URINETOWN Closes Grand Theatre Season

Urinetown could very well be the worst title for a musical. Yet, this 2002 Tony award winner for best director, best original score, and best book of a musical has been entertaining audiences in Utah and abroad for several years now. What makes this musical with a distasteful title so enchanting?

Urinetown is a satirical comedy musical with music & lyrics by Mark Hollmann and book & lyrics by Greg Kotis. It satirizes the legal system, capitalism, social irresponsibility, populism, bureaucracy, corporate mismanagement, and municipal politics. The show also parodies musicals such as The Cradle Will Rock and Les Misérables and the Broadway musical itself as a form. Greg Kotis had the idea for Urinetown while traveling in Europe. As a traveling student on a budget, he encountered a pay-per-use toilet and began writing the show shortly thereafter.

The show begins during a terrible water shortage caused by a 20-year drought that has crippled the Gotham-like industrial city. In a mad attempt to regulate water consumption, the government has outlawed the use of private toilets. The citizenry must use public, pay-per-use amenities owned and operated by Urine Good Company (UGC) a private corporation run by the corrupt and iron-fisted Caldwell B. Cladwell. When regular Joe Bobby Strong decides he's had enough, he leads a revolution to overthrow Cladwell and UGC. Caught in the middle of all this is Cladwell's daughter, the beautiful and innocent Hope, who, of course, is in love with Bobby.

The Grand Theatre's production of Urinetown stars Kim Stephenson as Hope, Sean Bishop as Bobby Strong and Kim Blackett as Cladwell and also features Camille Van Wagoner as the fearless Ms. Pennywise (UGC public amenity regulator), Hank Pond (Officer Lockstock, who also narrators the production), and Katelin Jones (Little Sally, who is akin to Les Miserables' Cosette). Directed and choreographed by Jim Christian with musical direction by Kevin Mathie, this fun season closer is sure to entertain all audiences with its wit and memorable songs.

Performances dates: Evenings: May 11 - 28 (Wednesday-Saturday; no performance on May 25), Saturdays Matinees: May 14 & 21
Times: Evening performances 7:30pm
Location: The Grand Theatre, 1575 South State Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84115
Tickets: Prices range from $8.00 to $24.00 with discounts for groups, seniors, and students available.
Reservations: 801-957-3322 or online at http://www.the-grand.org/
Wheelchair accessible.

Photo Credit: Steve Fidel

To post a comment, you must register and login.