The verdict: See it; enjoy it; don't think too much about it!
Artistic Differences, the young Sacramento theater company, promises to be the home of "the best musicals you've never seen." Certainly Reefer Madness, the latest Artistic Differences offering, which opened last week, lives up to the second part of that slogan. I'm guessing not many people have ever seen this particular musical - and probably not many have seen the schlocky cult film upon which it is based. Whether it is one of the "best" musicals you've never seen? Well, that can be the topic of some spirited discussion. There is no question, though, that the audience thought it was one of the best and funniest things it had ever seen, judging from their rather over-the-top reaction to virtually everything that happened on stage.
Reefer Madness is a campy and entertaining spoof of what was a campy and entertaining film. The talented cast gets as much out of its one-joke premise as possible, but it does wear a little thin at times. Of course, any musical about marijuana starring an actor named Brad Bong obviously can't take itself too seriously, and there's no danger of that here.
The show takes the form of one of those 40s-era public service movies about the dangers of marijuana. It starts with a stern-voiced authoritarian lecturer (Jes Gonzales, who then plays several other roles throughout the performance) admonishing the audience about the dangers of marijuana. One of the humorous angles of the show is that Mr. Gonzales, in character, also presents the usual 'turn-off-your-cell-phones' speech before the action properly begins, but in language that reflects his early 20th century knowledge of technology.
The aforementioned Mr. Bong is very good in the lead role of Jimmy Harper, all-American boy turned murderous drug fiend. But it is Kelly Daniells who really shines as his fresh-faced girlfriend Mary Lane (couldn't they have just named her Mary Jane and been done with it?!). Ms. Daniells is a remarkably talented young lady, and her own brief, drug-induced transformation from innocent school girl to sex-crazed dominatrix is probably the show's humorous highlight. Reefer Madness' energy and entertainment level picks up whenever Ms. Daniells is onstage, and lags a bit when she's not.
The rest of the cast is also strong - but these are not roles that call for subtle character development. If you like to see actors who chew the scenery, spit it out and then chew it up again, this is the show for you. The leading scenery-chewers are Tony Wichowski as Jack, Joshua Glenn Robertson as Ralph, and Bevin Bell-Hall as Sally - three denizens of the town's cannabis-scented den of iniquity. Wichowski, who was so good in Runaway Stage's recent production of the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, shows his range as the domineering and soulless owner of the marijuana den, who recruits high school kids as his customers and delights in turning them into drug-crazed junkies. Robertson is a giggling, scene-stealing ham and Bell-Hall his slutty co-conspirator. Jessica Goldman is the junkie-with-a-heart Mae, whose attempts to show compassion for the addled Jimmy only earn her beatings and humiliation.
And if that's not enough, Ian Cullity shows up (unbilled, curiously) midway through the first act as Jesus, if Jesus were a 50s-era Vegas performer. His "Listen to Jesus, Jimmy" is a highlight of the first act, as is Mr. Bong's performance of "The Brownie Song" in the second.
Ultimately, the show is a kick, I'll give it that. There are questions that I think we're supposed to care about - will Jimmy find release from the insidious hold of demon marijuana? Will he continue to sink into the depths of sin and degradation? Will sweet innocent Mary Lane succumb to the tempting weed's siren song? Will Mae break free of her twin aditctions - her boyfriend Jack and his easy access to marijuana? But that's all sort of just window dressing for the antics going on on-stage.
I found myself wavering as the show progressed. I was really into it at first, then it got a little too convinced of its own cuteness, but then the rollicking musical numbers drew me back in again. Finally, the performances - particularly of Ms. Daniells, but also Mr. Bong, Mr. Wichowski and Ms. Goldman - won me over. I really enjoyed Reefer Madness - and I applaud Artistic Differences for staging it. While it may not be one of the "best" musicals you've never seen, I'm pretty certain it will be one of the most bizarre, memorable and enjoyable musicals you have seen.
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