Bonstelle Theatre to Present URINETOWN, 4/17-26

The Bonstelle Theatre closes its 2014-15 Season at Wayne State's Midtown theatre with the Tony Award-winning Urinetown: The Musical, playing April 17 - 26. A hit on Broadway and in London's West End, the wickedly smart book and lyrics satirize crony capitalism, while the score parodies popular musicals. Written by Mark Hollmann and Greg Kotis, it was originally produced on Broadway in September, 2001 by the Araca Group and Dodger Theatricals in association with TheaterDreams, Inc., and Lauren Mitchell.

Set in a dystopian near future, a long-term water shortage opens the door for private control of the scarce water that remains. All amenities fall under the control of The Urine Good Company and private toilets become a thing of the past. Residents must be flush with cash in order to flush and it is a "privilege to pee." In the tradition of 20th century American cinema, a "little guy against the world" appears and revolution is the order of the day. Will good prevail?

Smart and sharp-witted, Urinetown mocks not only its subject matter - cronyism, political hackery, hollow heroism, and a bit of Malthusian angst-but also how it goes about delivering its message. Parodies of musical styles and specific musical titles-from Les Miserables to West Side Story-are the means by which the librettist and composer pursue their targeted victims, even wondering aloud in the script, "What about a bad title? That could kill a show pretty good."

Tickets are $20 - $25, with student rush tickets available for $15 on the day of the performance. Tickets are available for purchase by calling 313-577-2960, visiting www.bonstelle.com, or visiting the Wayne State University Theatre Box Office located at 4743 Cass Ave. on the corner of Hancock St.

Luke Rose of Harrison Twp. (Bobby Strong); Anna Busse of Trenton (Hope Cladwell); Garrett Michael Harris of Royal Oak (Officer Lockstock); Taylor Morrow of Warren (Little Sally); Anna Seibert of Detroit (Penelope Pennywise); Kyle Johnson, a Hilberry Acting Company member (Caldwell B. Cladwell). Also featuring: Alexis Barrerra of Hartland; Jacob Boida of Warren; Jordan Allen Fritz of Detroit; Shannon Grant of Livonia; Logan James Hart of Grosse Pointe Woods; Shannon Hurst of Warren; Dante Jones of Detroit; Annie Keris, a Hilberry Acting Company member; Shane Nelson of Windsor, ON; Patrick Roache of Detroit; Kayla Rodriguez of Dearborn Heights; Keira Schmitt of Livonia; Rachel Smith of Detroit; Kendall Rose Talbot of Sterling Heights; Michael Vultaggio of Center Line; and Samantha Lee York of Dearborn.

Michael J. Barnes (Director), Fred Love (Music Director), Cheryl Turski (Choreographer), Max Amitin (Scenic Designer), Sammi Geppert (Costume Designer), Heather DeFauw (Light Designer), Michael Sabourin (Properties Master), Mike Hallberg (Sound Designer), Courtney Rasor (Stage Manager), Brian Dambacher (Technical Director),and Stephanie Slusser (Publicist).

The Bonstelle Theatre is a Broadway-style house with a 1,034-seat auditorium featuring a balcony and much of the original Beaux-Arts architecture. The Theatre was built as Temple Beth-El in 1902 and converted to the Bonstelle Playhouse in 1922.

The Bonstelle Theatre Company includes BA and BFA actors, designers, and stage managers in the Maggie Allesee Department of Theatre and Dance at Wayne State University. Here, future stars of theatre, film, and television follow in the footsteps of successful alumni like Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning S. Epatha Merkerson (NBC's Law and Order, Lackawanna Blues), Lily Tomlin (9 to 5, ABC's Desperate Housewives), and Ernie Hudson (Ghostbusters, NBC's Heroes). For box office hours and information on performances, tickets, group discounts, and corporate packages, please call the box office at 313-577-2960 or visit the theatre's website at www.bonstelle.com.

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