Reefer Madness: The "Hit" Musical

The UMW Theatre Department will show their third and penultimate production, “Reefer Madness,” over the next two weeks in the department’s black-box theater in the basement of duPont Hall.

According to the department press release, “‘Reefer Madness,” a musical by Dan Studney and Kevin Murphy, is the story of Jimmy Harper and Mary Lane, a teenage couple who succumb to the evils of marijuana in the 1930s. Jimmy and Mary’s wholesome values are corrupted when they take their first puffs of the drug, and the two are thrown into a world of sin, jeopardy and depravity. American values are questioned in this political satire.

“Reefer Madness” is being directed by Jon K. Reynolds, assistant to the Department Chair Gregg Stull, and a recent UMW alumnus. Reynolds has high hopes for the university’s reception of the musical. “The tone of the musical is adult humor and I believe that on a college campus, it is a perfect piece for students,” Reynolds said. “I think that people will take away an understanding of how far we have come as a society and how scare tactics aren’t as useful as they were once thought to be. ”

With a cast of 14 members, as well as a four-person band, this is the biggest performance in Studio 115 yet this year. Also, unlike some previous shows this year, “a large portion of the cast is new to the [department], and some new to UMW,” said Reynolds. “All of them are also very open to trying new things, and that was very important to the musical.”

Studio 115 has a small capacity and will sell out quickly. Admission is free, but show up early to get a seat.  See Bullet Points for times.