If your first reaction upon about a musical called “Urinetown” is that it’s an awful title, don’t worry. It’s intentional. The title and subsequent story line are all part of the fun. The show is set in a mythical town suffering from a drought, where water has become so scarce that everybody has to use public bathrooms and pay high fees for the privilege to pee. The public bathrooms are managed by a greedy corporation called “Urine Good Company,” whose CEO, Cadwell B. Cladwell, maintains a monopoly on the amenities of the entire city. His greed, political crookedness and exploitation of the town’s destitute citizens lead to a revolt among the poor. Of course, there is a standard love story intertwined throughout, and the ensuing confrontation of good versus evil rises to an unexpected finale.
The show is not afraid of satire and is filled with tongue-in-cheek political references of Brechtian proportion and songs which pay homage to the great musical theater tradition. “Urinetown” is outrageous, fun, ridiculous, exuberant and moving.
The University of Tampa’s production hosts the talents of three guest artists. Professor Michael Staczar, associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Tampa, portrays the evil Cladwell. Costumes are designed by Joe McFate, executive design coordinator for Bob Mackie Design Group Inc. in Los Angeles and lighting design is by Stefan DeWilde, production designer for Atmosphere Lighting in Washington D.C., who works in and around the D.C. area at the Kennedy Center and other nationally-acclaimed venues. He is a founding member of Tampa’s Acorn Theater.
The rest of the artistic staff of “Urinetown” is rounded out by the University of Tampa faculty and staff. It is directed and choreographed by Marguerite Bennett Folger, with musical direction by Tara Richards Swartzbaugh and scenic design by Levi Kaplan.
“Urinetown” plays for only four performances at the David Falk Theater, 428 West Kennedy Blvd., directly across the street from the University of Tampa campus. Performances are at 8:00p.m. Thursday through Saturday, Nov. 16-18. A Sunday matinee performance on Nov. 19 is at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are $10 for the general public, $5 for students and seniors. Those with a valid University of Tampa I.D. are admitted at no charge. Parking on the University of Tampa campus is free and is located across the street from the theater. For more information, call the University of Tampa Theater Department at 253-6212.