21 Chump Street: The Musical

21 Chump Street: The Musical is a short musical based on a true story reported by Robbie Brown on This American Life (“What I Did For Love”). Much of the content is quoted verbatim from these interviews, with additional words and music provided by Lin-Manuel Miranda (of Hamilton and In the Heights fame). Over the course of its 14 minutes, a high school honors student in Florida, Justin, falls for a new transfer, Naomi. Unfortunately, Naomi turns out to be an undercover cop sent to crack down on drug sales as part of Operation D-Minus, and Justin gets convicted with a felony for selling marijuana.

The musical was performed live once at the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s Howard Gilman Opera House for This American Life’s “The Radio Drama Episode” which aired on June 20, 2014.

The title references 21 Jump Street, a police procedural that ran from 1987-1991, in which young undercover cops investigate crimes in high schools and colleges. It also plays on the similarity between “jump” and “chump” (meaning someone who is easily duped).

Original cast:
Narrator : Lin-Manuel Miranda
Justin Laboy : Anthony Ramos
Naomi Rodriquez : Lindsay Mendez
Tevin, Boy, & Cousin 1 : Alex Boniello
Derek, Cousin 2, & Lawyer : Gerard Canonico
Andrew, Cousin 3, & Police Officer : Antwuan Holley