Down a narrow brick alley along Monroe Avenue and through a heavy metal door, local residents and students are honing their acting skills.

The residents and students are preparing for the Charleston Alley Theatre’s first production of “Reefer Madness.”

The production is a musical satire of a 1936 propaganda film that portrayed the lives of high school students who were negatively affected by marijuana.

Passing through the metal door of the theater, 718 Monroe Ave., visitors might not expect the theater they are greeted by.

No more than 500 square feet, the theater was once a garage work-bay for a Firestone tire store. The black garage door still dominates the exterior brick wall.

“This is not Doudna. We have a garage,” said Jeri Hughes, director of “Reefer Madness.” Hughes is also a retired Eastern communications technology specialist.

However, she said the cast members and support crew “play the space” and use the small room for all it is worth.

Standing on the cracked and paint-splattered concrete floor under a low ceiling of wires and lighting equipment, cast members took their positions and awaited the cue from Hughes.

With the word from Hughes, the cast members scuttled along the narrow stage, singing and dancing while being careful not to cross over the blue tape on the floor marking the “toe line,” or end, of the stage.

The sound of an accompanying keyboard enveloped the room, competing with the voices of the cast.

“Go back and do it again,” Hughes often yelled above the music as she flipped through her music scorebook, pink tabs noting the acts of the play.

Notes among the bars of music noted the many alterations Hughes had made to characters’ lines and movements.

The cast shuffled across each other’s paths repeatedly to get back into position.

Cast members have been rehearsing for the production since Sept. 4, working between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m., if not later, Sunday through Thursday.

“We have had some days when we haven’t left until going on midnight because we had to work them that hard,” Hughes said.

Kyle Probst, a senior history major, will play the main role of Jimmy Harper, a high school student who is lured into using marijuana by Jack Stone, played by Eastern communications studies professor Rich Jones Jr.

Probst said the time commitment required to prepare for the production is large, but he enjoys the experience.

“In the end, I find that it is always worth it, and it is an experience that I will remember for the rest of my life,” he said.

Craig Banyai, an English graduate student, will play the role of The Lecturer in the production. Banyai agreed with Probst.

“You have a responsibility to the entire crew to be there for every rehearsal, and that takes a big bite out of your life,” he said. “It is all worth it, though, if you can make someone laugh.”

Hughes said because of the limited space and acting pool, the production has been altered to fit the theater’s capabilities.

Instead of the production presenting the characters as living out events in real life, the cast will play students who are acting in their own production of “Reefer Madness” at Benjamin Harrison High School.

Those high school students being portrayed will also have limited space and resources, just like the Charleston Alley Theatre.

“We have created for ourselves the whole idea that our version of Benjamin Harrison High School is in a small town, and they don’t really have an auditorium at their high school,” Hughes said.

Instead, the students will be presenting their production of the musical in an all-purpose room.

“In fact, it’s the auto shop. At the same time, it is also the gymnasium,” Hughes said.

Also, because most of the Charleston Alley Theatre’s cast members are not high-school age, some as old as 72, the high school students being portrayed will enlist the help of faculty to play characters.

Probst said he enjoys practicing the details of the production and seeing the production progress as each rehearsal wraps up.

“I enjoy working out all the fine points of the production, seeing what works and watching as the show slowly comes together,” he said.

Hughes said watching the production and seeing the little details she wrote in the margins of her music scorebook come to life are her favorite parts of any production.

“What’s most rewarding is watching the show and watching all the little things that you did, that you interpreted as what is going to sell this story and the show to the audience,” Hughes said.

The Charleston Alley Theatre’s production of “Reefer Madness” will be 7:30 p.m. Oct. 12,13,15, 19, 20 and 22, as well as 2 p.m. Oct. 14 and 21.

General admission tickets cost $13.

Tim Deters can be reached at 581-2812 or tadeters@eiu.edu.