The 303 Collective's production of

REEFER MADNESS
The Musical
by Kevin Murphy & Dan Studney

continues
Friday, Aug. 24; 8:00 pm (Doors at 7:30)
Saturday, Aug. 25; 8:00 pm (Doors at 7:30)
Sunday, Aug. 26; 4:20 pm (Doors at 3:50)

$12 Adults / $10 Students, Low Income

Pit and Balcony Theatre
805 N. Hamilton

397-8103 for Reservations

Review from The Saginaw News:

'Reefer' laced with clever byplay, standout performances
Monday, August 20, 2007
JANET I. MARTINEAU
THE SAGINAW NEWS

Attending a performance of The 303 Collective's "Reefer Madness" results in a natural high.

Goodness, this musical is a giggle in sarcastically spoofing an overstated 1936 movie about the danger of cannabis use.

The score is delightful, fun and well-played; the projected placards about what happens to marijuana users are deep belly laughers; the roving image of a giant green marijuana leaf across the set is clever; and director Stasi Schaeffer's cast delivers on all levels, whether portraying stalking zombies or angels of the Lord.

Apparently, too, the Tri-City area has a superb new choreographer on the scene.

This summer, we saw the outstanding work of Rebecca Fournier of Essexville in the premiere of "A Shine on Your Shoes" at the Bay City Players, which she co-choreographed with her mother and sister.

She gets solo credit in 303's "Reefer Madness," which opened Friday at Pit and Balcony Community Theatre, and again creates intriguing and inventive choreography that makes everyone doing it look comfortable.

Schaeffer and crew recreate the black and white aura of the 1936 movie with the set, filmed segments and the nifty costuming of the cast, which adds to the fun. The only color is the roving marijuana leaf and the gold-clad Jesus and his dancing angels.

Acting standouts are all over the place -- Todd Berner as the stern lecturer who rants and raves at the audience about the evils of marijuana (and is a dynamite Franklin D. Roosevelt at the end); Brian Bateson as the Jesus who comes down off cross to dance with his angels and as a gun-toting hoodlum; Scott Warnke as an adorable baby and as a raving-mad college student in the dope den; Paul J. Kostrzewa as the squeaky-clean teen who gets hooked and commits crimes; and in general, the all-purpose ensemble.

Script/score writers Kevin Murphy and Dan Studney inserted all sorts of cleverness and cultural byplay into the spoken and sung words, so pay attention.

There are a few snags in The 303 production -- in sometimes slow scene changes and when the band overpowers the singers and their words become hard to hear. But those glitches are few and far between.

"Reefer Madness" continues next weekend at Pit.

Clearly, it isn't everyone's cup of tea -- or chocolate brownie. But for those with a sense of humor about America's marijuana laws and the silliness of propaganda films, it rings true blue.