Show Synopsis
One of the most uproariously funny musicals in recent years, URINETOWN is a hilarious tale of greed, corruption, love, and revolution in a time when water is worth its weight in gold. In a Gotham-like city, a terrible water shortage, caused by a 20-year drought, has led to a government-enforced ban on private toilets. The citizens must use public amenities, regulated by a single malevolent company that profits by charging admission for one of humanity's most basic needs. Amid the people, a hero decides he's had enough, and plans a revolution to lead them all to freedom! Inspired by the works of Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill, URINETOWN is an irreverently humorous satire in which no one is safe from scrutiny. Praised for reinvigorating the very notion of what a musical could be, URINETOWN catapults the "comedic romp" into the new millennium with its outrageous perspective, wickedly modern wit, and sustained ability to produce gales of unbridled laughter.
Here are some questions you may want to consider and discuss both before and after the show:
Questions for PreShow:
1. One of the things we take for granted in this country is having enough resources—like water—to live. What are some other areas of life in America you can think of that could have prompted a similar musical?
2. What happens when art becomes overtly political? Does a “message” necessarily interfere with our enjoyment?
3. What are some of the clichés of musical theatre situations? Why might a contemporary writing team create a musical that evokes older, “classic” Shows?
Questions for PostShow:1. How did the narration add to or detract from the show?
2.What about the production rises to the level of “epic theatre”?
3. How did the set contribute to the overall experience? Costumes? Lighting?
4. How did the music support or bring irony to moments in the show?
5.Why do you think the ending was written that way?
6.Why is it so bad to be the bunny?
