This October, the College of the Sequoias Theater used their stage to bring attention to an epidemic sweeping the nation… REEFER MADNESS! From October 3-5, and 10-12, the actors of our school’s theater put on a hilarious and breathtaking performance of the musical, Reefer Madness, from the minds of Dan Studney and Kevin Murphy. Throughout its showtimes, theaters were packed, and audiences laughed and cried with the characters on their wacky and emotional rollercoaster. The performers were able to captivate and dazzle viewers with their new-fangled dance moves, catchy singing numbers, and a colorful cast of… puppets?

A raunchy and adult-oriented show, Reefer Madness: The Musical is like a Romeo and Juliet story– but with a leafy green killer. As the lights dim on the stage, the Lecturer warns viewers of the dangers of “marihuana,” and its destruction of American youth. He goes on to introduce and applaud the theater department’s faithful reenactment of the “Harper Affair,” a very true story of two high school sweethearts whose lives were destroyed by the recreational consumption of cannabis. Throughout the story, audiences follow Jimmy Harper and Mary Lane as the Devil’s cabbage separates them through increasingly ridiculous circumstances. The shady reefer kingpin, Jack, and his dealers, Mae, Ralph and Sally, are responsible for getting Jimmy hooked, and they go through desperate measures to cover their tracks as he digs himself into trouble.  As the story reaches its climax, the reefer dealers see the casualties caused by their product– including Jimmy and Mary. Wracked with guilt, Mae finds the courage to stand up to Jack, and end his reign of drug dealing. All of these events were delivered through the medium of musical puppet theater, turning the melodramatic story into a whimsical, black comedy.

However, the character performances and incredible singing talents were the highlight of each showing. Randall Kohlruss played the omnipresent Lecturer, and his audience interaction and comedic chops had viewers in stitches. Robin Deniz-Fox’s performance of Jimmy and Alexis Long-Mayberry’s Mary were an adorable couple, and their duets brought the emotional core of the play. Michael Setiz’s performances of Jack and Jesus Christ were endlessly charismatic, demanding the audience’s attention every time his characters were on stage. Sarah Johnson’s Ralph and Katherine Gonzales’ Sally were a hilarious supporting cast, each of them starring in a memorable and dramatic song. The cherry on top was Ella Clausen’s performance of Mae– her tragic solo and dramatic reprise absolutely sold the show, bringing the catharsis every time.

Massive congratulations to the main cast of performers, as well as the ensemble who brought the stage to life and gave us all a show to remember– just like the Harper Affair, this was definitely a story for the history books. Keep up to date with school performances with the College of the Sequoias: Happening This Week newsletter, where you can view and reserve seats for current and upcoming performances on campus.