Theatre Articles
REVIEW: Urinetown: The Musical
By Fr. Patrick Dorn, Jul 27, 2010
Inspiration shows up in the strangest places, but it's fitting that the idea for "Urinetown: the Musical" came when librettist/lyricist Greg Kotis encountered a pay-per-use toilet while traveling in Europe. How absurd to tax a bodily function, and how corrupt for someone to profit from controlling access of to a "necessary room."
Not willing to take this outrage "sitting down," Kotis joined with composer/lyricist Mark Hollmann, and created a musical satire of the legal system, captialism, corporate mismanagement and waste of limited natural resources. What perhaps seemed to some as a poorly-titled sophomoric trifle has, since the show opened on Broadway in 2001, become a biting, prophetic indictment of greed run amuck and social irresponsibility. But it also points an accusing finger at the kind of well-meaning but naive, head in the sky optimism that invites exploitation and abuse.
Evergreen Players is currently presenting "Urinetown: The Musical" at Center/Stage, and it's a fine production, filled to overflowing with excellent performances by the leads and ensemble, astute direction by John Thornberry, and a rebellious, in-your-face attitude, without becoming caustic or unpleasant.
Idealistic Bobby Strong (Brad Wagner) works at a lower class public urinal, in a water-deprived town where you have to "pay to pee." The penalty for unauthorized urination is death. He falls instantly in love with the equally idealistic Hope Cladwell (Rebecca Donnella), who also happens to be the daughter of the unscrupulous profiteer and corporate kingpin Caldwell Cladwell (Richard Beall). Cladwell takes a human function that supposedly renders us all equal, and, with the assistance of a corrupt government, fixes things so that the privileged prevail and the poor suffer. Oppression and tyranny ultimately breed revolution, the tables are turned, but everyone loses in the end.
Irrepressible Little Sally (Rachel Graham) is appalled to be part of such an "unhappy" musical, despite its perky and uplifting songs, but narrator Officer Lockstock (David Blumenstock) knows the ways of the world and tries to break the grim reality to her, and the audience, as painlessly as possible.
Director John Thornberry and music director Travis Yamamoto make the most of the talented cast and rustic setting. Donnella is particularly funny in what could have been a straight ingenue role, and Graham nearly steals the show and the audience's hearts as Little Sally. Donna Worley turns in a very strong performance as a fearful but caring crusty custodian.
The power of "Urinetown: the Musical" is to play like a self-aware musical comedy with such a preposterous premise that the audience is continually lured into letting down its guard, only to be caught by one cynical or satircal "zinger" after another. Hollman's music and lyrics (with Kotis) are impressively evocative and intelligent, reminiscent of the kind of humor, wit and emotional impact of Rodgers and Hart.
It is to Evergreen Players' credit that they are willing to take on a show that intends to make audiences squirm in their seats, and they more than earn the applause and appreciation of the audience for a job well done.
The Evergreen Players' production of "Urinetown, The Musical" performs Friday-Saturday at 7:30 p.m., 2 p.m. Sunday through August 8 at Center/Stage in Evergreen. Tickets are $14-$18. Call 303-674-4934 or visit http://www.evergreenplayers.org/ for information and reservations.