Urinetown, The Musical
Music and Lyrics by Mark Hollman
Book and Lyrics by Greg Kotis
Directed by Don Fleming
Musical Direction by Jim Fisher
Choreography by Kathryn Van Meter
- AUG 15 - AUG 23
- Ages 11 and up
Please Note: This production will take place in the Center House Theatre.
Warning: This play does deal with urination. If you don’t like the word “pee” this is not the show for you.
A satirical look at a world without resources and a culture out of ideas and inspiration—you may just pee your pants laughing.
What happens when a 23-year-long drought makes water the rarest and most valuable of commodities? Why, you’ve got to start paying for the privilege to pee, of course. The Urine Good Company (UGC) owns all the toilets in town (no more private, home-use commodes), and if you can’t pay they’ll cart you off to Urinetown.
This is exactly what happens to Old Man Strong when he doesn’t have the cash to pay for his morning ablutions. Even his son, Bobby, who works for Ms. Pennywise the privy manager, can’t save him from exile. The UGC is even in cahoots with a senator to pass new fee hikes, or so Hope Cladwell, the daughter of the CEO of UGC, learns on her first day at work in daddy’s office.
But when Hope and Bobby happen to meet on the street, peeing is the furthest thing from their minds, or hearts. The people, lead by Bobby, decide to follow their hearts (and full bladders and empty wallets) and pee for free, regardless of the consequences. Once Cladwell hears of the revolt under way, it’s off to the “amenity” for him, his officers, and Hope. Little did they think Hope would end up a hostage. And that’s all just in Act I!
Act II finds the rioting poor in a secret hideout with Hope bound and gagged. As Bobby and his Ma are out trying to recruit other toilet-keepers to the cause, the struggling poor struggle with whether they should hang Hope or not. Ms. Pennywise, however, manages to find their lair and convince Bobby to meet with Cladwell instead.
Neither man will compromise, so it’s off to Urinetown for Bobby, no matter what happens to Hope. For Bobby, the consequences couldn’t be direr. Urinetown is, well, Urinetown is the end. The people learn this awful truth, and with Hope now leading the way, they head to UGC headquarters to introduce Cladwell to Urinetown, too.
Ironically, though he was a stingy, greedy, despicable man, Cladwell’s understanding of the necessity of water conservation was right on the money. Eventually, their free pee town becomes a Urinetown after all—go figure.