Urinetown
WVU presents comic ‘Urinetown: The Musical’ April 17-26
MORGANTOWN, W.V.—Imagine a 20-year drought, a terrible water shortage, and public toilets controlled by megacorporations. Throw in a cast of rebellious characters who break into song as they demand free access for the people and are chased by police through the sewers and you can only begin to imagine the fun that some WVU students and professors are having as they present “Urinetown, the Musical” at the Creative Arts Center, April 17-26.
Called “elevated silliness of the highest order” by a reviewer in Newsday, “Urinetown” treads the fine line between parody and satire with ease, while making sure not to alienate the audience with its “bad subject matter.”
Performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. nightly during April 17, 18 and 21-25 in the Gladys G. Davis Theatre of the Creative Arts Center. In addition, there will be a matinee performance at 2 p.m. on two Sundays, April 19 and 26.
“Urinetown” is a joint production of the WVU Division of Music and the Division of Theatre and Dance and is being directed by Lee Blair, who is assistant professor of theatre at WVU.
The Tony Award-winning musical premiered in 1999 at the New York International Fringe Festival, moving to Off-Broadway in early 2001 and finally to Broadway, opening September 20, 2001. The music and lyrics written by Mark Hollman and the book and lyrics are by Greg Kotis.
The idea came to Kotis on a vacation through Europe. It was when he had to choose between urinating and eating—as pay toilets are common there—that ‘Urinetown’ was born.
The musical cleverly parodies and pays homage to shows such as “Les Miserables,” “West Side Story,” “Fiddler On The Roof,” “Evita” and “Annie,” among others.
It also satirizes capitalism, social irresponsibility, populism, bureaucracy, corporate mismanagement and petty small town politics.
There’s even a love story and unexpected plot twists will keep the audience on the edge of their seats.
Songs include “It’s a Privilege to Pee,” “Follow Your Heart,” “Look at the Sky,” “Don’t be the Bunny,” “Snuff that Girl,” “Run, Freedom, Run,” “Why did I Listen to that Man?” “Tell her I Love Her,” “We’re Not Sorry,” and “I See a River,” among others.
The cast of “Urinetown, the Musical” includes theatre students Mike Baker, Tracy Toman, Jake Brady, MaryJoanna Grisso, Brian Edelman, Kellsye Carnill, Brandon Pro, Ian Cicco, Matthew Link, Dan Stevens, Taylor Ferrera, Brittany Jo Sowards, McKinley Sayre, Melissa Allen, Katarina Whitmarsh, Matthew Webster, Laura Peters, Dan Evans, Chasdan Mike and Carol Leigh Womack.
Musical director is Robert Thieme, music professor and director of WVU’s Opera Theatre; choreographer is Heather Ahern, director of the WVU Dance program, who is assisted by student co-choreographers Bethany Fisher and Rachel Romero; costume supervisor is theatre professor Mary McClung and costume designer is student Hannah Wold.
Set designs are by theatre professor Bob Klingelhoeffer and lighting design is by student Karen Muller. Sound designer is theatre professor Alan McEwan and technical director is theatre professor Dan Wilson, assisted by student Ben Jones. Stage manager Katie Kennedy is assisted by theatre students Jesse Delbert, Logan Garrett and Alison Recht and properties master is theatre student Matt Laird.
Tickets are $15 general admission, $12 senior citizens and WVU faculty and staff, and $10 WVU students with ID.
Tickets may be purchased by calling (304) 293-SHOW or visiting the WVU Box Offices at the Mountainlair and the Creative Arts Center. They are also available through Ticketmaster outlets, or by visit www.ticketmaster.com.
Note: “Urinetown: The Musical” contains adult themes and language.