The Moxie Theater is set to present two very different plays in rotation – San Diego Union-Tribune

At first glance, the pairing of Allan Nee, Mindy Dickstein and Jason Howland’s musical adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women with Alexis Shear’s horror comedy Our Dear Dead Drug Lord would seem a complete mismatch.

But not for Desiree Clarke Miller, artistic director of the Moxie Theatre, which presents “Little Women The Broadway Musical” and “Our Dear Dead Drug Lord” with rotating repertory, a first for the Moxie.

“I love the juxtaposition of these two shows,” said Clark Miller, who will direct Little Women and Lee Scarritt will direct Our Dear Dead Drug Lord. Little Women is really a representation of what women were supposed to be or felt like they were supposed to be in the past—those old images of what good girls were supposed to be.

“‘Our Dear Dead Drug Lord’ is, quite frankly, the complete opposite of that,” she said. “We came up with it actually as ‘Our Dear Dead Little Women,’ as if we’re saying goodbye to these old stereotypes of what virginity should look like.”

Various stories about the March sisters growing up in the 19th century and four modern-day teenage girls who are part of the Dead Leaders Club will alternate on the Moxie stage in Rolando. The two shows will also share the same cast: Michaela Macias, Nio Russell, Becca Myers and Lena Seha.

“Reduce the family to one. Do not reduce the family to another. The content of ‘Our Dear Dead Drug Lord’ is pretty gruesome,” said Clark Miller of the creepy comedy about a group of girls who try to summon the spirit of Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar.

Despite this, she sees a common thread between them.

“Joe (Marsh in ‘Little Women’) has a similar story with Pipe (the group leader in ‘Drug Fighter’),” she said. “They both lose their younger sister. They both deal with this grief in interesting ways. And they’re both exploring their own sexuality and what it means to be feminine and a woman who has different views than others.”

For actors, playing roles in two back-to-back shows can be a daunting task, and they may never repeat their careers again. For 22-year-old Mikaela Macias, this is the first time.

“It was more exciting than challenging,” she said of the double duty, “because of how contrasting the shows are. This makes it easier to navigate through each process. I know how to be flexible.”

Macias relies on chemistry with his three co-stars in every show.

“It’s been a blessing,” she said. “Every time we hit a bump in the road or after an emotionally draining scene, it was nice to know that I could trust them, that they would give me the space to share what I had to say and feel, and that they could trust me to give them that space too.”

According to Clark Miller, putting on two shows at the same time “wasn’t easy.” “The musical is Moxie’s most expensive project in 20 years. Add to that another play that still needs full props, full sets, full costumes. From this point of view, this is a really expensive project.”

So why not make the show stand alone, even in different seasons of Moxie?

“I don’t know if it would have been easier,” Clark Miller said. “I think they work better together. They really reinforce each other.

“When I applied for this job at Moxie, I knew it would be the right place for me because I’m always looking for the most challenging work, whether it’s programming or directing a show,” she said. “The more complicated it looks on the page, the more interested I am. We could use more people to challenge the status quo by asking audiences how long they’re willing to go with us on these journeys.”

“Little Women: The Broadway Musical” and “Our Dear Dead Drug Lord”

When: The two plays will alternate in the repertoire from Sunday to December 8. Thursdays and Fridays at 19:00; 14:00 and 19:00 on Saturdays; 14:00 and 19:00 on Sundays. (See website for game schedule)

Where: Moxie Theater, 6663 El Cajon Blvd., Ste. N, Rolando

Tickets: $30-$63 (“Little Women”), $20-$50 (“Drug Lord”)

phone: 858-598-7620

Online: moxietheatre.com