One Way Ticket to Hell

Lee Strasberg Creative Center
7936 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood
Through Aug. 6
Thursday-Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 3 p.m.
Tickets: $40
866-811-4111
www.onewaytickettohellthemuiscal.com

In the footsteps of Reefer Madness comes One Way Ticket to Hell, a campy musical comedy based on a 1950s cautionary film about drug use. But while there are similarities in terms of their social commentary of hypocrisy and paranoia, the latter play takes on a much harsher edge that is so focused on being satirical that it loses its effectiveness. Some talented cast members and a catchy set of tunes give this production a polished sheen, but that can't entirely smooth out the flaws that make it fall short of its potential.

Kristen Howe stars as Cassandra, the tormented teen whose attraction to a delinquent crowd leads her astray. We jump into the story just as she's hitting rock bottom after years of drug abuse and self-destruction. Her tale is being narrated by a noir-ish narc (Ron Nummi) who has dedicated himself to trailing, and hopefully saving, this lost young woman. We then flash back to two years earlier, at the start of Cassandra's downfall—starting with her mournful tune “Only Three Times a Day,” referring to the times of day that she's sad. Even in this vulnerable moment, Howe has a harshness that negates any pretense of her being a sweet girl gone astray. She's tough and hardy, with a voice to match, so it's no surprise when she rebels by smoking pot … the ever-destructive gateway drug that leads to bad boyfriends, which leads to heroin, and then, of course, prostitution and a tiny bit of lesbianism.

Under the direction of Danny Hochberg, the entire production is pulled together nicely: The music is consistently strong (lyrics by Drew Taylor and the music by Robert Cioffi). Still, there are some choices that cause cracks in the foundation. A big portion of Cassandra's issues stem from the fact that she was abused by her stepfather, a convincingly lecherous Jack Harding. But while this lechery could have easily been conveyed through the frequent innuendos and comments, Harding actually belts out an entire song, entitled “Higher Daddy Higher,” dedicated to the sexual abuse. The ookiness effect far outweighs any attempt to elicit compassion for the main character—it would be have been far more effective to be more subtle with that element.

The remaining characters are pretty much established as caricatures, all of whom embrace the satirical '50s vibe. There is Cassandra's hip-swiveling, macho little lover Chico (DT Matias) and her geeky closeted boyfriend Johnny (Joe Settineri), as well as her wacky sidekick/hooker with a heart of gold (Erin Stoddard), and her purposely oblivious mother (Barbara Passolt). But with so much energy expended on maintaining the campiness factor, we can never fully connect to the protagonist and her story—so ultimately, there just isn't enough sympathy to make this feel like a complete tale.

— Sarika Chawla