Pubdate: Sat, 22 Jul 2006
Source: Cowichan News Leader (CN BC)
Copyright: 2006 Cowichan News Leader
Contact:  http://www.cowichannewsleader.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1314
Author: Peter Rusland

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."
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