Kristen Bell and Christian Campbell to reprise roles in one-night-only 'Reefer Madness' concert
Courtesy: JAMES DITTIGER/ SHOWTIME / COURTESY EVERETT COLLECTION
Kristen Bell and Christian Campbell are set to reunite on July 30th for a special one-night-only concert celebrating the 25th anniversary of "Reefer Madness: The Musical."
This performance coincides with the extension of the new Los Angeles revival of the show, which will continue through August 18th at The Whitley.
According to Playbill, Bell and Campbell will be joined by original cast members Harry S. Murphy, John Kassir, Lori Alan, Stacy Sibley, Larry Poindexter, Samantha Harris, Aukai Cain, Elijah Myles Breckel, and Paul Nygro. Additional guests are expected to be announced soon.
The ensemble will perform iconic songs from the musical and share personal anecdotes, accompanied by musicians Nathan Wang, Sid Sosa, Jordan Lamoureux, and Phil Morore, under the direction of music director David Lamoureux. An after-party is planned at Victory Garden, the outdoor lounge of the immersive theater.
Christian Campbell initially starred as Jimmy Harper in "Reefer Madness: The Musical" when it premiered in Los Angeles in 1999. Kristen Bell joined the production as Mary Lane during its off-Broadway run. The musical, a parody of the 1936 propaganda film, has returned to Los Angeles in an immersive stage production that includes a cannabis lounge.
"Coming back to this, for me, was a no-brainer," Bell told Deadline. "I owe so much of my life to these people and this show."
The new adaptation is produced by Campbell, Bell, and fellow alum Alan Cumming, with direction and choreography by Spencer Liff. The roles of Jimmy Harper and Mary Lane will be taken over by Anthony Norman and Darcy Rose Byrnes. The new cast also includes Thomas Dekker, Nicole Parker, J. Elaine Marcos, and Bryan Daniel Porter.
The immersive production recreates "The Reefer Den," a café next to the original venue in Los Angeles where the cast would gather after shows. Now, it serves as a fully functioning lounge with live performances, offering a new community space for fans to enjoy.