Riverwalk’s ‘Reefer Madness’ takes the 1936 film a few steps further

Riverwalk Theatre continues its run of campy and cutting-edge productions with the musical “Reefer Madness.” Featuring a talented cast and outstanding production values, this satire on propaganda and hysteria is the mellow we all need to counter these politically charged times.

The play opens with the Lecturer (Betsy Karinen) addressing the audience as parents in a 1936 school auditorium. The Lecturer prepares the audience to watch a play based on events that happened in the community as a warning that marijuana is an assassin of the youth. 

The play within a play tells the story of how promising young Jimmy (Jason Durr) is led astray by Jack (Connor Kelly). Enticed into hanging out with the cool kids at the local drug den run by Mae (Ny’Kieria Blocker) and Sally (Lizabeth Desmet), Jimmy trades his chaste relationship with Mary (Sylvia Bunn) for debauchery and debasement, eventually leading to mayhem and murder. 

To call “Reefer Madness” high-larious is an awful pun, but one that would send the characters into a fit of hysterical laughter. The script is sharp, clever and crowd pleasing. It also closely follows the source material while enhancing it with scenes that the original filmmakers implied but didn’t — or couldn’t — show. Chief among these is Jimmy’s hallucinatory experience in the aptly named number “The Orgy,” during which the cast shamelessly takes part in a cannabis-fueled bacchanal.

The cast is all-around fantastic, but there are some stand-out performances. Kelly is menacing as Jack but truly energizes the stage as the hipper-than-thou Jesus. In Act 1, Jesus tries to save Jimmy, bringing the full force of his angelic choir to bear as he implores Jimmy to choose the path of redemption over the path of destruction. Even better is the reprise of the song in Act 2, although to say more would spoil the scene. 

Evan David is perfectly maniacal as Ralph, looking very much the part of a frat boy gone bad. Beyond his physicality, his unhinged laughter is both infectious and a bit unsettling. It’s clear that he’s one toke away from going over the line, and the moment when he does completely unravel is the moment that the script transcends the original film’s themes and embraces the premise that the Devil’s weed transforms people into zombies. 

Bunn is gosh-darn keen as Mary, with her sweet innocence and Shirley Temple curls. Still waters run deep, though, and when Mary dances with Mary Jane, a very different personality emerges. As Sally, Desmet gets to play the bad girl throughout, and her wily glances are almost as powerful a drug as the reefer she pushes upon the youth.

2026-‘27 theater productions:

Riverwalk took on quite a challenge in executing a full musical in its black box, having to give up precious space for the pit musicians while still retaining room for full-cast dance sequences, yet the theater pulled it off. Carmen Zavala, a skilled choreographer, led the troupe well. The entire ensemble is spot-on with their moves, and the space never feels limiting. 

The production values exceed those of a typical black box production, including the vast number of costumes, courtesy of Amanda Macomber, and the versatile set, designed by director Quinn Kelly and Jeff Miller. Elisha Smith’s propaganda posters that plaster the backdrop are a hoot, and for anyone who gets the munchies, the concession stand offers five-leaf sugar cookies. With the addition of ensemble member Caleb Liggett’s haze-inspired lobby artwork, Riverwalk has crafted a comprehensive chronic experience.