Contact Theatre is back with a comedic bang with their latest production, Reefer Madness. The award-winning Montreal theatre company has created a hilarious, satirical musical that mocks the 1930s propaganda film of the same title.
.
Reefer Madness runs from April 20th to April 29th, 2023, at Montreal’s MainLine Theatre, the mecca for indie productions.
.
Reefer Madness is at it’s core, a show within a show, where Contact’s cast of brilliant 13 actors not only play their musical characters, but also portray characters from a small-town theatre troupe that is bringing the show to their community.
Producer Ally Brumer explains, “Having this added layer to the show allows us to lean into the drama and chaos that is in the text of the piece by emphasizing the absurdity of it all through production elements going awry.”
Casey Marie Ecker and Cathal Rynne (featured above), lead the show as sweet, religious and pure Mary Lane and studious, All -American, lovesick, high school teen Jimmy.
The young couple gets lured into a life of depravity that spirals widely out of control when “Jack” (played by Contact veteran Joel Bernstein, back for his third production,) leads them into the lair of all corruption: Reefer Den…
.
Opposite him is Jonathan Vanderzon, who portrays the Lecturer and Director of this show within a show, simultaneously guiding the audience through the story and trying to keep the young couple ( quite unsuccessfully) on the straight and narrow.
.
META-nominated Director Debora Friedmann leads Contact Theatre’s goal of providing audiences with a good laugh at the nonsensical stories within the musical, while inviting them to think about how the show’s message remains relevant today.
Friedmann explains, “though cannabis is now a legal substance here in Canada, the systemic issues that led to the success of the original Reefer Madness propaganda film can still be seen in society today. Even though the show itself is hilarious and fun, audiences will be offered moments to reflect on how their fear is still being exploited today.”
Adding to the production’s excitement, Contact has partnered with premium cannabis accessory retailer, Prohibition, to promote the normalization of cannabis culture with passion and innovation.
The two organizations will work together to spread this message to their audiences in an effort to de-stigmatize cannabis use and culture that still heavily plagues society.
.
Contact Theatre has been making waves in the Montreal theatre scene since 2019 with their production of Bonnie and Clyde, which won 11 Broadway World Awards, including Best Independent Musical and Theatre Company.
Despite the pandemic canceling their highly anticipated production of Chicago, Contact Theatre is back with a vengeance with their latest production, Reefer Madness.
Contact is an independent non-profit theatre company founded by prominent talents Ally Brumer and Debora Friedmann, who pride themselves on tackling provocative shows and intense subject matter in a unique way.
.
With Reefer Madness, Contact Theatre guarantees a comedic high with political satire.
** Content warning : The musical addresses themes of substance abuse, sexuality, racism and violence and contains scenes that some may find offensive. Viewers discretion is advised.
.
For more information and to purchase tickets please visit :