Dorchester Performers Take the Stage in Moonstruck Theater Company’s Reefer Madness

Dorchester, MA — Two talented Dorchester performers are bringing their theatrical chops to Somerville this summer, joining the cast of Moonstruck Theater Company’s hilariously provocative musical Reefer Madness. The production runs August 14–23 at The Rockwell and marks the long-awaited return of Moonstruck after an eight-year hiatus.

Amanda Leigh and Larissa Lessard are among the standout local performers featured in the production. Amanda, a classically trained singer, dancer, and musical theatre actor, will appear as the Placard Girl—a character who gleefully takes the audience on a total descent into chaos. A graduate of the Institute for American Musical Theatre, Amanda’s stage experience is matched by her unexpected background in circus arts, where she once performed songs while suspended from an aerial hoop. Reefer Madness marks her debut with Moonstruck.

Joining her is Larissa Lessard, a seasoned actor and Carnegie Mellon alum, taking on the role of Sally—a fast-talking (albeit slightly slow witted) survivor of the Reefer Den. Larissa is no stranger to emotionally complex characters, having previously performed in productions of Sweeney Todd, Assassins, and The Rocky Horror Show. She brings both grit and heart to a role that walks the line between raw and ridiculous.

Moonstruck Theater Company was founded in 2006 by a group of college students eager to create space for accessible, hands-on theatre. Since then, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit has produced more than 20 mainstage productions and provided training and performance opportunities for students and community members of all ages. After nearly a decade away, Moonstruck is once again lighting up the stage with daring, offbeat work.

Reefer Madness is a wild, genre-bending musical based on the 1936 anti-marijuana propaganda film of the same name. Featuring swing-era dance numbers, dark comedy, and a healthy dose of satire, the show lampoons America’s long history of moral panics with tongue firmly in cheek.

Performances run August 14–23 at The Rockwell in Somerville, MA.

Tickets and additional information available at www.moonstrucktheater.com.