Urinetown - Lakeshore Players Theatre

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My fellow Theatre Bloggers have been talking up this production of Urinetown at Lakeshore Players Theatre. I first heard of the show on the Tony Awards, then saw a production at Daleko Arts and was blown away by how funny, and moving this show is. At the same time it was telling a good story with a timely message. Naturally I had to see if Lakeshore Players Theatre did the show justice. They did! It is a fantastic production!

Despite the horrible name of the show, and the questionable subject matter, Urinetown is a very funny musical about...well...capitalism, love, community, police brutality, justice, bunnies, and environmental issues. While broaching all of these subjects, it is also lovingly mocking some musical theatre tropes. We are introduced to Urinetown by Officer Lockstock (Christian Unser), and Little Sally (Julia Scott Russell) who talk directly to the audience through out the show. They explain, without too much exposition, that the setting is in a place where people have to pay to use the restroom due to a severe water shortage, that the restrooms (Amenities in the show) are run by a major corporation named UGC, AND that if you are caught doing your business elsewhere, or not paying then you are often sent to Urinetown. Now, you also find out that no one returns from Urinetown, and that no one really knows what or where it is.

Photo: M&D Media

We see this rule in action in the first scene when Old Man Strong (Christopher Taykalo) is short on funds, and even though his son Bobby Strong (Hawken Paul) helps Pennywise (Mary Palazzolo) run the amenity, Old Man Strong does not get a free pass. He can't wait so he goes to the corner, does his business, and gets carted off by Lockstock and Officer Barrel (Mary Lofreddo) to Urinetown. But wait, who is wandering through this part of town but Hope (Caitlin Sparks), trying to find her way home. She meets Bobby, gets directions from him...and maybe I saw a spark between them...and heads home to her father Caldwell B. Cladwell (Marty Swaden), the owner of UGC. Classic Romeo and Juliet. Naturally things happen, action takes place, songs get sung, dances get danced and it all ends...happily? Maybe, maybe not. Does the fact that it is a musical automatically mean a happy ending?

Photo: M&D Media

Music directed by Michael Pearce Donley, the cast is such an incredibly strong cast vocally, and a true ensemble in the acting dept. The ensemble often play multiple characters (though very few are actually called out by name in the show), and there is rarely a moment when the full cast is not up front singing their hearts out in almost every number. Sure there are solos, and duets - but even for most of the solos there is a backing chorus. Vocally the standouts are Bobby, Hope, and Little Sally, but honestly they all sound really good. Directed by Greta Grosch, and choreographed by Chris Adam, the cast finds every way to use the set to its fullest advantage, as well as the storys fullest advantage. The set designed by Sarah Brandner is a multi-level box set, with the band sitting in a couple places on the top, with ladders, and moveable stairs that allow for so much variety in movement and location. The cast also gets these wonderful crawlspaces and tunnels to utilize, all while pulling out set pieces from cubby holes in the set itself. It was so much fun to watch how the set was utilized. It was also a joy to watch the cast play with some musical tropes through out. The music lends itself easily to these tropes, and this production makes the most of them. For example, in my perspective, the opening song, and even "It's a Privilege to Pee" are very Brechtian/German Kabaret style singing. While "Follow Your Heart" visually reminded me of West Side Story, as did the choreo from "Snuff That Girl." Musically you have a Gospel number in "Run, Freedom, Run," as well as a rousing group number ala Les Mis in "Look at the Sky" and there is a nod somewhere to Fiddler on the Roof. If you don't know these moments, you will still enjoy the show thoroughly, but if you do - it is icing on the cake. In fact, this whole production is a privilege to see. So go see it, despite the title.