – Opening night
Sunday, October 24 at 3:00 PM – matinee
Thursday, October 28 at 8:00 PM
Friday, October 29 at 8:00 PM
Saturday, October 30 at 8:00 PM
Sunday, October 31 at 3:00 PM – matinee
Thursday, November 4 at 8:00 PM
Friday, November 5 at 8:00 PM
Saturday, November 6 at 2:00 PM – matinee
Saturday, November 6 at 8:00 PM
Sunday, November 7 at 3:00 PM – matinee
Thursday, November 11 at 8:00 PM
Friday, November 12 at 8:00 PM
Saturday, November 13 at 2:00 PM – matinee
Saturday, November 13 at 8:00 PM
Sunday, November 14 at 3:00 PM – final performance