URINETOWN, THE MUSICAL: A COMIC GEM PAINTS CROSWELL YELLOW

You know the old saying “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” Well, don’t judge a musical by its title! Urinetown, the Musical takes the stage at Adrian’s historic Croswell Opera House, September 14-16 and 21-23. The title may wrinkle your nose, but this word-of-mouth hot ticket became known as the second funniest show on Broadway — the ticket to try if you couldn’t see The Producers.

Urinetown is set in an unnamed, Gotham-like city so plagued by drought that private toilets have been banned. So everyone has to use “public amenities,” which are controlled by the evil, greedy and corrupt corporation Urine Good Company (yes, it’s that kind of humor) that keeps raising prices. Amid the people, a hero decides he’s had enough, and plans a pee-for-free revolution to lead them all to freedom.
Absurd? Of course it’s absurd. It’s a satire. Urinetown is a musical parody that follows only one rule: Expect the unexpected. It’s Broadway meets South Park, with a dash of The Family Guy.

Greg Kotis and Mark Hollman penned this comic gem. Kotis stated “This is a really clean show. There are no bad words, no nudity. It just has this ridiculous conceit.” And that provides a surprising flood of laughter.

Not only is Urinetown filled with silliness of a very high order, the eclectic score has everything from a Russian folk song, gospel anthem, rollicking rock tunes, to showstoppers with real melodies in the Rodgers and Hammerstein Broadway tradition.

Leading the ensemble in this bathroom adventure are Michael Yuen (Adrian) as our hero, Bobby Strong; Bruce Hardcastle (Brooklyn) as Caldwell B. Cladwell, a gracefully sinister villain; Nancy N. Scully (Adrian) as Hope, his daughter, with whom Bobby falls in love; James Swendsen (Palmyra) as Officer Lockstock, a corrupt cop who serves as the show’s narrator; John MacNaughton (Adrian) as Officer Barrel, his partner (there’s that humor again); Jamie Buechele (Ottawa Lake) as Little Sally, a street urchin who worries too much about too much exposition in the show; Elizabeth Palmer (Toledo, OH) as Little Becky Two Shoes; and Stephanie L. Stephan (Toledo, OH) as Penelope Pennywise, a tough urinal gatekeeper with a shocking secret.
Completing the ensemble are: Adrian residents Donna Bytwork, Heidi Hartwell, Aaron Morgan, Jessica Randall, Natasha Ricketts, and Peggy Snead; Tecumseh residents Barry Hartmann, Jesse Montie, and Sarah Nowak; Jonesville residents Barbara Crosby, Travis Roderick, and Trevor Roderick; Blissfield resident Emily Gifford; Jackson resident Steve Dietrich; Palmyra resident Lance Wiesmann; and Toledo, OH, residents Silvestre “Tito” Duran and Patrick Stengle.

Molding this production of Urinetown is director Douglas Miller (Adrian), of Siena Heights University, who also provides the scene and lighting designs. Todd Schreiber (Ottawa Lake) takes the baton as music director, with choreography by Alexandra Nelson (Tecumseh). Susan Eversden (Tecumseh) supplies costume design, while Amanda L. Raymond (Escanaba) acts as production stage manager.

Curtain times for Urinetown are 8:00 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 3:00 p.m. on Sundays, September 14-16 and 21-23. Tickets for the orchestra and lower balcony are $25 adults, $22 seniors, and $20 students, with “Upper Peninsula” (upper balcony) seating at $20 adults and senior, and $15 students. Season packages and group rates are available. For more information, call the Croswell Box Office at (517) 264-SHOW (7469), visit the box office located at 129 E. Maumee, Mon.-Fri., 9-5, or visit the web site, www.croswell.org.

Color it different, but get there fast. You’ll never experience anything quite like it!