In May of 2025, Painless: The Opioid Musical traveled up north to perform for the first time in the Upper Peninsula. The tour included 4 high school shows and 1 community performance, with more than 800 people, including 700 high school students, from Marquette and Iron counties in attendance.
Painless: The Opioid Musical began as an idea from OPEN Co-Director Dr. Chad Brummett, who worked with writer and director Jacob Ryan Smith to bring the concept to life starting in 2018. In just seven years, it has quickly grown to new heights and continues to reach new communities. “Painless is an educational, traveling musical that centers around students and their families living through the opioid crisis and those trying to help stop it,” explained Spring 2025 cast member Oliver Boomer, a senior in the Musical Theatre department at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre and Dance. “The intention is to spread awareness, but also to show young people that they’re not fighting alone.”
Since 2018, Painless has performed for almost 3,300 people, in addition to recording a professional cast album now available on Spotify. The musical was featured on the Today Show, and is now available for licensing to make the show accessible to groups across the country.
Preparation for the UP Spring 2025 tour began in February 2025. In a few short months, the show had a full cast and crew that drove nearly 10 hours to share this story. “The Spring 2025 tour gave us the opportunity to share the stories of Painless with an audience across the Upper Peninsula that was different from those we have performed for previously. The communities we visited were very tight knit, and this was evident in the way that they welcomed Painless into their schools and shared the impact that the stories had on them,” said Zahra Dawson, Painless coordinator and Program Specialist with OPEN.
Painless was welcomed to the UP with open arms and enthusiasm, as many educators and students were excited to discuss this topic in a new way that focused on the arts and matching young people’s interests. Boomer added “There’s a disconnect when you have older speakers sit everyone down and share their stories with a younger generation. These are important stories to hear, but the generational gap creates this sensation of being talked down to. With a cast of twenty-year-olds, we understand what it’s like to be a high school student here and now. With the music attached, we are meeting them where they’re at and keeping the conversation going.”
Our cast members weren’t the only ones to notice that the musical has a profound impact with the students. Administrators and teachers were quick to spot that Painless captured the attention of their students. Jackie Giuliani, the Forest Park K-12 Principal, commented on that impact, stating that “the musical caught their attention and also left a memorable tune in their minds that they took with them after the show. There were many students who were singing the chorus of Painless and said they will remember that for years to come.”
Another unique aspect about the Painless performances in the UP were the talk back after the performance, where the high school students had the opportunity to ask questions and discuss the show with the college-aged cast. “The highlight was certainly the Q & A after the performance, where many kids had questions for the actors. The kids were in awe of them, and it was very inspiring. I think it also gave some of our student actors hope that they might become involved in theatre when they go to college. It made it seem like a reachable goal for them,” noted Penny Barney, K-12 counselor with the Ishpeming Public School District.
While Painless was created as a way to engage with students, the show also leaves a mark on adults who are experiencing this story. One teacher present at a performance shared, “I sincerely appreciate the authenticity of your characters, as their stories ring so familiar to those that have been lost to, or are still fighting this disease. Ten years ago, I would have never expected to lose family members to addiction, and now that all I have is the loss of those people and their stories to share; I see the immense value in destigmatizing and educating others on this topic. To paraphrase a line from the play, we can not end all pain, but we can ease the suffering.”
Painless is a fantastic experience for all who get to participate. One cast member shared in a behind-the-scenes video “… performing this show just makes my heart so happy. Even if I can just connect with one student in the audience, I know we did our jobs.”
OPEN is encouraged and energized by the response that Painless has received from the UP communities we visited. As we think fondly on our spring tour, we are working hard to launch our fall 2025 tour this November to make sure more students can engage with Painless.
Want to see Painless at your school? Apply to bring it to your community today!
