UPDATE!
SRO announced Aug. 8 that, “due to a COVID outbreak within our cast, due diligence dictates that we postpone our production. The show has moved to 9/13, 9/14,& 9/15. If you are unavailable for the new dates, we will refund your tickets. If you are able to attend, we will move your tickets to the same day and seats. Please email your choice and any questions you may have to lalie5757@aol.com. Apologies for any inconvenience.”
By George Basler
Back in 1936, movie makers released the lurid propaganda film Reefer Madness that warned of the devastating consequences of marijuana use on the minds of young teenagers.
Little did they realize that, some nine decades later, that cautionary tale would have developed a cult following within the cannabis community and be the inspiration for a musical satire that revels its outrageous plot and “campy” characters.
The musical will run Aug. 9-11 at the Schorr Family Firehouse Stage in Johnson City. SRO Underground is presenting the show as part of its mission to stage lesser-known works that have an edge to them.
Jeff Tagliaferro, who is directing the production, described the musical “as really goofy” with “catchy songs.”
The show’s lyrics were written by Kevin Murphy and its music by Dan Studney; both wrote the book. Their spoof sticks close to the original movie’s plot in which drug dealers lead innocent teenagers to become addicted to “reefer” cigarettes by holding wild parties with jazz music. Murder, kidnapping, rape and automotive homicide are part of the action.
“It’s very funny, very silly, and sometimes over the top,” Tagliaferro said, who has appeared as an actor in shows across the region, including ones presented by SRO Productions III and KNOW Theatre. He has directed plays at KNOW in downtown Binghamton, but this is his first time directing for SRO.
Tagliaferro said he choose Reefer Madness after falling in love with the show’s weird, off-beat tone. The 17-member cast is a mixture of performers who have appeared in shows across the region and newcomers to SRO Underground.
While the show is a spoof, it features numerous big production numbers that are a challenge to piece together with the show’s overall concept, Tagliaferro said. But it’s fun to direct, and “the cast is enthusiastic and having a lot of fun doing the show,” he added.
Since the Reefer Madness musical premiered in 2001,recreational marijuana has become legal in 24 states, including New York. A sign of the times is that Just Breathe, a marijuana dispensary in Binghamton, is co-sponsoring the SRO Underground’s production.
Tagliaferro has his own cautionary note about Reefer Madness. Because the musical follows the original movie, it includes lewdness and partial nudity. The SRO production carries a content warning for domestic violence, adult language and sexual situations. The show is intended for those 18 years of age and older.
A five-piece orchestra will accompany the cast. Ann Szymaniak, owner and artistic director of The Dance Connection, is choreographing the musical numbers.
Audience members who attend the performances will be eligible for raffles. The prizes are “goodies” from Just Breathe, Tagliaferro said.
This is 2024, after all, not 1936.
IF YOU GO: SRO Underground will present Reefer Madness Aug. 9-11 at the Goodwill Theatre’s Schorr Family Firehouse Stage, 46 Willow St., Johnson City. Friday and Saturday performances are at 7:30 p.m.; the Sunday performance is at 2 p.m. Tickets (fees included) are $28 ($25 for students and seniors 62 and over.) They can be ordered at SRO Production III’s website, www.sroproductionsonline.com. Tickets also will be available at the door, but reservations are suggested as some performances may sell out.
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