PROPAGANDA FILM HITS STAGE

Evils of drug use will be explored at the Duncan Garage Showroom
during next month's musical-comedy version of Reefer Madness.

J.E. Productions' directors Maddison Popov and Brianna Wiens are
using Kevin Murphy's script based on the 1936 anti-marijuana
propaganda film that's become a cult classic.

Action turns on wayward young man Jimmy (Lindsay Robinson) who
becomes demented after toking on the demon weed.

"It's pretty much Happy Days meets The Rocky Horror Picture Show,"
says Robinson, 19.

While he and the 19-member cast of actors and musicians satirize pot
paranoia projected in the movie, they're all too familiar with a true
villain called crystal meth.

"In the 1930s, pot wasn't so widespread so people believed it could
affect everyone," says actress and vocal director Bethany McMullen,
18.

"Now there's a fear of meth that's a huge evil. Reefer Madness makes
fun of how blown out of proportion (cannabis fear) is because very
few things in this world will turn you into a killer the second you
cross the line."

But that's exactly what can happen using meth, according to hospital
evidence, McMullen says.

The idea is to make their audiences think about the fact and fantasy
of various drugs and reasons for using them, signals Popov who's cast
as pothead Ralph.

"(Pot paranoia) is so ridiculous but it's still going on to this
day.

"Our show's message has a lot to do with the mentality these days of
materialism and sensationalism."

Those satirical messages arrive via choreography by Rachel Paish,
costumes from Eclectic Avenue, and a variety of musical styles.

"Every song is a different genre and so is every scene," Popov
says.

"This play shows how ridiculous the movie was and puts it to music,"
adds Robinson.

That absurdity is projected through reefer zombies and pot floozies
who inhabit the dreams of those who smoke ganja.

"On Jimmy's first toke, he enters a dream world where he has a weed
orgy with women and men," Robinson scoffs of Jimmy's joint jaunt.

"It's unbelievably satirical."

McMullen signals the play is about overcoming stereotypes of folks
who smoke marijuana while warning about hard drugs such as meth.

Ally Caldicott-Levitt, 18, cast as Jimmy's corruptible sweetheart
Mary Lane, agrees.

"There's a whole belief meth can make you lose your mind on the first
try and this show does the same thing."

She's proud of the troupe of 16- to 19-year-olds self-funding the
show that will feature herbal cigarettes.

"It's good entertainment put on by B.C. homegrown talent."