"Urinetown, the Musical" promises to be off-beat comedy the entire family will enjoy
Contact: Laura Hancock | University Advancement | lhancock@eou.edu
Source: Kenn Wheeler | EOU Theatre Department
Photos/Kenn Wheeler
EOU students Jessica Waite and
Tristan Stufflebeam rehearse their
parts as "Hope Cladwell" and
"Bobby Strong"
in "Urinetown."
Thursday, May 18, 2006
LA GRANDE, Oregon – Almost everyone is familiar with the catch phrase. “You can’t judge a book by its cover.” Most of the time, the phrase is used in reference to people, meaning just because a person looks a certain way, they may not act a certain way. Rocks may also look dirty and crusty on the outside, but split them open and there could be a diamond inside.
The same holds true in reference to titles of musical theatre productions. When “Oklahoma” opened in 1943, the producers worried that no one would want to see a show about a dry little state neighboring Texas that had more cows than people. Over two thousand performances later, the producers were using the above catch phrase to describe a show that revolutionized the American musical.
In 1964, it was feared that no one would come to see a show about street gangs on the “west side” of New York. “West Side Story” has since become an American classic. Titles like “Grease,” “Rent,” and “Hairspray” don’t necessarily invite audiences in, but each has been a crowd favorite for many years. People all over the world have proven that when it comes to musical theatre titles, you just can’t judge a book by its cover.
Eastern Oregon University’s theatre production season includes a musical comedy that epitomizes this catch phrase. “Urinetown, the Musical,” will open Thursday, May 25 in Schwarz Theatre at 8 p.m.
“This could easily be considered the most distasteful title to ever be given a musical theatre production,” says director Kenn Wheeler. “But fortunately, it is also the most misleading title. It is a comedy that can be enjoyed by the entire family.”
“For awhile, this show certainly deals with a ‘mystical place’ called “Urinetown,” Wheeler says. “It deals with it so much and does so in such an entertaining fashion that you may find yourself leaving the theatre humming the words to yourself, or even singing it to your spouse or children. This is such a fun show and there is nothing distasteful about it.”
The cast of "Urinetown, the Musical," is made up of 21 actors and promises to be one of the most uproariously funny productions ever brought to the EOU stage.
Written by Greg Kotis with a musical score composed by Mark Hollman, the stage for “Urinetown” is set in a Gotham-like city crippled by a terrible water shortage brought on by a 20-year draught. A government-enforced ban on private toilets means that the citizens must pay a fee to use public amenities owned by a company headed by a greedy and uncaring president. Those who cannot afford to pay the toll are banished to a place called Urinetown.
A hero emerges in the story named Bobby Strong, played by EOU sophomore Tristan Stufflebeam, to lead a revolution against the giant urinal corporation, giving a voice to the poor residents of the city. For a short time, everyone can “pee for free,” but Bobby’s actions meet with unavoidable consequences.
“Bobby Strong is the stereotypical, everybody loves the hero character,” Stufflebeam says. “From the beginning, it is apparent that he is going to do something good.”
“But there’s a twist at the end that no one will see coming,” he says.
Stufflebeam says that “Urinetown” parodies other musicals like “Les Miserables” and “Phantom of the Opera,” blending them all in a fun and quirky way and using the problems of today’s society to tie everything together.
EOU’s cast of 21 actors are sure to deliver on the show that has been called “uproariously funny” and “the wackiest musical satire to hit Broadway in decades” by critics. Opening on Broadway in 2001, “Urinetown, the Musical” won three Tony Awards and played for nearly one thousand performances.
“Urinetown is one of the funniest musicals I have ever directed, and I guarantee that it will be one of the best times that audiences will have in the theatre,” Wheeler says. “We have an extremely talented cast who have been working tirelessly for the past seven weeks to bring this show to its feet.”
The show will play in Schwarz Theatre Thursday, May 25 through Saturday, May 27 and again on Wednesday, May 31 through Saturday, June 3 at 8 p.m. each evening. Tickets are $6 for students and seniors, and $8 general admission. Group rates are also available. For more information call the EOU Box Office at (541) 962-3757.
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