Painless: The Opioid Musical Now Available for Licensing
Painless: The Opioid Musical started as an idea by Dr. Chad Brummett, Co-Director of OPEN, when he gave a lecture to high school students and learned that almost 75% of them admitted to having easy access to unused opioids. After Dr. Brummett contacted former Chair of Musical Theatre Vincent J. Cardinal in 2018, students at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre, and Dance were invited to hear true stories of people in recovery and loved ones of people with substance use disorder from Face Addiction Now (formally Families Against Narcotics). These stories were translated into songs by undergraduate student Jacob Ryan Smith and formed Painless: The Opioid Musical.
Since 2018, Painless has accomplished significant milestones, including appearing on the TODAY show, launching the official cast album on Spotify, and completing tours of Ann Arbor and other local high schools. Now, as of February 2025, Painless is officially available for licensing across the country through Innovation Partnerships at the University of Michigan.
“The stories of loss, recovery, and strength that Painless tells are moving every single time you hear them. The student actors from the University of Michigan that perform the show during our tours throughout the state really embody these experiences and make them feel so real to the audience,” said Zahra Dawson, Program Specialist at OPEN. “By having Painless available for anyone to produce, it provides the ability for more actors to connect to these stories, as well as an opportunity to make the show especially relevant to the struggles and strengths of their local communities.”
With this non-commercial license, organizations across the country will be able to hold performances of Painless in their communities free-of-charge for up to one year. After gaining the rights to performance, organizations will receive access to sheet music, instrumental tracks, production instructions, marketing resources, and additional educational tools.
OPEN is thrilled to give this opportunity to communities across America so that everyone can share and learn from these stories.
“Painless brings awareness to opioid use, reduces stigma, and provides hope for recovery by highlighting real people’s true stories of substance use disorder. Painless is a unique and powerful way to engage with the community and encourage teens to make informed, healthy decisions about substance use,” said Ellie English, Community Program Manager at OPEN.
OPEN is planning the Spring 2025 tour, including performances for the first time of Painless in the Upper Peninsula. “We are excited to know that Painless has the opportunity to be seen by so many communities, and we can’t wait to see how far this story reaches,” finished Dawson.
Interested in licensing the show? Click here to learn more.