Caitlin Cook Brings Her Bathroom Graffiti Musical THE WRITING ON THE STALL to Blue Strawberry Showroom And Lounge

Caitlin Cook is a songwriter and performer who has found a niche adapting her comedic songs into one-woman theatrical performances. She defines her shows as genre-bending works of art that fit in the overlapping circles of the Venn diagram between music, theatre, and comedy. Cook says, “My show, THE WRITING ON THE STALL, is a found art show, where I’ve taken pieces of graffiti on bathroom stalls and have written songs using the bathroom graffiti as acutal lyrics in the songs. In fact, almost every single lyric in the show is something I've found, or written myself, on a bathroom wall.” She told Broadway World that she finds the writings on bathroom walls an interesting form of art and human communication.  

Cook is bringing her show THE WRITING ON THE STALL: A One-Woman Bathroom Graffiti Musical to The Blue Strawberry Showroom and Lounge for two shows on Saturday, June 1, and Sunday, June 2, 2024. She says her show appeals to a wide variety of people. “Musical Theatre fans have latched onto the show and know the songs coming in. That is so cool as a songwriter,” she said. In addition to theatre people, Cook said her show also appeals to art history buffs and people who love comedy. “It’s a show that people identify with and see a little bit of themselves in it,” Cook said.  

Cook studied Art History as an undergraduate at Kenyon College in Ohio and went to The University of Oxford to earn her master's in art history and underwater archeology. Her show features a bit about the history of graffiti and her musical musings about bathroom graffiti. In addition to the influence of her education in art history, she credits her experience performing at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe to hone her craft. She said, “I went to the Fringe Festival in 2017 and it was the first time I saw artists pushing the boundaries to blend different forms of performance, combining clown, stand-up, music, improv and theater in a way that felt really authentic to each individual performer .” She talked about how the experience made her realize that she didn't have to choose and pigeonhole herself. It gave her license to epress herself comedically, theatrically, visually and artistically, all in one show. She said, "That is exactly what I'm doing with THE WRITING ON THE STALL."

Cook is excited to return to St. Louis. She worked here in a comedy club about a decade ago and recalled how friendly the people were. “I was in a grocery store and people just randomly struck up conversations and chatted with me in the aisles,” she said. She called St. Louis friendly and inviting and thinks her show will play well here because St. Louisans are so engaging.  

This is the only stop on her current tour where she is in a city for longer than one night. She is excited to explore more of the city and has local hosts. One of her friends from New York graduated from Washington University and her friend’s parents still live here. She said, “They can’t wait to show me around St. Louis.” 

Critics have called her show “brilliant, heartfelt, funny and fabulous.” Cook thinks audiences will enjoy THE WRITING ON THE STALL because it is about connecting with strangers. The show is set in the ladies' bathroom and starts with her asking the audience if they have any toilet paper. She shared that it is a funny show about what people have written on the bathroom wall and Cook shares their story through song.  

Tickets for Caitlin Cook’s THE WRITING ON THE STALL can be purchased by clicking the link below. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. on June 1st and 2nd at Blue Strawberry Showroom and Lounge. Doors open at 6:00 p.m.  

PHOTO CREDIT: Arin-Sangurai

To post a comment, you must register and login.