UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State Centre Stage will produce the Broadway musical “Urinetown” with music by Mark Hollmann, lyrics by Hollman and Greg Kotis, and book by Kotis, Feb. 20–March 1, at the Playhouse Theatre on the University Park campus. The musical is directed by Professor David Kersnar and music-directed by Darren Cohen. The musical received Tony Awards for Best Book and Best Score in 2002.
A musical satire of the legal system, capitalism, social irresponsibility, populism, bureaucracy, corporate mismanagement, municipal politics and musical theater itself, "Urinetown" imagines a world where a terrible water shortage gives rise to a draconian system that outlaws private toilets and forces citizens to urinate only in paid-use public amenities. The citizenry must use public, pay-per-use amenities owned and operated by "Urine Good Company," a malevolent corporation run by the corrupt Caldwell B. Cladwell.
Assistant Professor of Theatre Studies Samuel Yates wrote, "The genius of 'Urinetown' lies in its ability to make us laugh at the absurdity of its premise while subtly prodding us to examine the parallels in our world. As we tap our toes to catchy tunes and chuckle at witty one-liners, the narrative unfolds as a comedic cautionary tale that urges us to question the power structures that govern our lives and the consequences of apathy."
Evening performances at 7:30 p.m. are $28; preview performance at 7:30 p.m. is $23; and tickets for students are $15. For additional show information, visit the Penn State Centre Stage website. Non-Penn State arts and architecture students can see it for free by visiting this link.