New Line Theatre serves up a salty holiday alternative with “Jesus & Johnny Appleweed’s Holy Rollin’ Family Christmas.”

What if Seth Rogen, Charles Dickens, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Cheech and Chong, Christopher Hitchens, Hunter S. Thompson, and John Waters decided to have a baby? If you placed their DNA in some sort of invitro Vitamix and hit the frappe button, one of the resulting octuplets might become Scott Miller, artistic director of New Line Theatre, who goes on to write the book, music and lyrics for the mildly subversive “Jesus & Johnny Appleweed’s Holy Rollin’ Family Christmas.”

That premise might sound far-fetched, but those are kinda sorta the counter culture snarky spirits that haunt this political, polemical, satirical musical. Try saying that three times after you’ve taken a toke or two. “Holy Rollin’” (co-directed by Miller and Tony L. Marr Jr.) certainly aligns with Miller’s ornery, off-off-Broadway aesthetic, and it has all the elements of a searing indictment of Nixonian, mid-century, middle-class “family values.”

The titles of some of the stand-out songs provide good indication of this show’s irreverence, including: “Heteronormative,” “Hoo-Hoo of Steel,” Don’t Look At Me, I’m Sandra Dee,” and “Have Another Toke and Have A Merry Christmas.”

Unfortunately, the performance of this musical impedes its ax-grinding, spleen-venting and wise-cracking potential. Even when there weren’t microphone issues and lines that were too-often flubbed or muffled, the actors struggled with the sitcom-style dialogue that often sounded canned and flat. It’s always a challenge to bring that type of dialogue to life.

There are some high points, including some fun double casting. Kay Love, double cast as the suffering housewife Bess Goodson and a character named Johnny, has the appearance and demeanor of a June Cleaver, but by the end of the show she’s a domestic doper who drops F-bombs like a sailor. Watching her play against type was a hoot.

So, too, was Marlee Wenski as Tammy Goodson and Sandra Dee. Wenski was vivacious and spirited, especially in her singing parts. She danced like a turned-on Tracy Turnblad from “Hairspray,” and belted out her numbers with gusto, including “Daddy’s Talkin’ ‘Crap,’” though they don’t say “crap.”

Tawaine Noah also shone as the dress-wearing, inflatable-doll-loving Uncle Hugh, especially during his solo song “Mary Jane and Mary Jane.”

“Holy Rollin’” could be a welcome – if salty – palate cleanser from some of the holiday season’s other truly family-friendly options. On paper, it’s impressively bright and clever, but on stage it’s one toke under the line.

“Jesus & Johnny Appleweed’s Holy Rollin’ Family Christmas” continues its run at the Grandel Theatre through December 16. For more information, visit the New Line web site.