USM to Stage Maine Premiere of REEFER MADNESS, 3/11-20

The USM Department of Theatre and the USM School of Music present the Maine premiere of REEFER MADNESS The Musical, based on a book by Kevin Murphy and Dan Studney, with music by Dan Studney and lyrics by Kevin Murphy. The show runs from Friday, March 11 through Sunday, March 20, with 7:30 p.m. performances on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and 5 p.m. performances on Wednesday and Sunday. All performances take place on the Main Stage at Russell Hall, on the USM Gorham campus.

Tickets are $10 students, $15 seniors/faculty/staff/alumni, $21 general public, and may be purchased online at https://app.arts-people.com/index.php?show=54331, or by calling the Music Box Office, (207) 780-5555 or the Theatre Box Office, (207) 780-5151. **please note: this show contains mature subject matter.

Inspired by the original 1936 film of the same name, this raucous musical comedy takes a tongue-in-cheek look at the hysteria caused when clean-cut kids fall victim to marijuana, leading them on a downward spiral filled with evil jazz music, sex and violence. The addictive and clever musical numbers range from big Broadway-style showstoppers to swing tunes like "Down at the Ol' Five and Dime" and the Vegas-style "Listen to Jesus, Jimmy."

"We are so excited to be presenting the Maine premiere of this wild and wacky musical," says the show's musical director, Ed Reichert. "It's always fun rehearsing our singers and musicians on a score that the theater-going community has never seen or heard before onstage."

A co-production of the USM Department of Theatre, and the USM School of Music, REEFER MADNESS is sponsored by Wellness Connection of Maine.

Guest directing the production is Cary Libkin, professor emeritus from Penn State University and freelance director now living in Maine. He is the immediate past president of Musical Theatre Educators Alliance -- International and has offered master classes all over the U.S., in the U.K., Finland, Sweden, Germany and Demark. Musical director Edward Reichert has been on the USM faculty as the musical theatre vocal coach in the School of Music since 2001. Choreographer Vanessa Beyland has been teaching musical theater dance at USM since 2005.

The production crew is led by Department of Theatre faculty and staff including Shannon Zura, lighting designer; Perry Fertig, technical director; Joan Mather, costume designer; guest set designer Lauren Mills; and School of Music alumna Kellie Moody, assistant music director.

Jimmy Harper, played by Eric Berry-Sandelin of South Portland, is a wholesome, innocent, high school teenager who runs into trouble after he is lured into the dangerous world of reefer. Jimmy's sweetheart, Mary Lane (Ali Sarnacchiaro of Saugus, MA), is a naive, virginal teenage girl. Jack Stone (Matthew LaBerge of South Portland) is the handsome and ruthless proprietor of the Reefer Den. Mae (Sarah Flagg, Hampden) is an attractive, yet slightly haggard dame in her mid-30s, the hostess of the Reefer Den. Ralph Wiley (Taylor Gervais of Hermon) is a resident at the Reefer Den, a former fraternity man whose college days were cut short by his reefer habit.

The lecturer (Cameron Wright of Ellsworth) is a severe authority figure who gives warnings to the audience, and appears as numerous other characters throughout the show. The Lecturer is assisted by a "placard girl" (Abbey Kielinen of Dudley, MA) who reinforces warnings to the audience with large signs. Sally (Sara O'Connell of Watertown) is sexy and seductive, and also a resident of the Reefer Den. In the character of the production, the "Brownie/Cig Girl" (Mariah Laroque) will be available to solicit the audience before the show and during intermission.

A mixed gender ensemble rounds out the cast representing a host of other groups that get caught up in stories like this. Ensemble members and understudies include Sean Arsenault of Scarborough, Matthew Boyd of Medford, NH, Andrew Carney of Millinocket, Rachel Grindle of Portland, Drew Masse of Lewiston, DJ Robinson of Dayton, Lauren Tudor of Scarborough, and Megan Ward of Bangor.

The student production and artistic crew includes: Sara Goldsmith-Witt, assistant director and dramaturg; stage manager Megan C. Maguire; assistant stage managers Emily Baker, Jacob Hammond and Jon Murray; assistant lighting designer Austin Tomison; props master Callie Cox; assistant props master Hollie Pryor; Mike Spaulding, Olivia Houston, Sabrina Gauthier and Kamdra Prendergast on lights and sound; wardrobe crew led by Braden Socquet, including Brittney Cacace, Zachary Gilchrist, DJ Monteith, Molana Oei, and Olivia Stone; and the deck crew, Michael Chow, Luis Del Valle III, Kelsey Michaud and Caleb Streadwick.

You won't be able to resist the spoofy fun of REEFER MADNESS. This dynamic show will go straight to your head!

(**REEFER MADNESS is a highly stylized and satirical political commentary. It contains adult humor, religious parody, and drug use, as well as suggested violence and sexual explicitness. It therefore may be inappropriate for younger audiences.)

Those needing special accommodations to participate fully in this program, contact Lori Arsenault, (207) 780-5142, loria@maine.edu. Hearing impaired: call USM's telex / TDD number (207) 780-5646.

REEFER MADNESS is presented through special arrangement with R&H Theatricals. Originally directed by Andy Fickman and produced by Stephanie Steele for Dead Old Man Productions.

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