A genre-bending exploration of music, movement, and memory is returning to downtown New York—bringing the story of the plant back to the stage in a way that feels both historic and immediate.
Cannabis! A Viper Vaudeville re-emerges this spring as a two-part cultural event, with a live preview performance at Nublu on April 27 followed by a cinematic premiere of the full production at Cinema Village on May 4.
Originally debuting at La MaMa Experimental Theater Club in 2022, the production quickly established itself as something more than theater. It’s a layered experience—part concert, part history lesson, part immersive storytelling—tracing the role of cannabis through American counterculture, resistance movements, and creative expression.
Built around a fusion of live music, dance, and spoken word, the show moves through eras—from Congo Square to the jazz age, from the upheaval of the 1960s to modern hip-hop—revealing how the plant has remained a constant thread through cultural transformation.
At the center of it all is creator and performer Baba Israel, joined by composer and vocalist Grace Galu, whose score drives the emotional core of the piece. Together with a multidisciplinary creative team, they’ve built a world where sound and story intersect—where history isn’t just told, but felt.
The April 27 preview at Nublu leans into that energy with a live performance, DJ sets, and an open-format cypher—turning the night into something closer to a community gathering than a traditional show.
Then on May 4, the full production hits the screen at Cinema Village for the first time, presented as a multi-camera film capturing the original La MaMa run. The screening expands into a full experience, complete with red carpet, intermission smoke break, and a post-show freestyle session and Q&A.
More than a performance, Cannabis! A Viper Vaudeville positions itself as a cultural archive in motion—mapping the relationship between the plant and the people who carried its story forward.
Come for the history. Stay for the energy.
EVENT DETAILS
Live preview + dance party
Monday, April 27, 2026 / 7:00pm
Nublu, 151 Avenue C, New York NY 10009
Sponsored by Dazed dispensary
Tickets can be purchased here: www.vipervaudeville.com
Full production screening + live performance + red carpet
Monday, May 4, 2026 / red carpet 6:30 pm, screening 7:00pm
Cinema Village, 22 East 12th Street, New York NY 10003
Tickets can be purchased here: www.vipervaudeville.com
