Narcan Time Machine 

Created by John Michael / Directed by Abby Pajakowski / Developed by Sammy Zeisel /Creative Producer Brannon Bowers 

Synopsis: John Michael is caught between timelines. While scrolling through old texts, he ricochets through childhood soulmates and queer awakenings as he tries to reconcile the grief of losing friends to fentanyl poisoning.

Big belly Laughs... Art never dies! -★★★★★, Winnepeg Free Press 

Narcan Time Machine teaches audiences how to save a life using NARCAN — the medication credited with helping shift overdose deaths from 110,000 in 2022 to roughly 70,000 (200 a day) in 2025. The show has already helped distribute 4,420 doses nationwide. You can find free Narcan at your local Chicago public library.

Rated PG:13 /  Trigger Warnings: Onstage overdose, mentions of death and suicide prevention.

 Show’s Origin

Narcan Time Machine was originally created as an adult-content performance called Spank Bank Time Machine, but has now been adapted into a young-adult version specifically designed for universities and emerging adults. It was originally commissioned by Lutheran Social Services of Illinois through a Chicago 2.0 Healthy Grant, and was developed with additional support from the Wirtz Center for the Performing Arts at Northwestern University.

This Chicago performance serves as a preview engagement ahead of its college appearances at Carnegie Mellon University next week.

ABOUT THE ARTIST 

John Michael is a Chicago‑based trauma clown and creator of 13 audience‑participation plays. He is best known for the internationally acclaimed Meatball Séance, where he cooks his mother’s meatballs onstage to summon her from the dead to meet his boyfriend played by the audience. After losing three friends to overdose, he developed harm‑reduction theatre that has distributed 4,420 doses of Narcan and taught audiences how to administer the life-saving medication as part of the performance. In 2026, John Michael will continue spreading overdose prevention education, presenting Narcan Time Machine at Carnegie Mellon University.

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