About the Show

This new musical addresses the heroin epidemic among American high schoolers through the story of an unlikely friendship between two seniors, a recovering heroin addict and a misunderstood teen genius.

From the show:

CONTACT HIGH, an original new musical from Kyle Reid Hass and Jeremy Swanton, tells the story of the unlikely friendship between Jean Simon - a drug dealer and recovering heroin addict - and Haley Walter Keys - a misunderstood teen genius with a severe phobia of physical human contact. As Jean fights to get clean and break her ties with a dangerous drug cartel, she inspires Haley to overcome his fears.

Drawing inspiration from the teen angst musicals that got Kyle and Jeremy through high school, and a testament to the resilience one can find in the hope of a better tomorrow, CONTACT HIGH is a new rock musical for a new generation.

Critic Reviews (3)

"CONTACT HIGH from Theater 511 Soars at Ars Nova."
Read more

"'Contact High' plays like the most lurid CW teen-bait series; it's a four-lane pile-up of sudsy plot developments more likely to induce giggles than tears of empathy…It's all agony, all the time, and so straight-faced that you can't believe it isn't a spoof."
Read more

"The multiple plot threads are tangled, the characters lack depth or charm, their dialogue sounds like anything but what high school students would say, and some of the lyrics are borderline dreadful. Many songs are shouted, and the sole standout performance belongs to Thoresen."
Read more

Cast and creative team

Jeremy Swanton

Composer / Bookwriter / Lyricist

Kyle Reid Hass

Director

Kyle Reid Hass

Composer / Bookwriter / Lyricist