2008 Woodie Awards
Pressure Builds as "Urinetown" Premiere Approaches
Sean Gunsten
Issue date: 2/10/06 Section: Arts & Entertainment
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Rehearsals for the Hendrix Players' production of "Urinetown: The Musical" are well underway. The Tony Award-winning satire about a city with a desperate water shortage problem will debut at Hendrix Feb. 22.
"Urinetown" will involve nearly 60 students as both cast and crew, and will be directed by Assistant Professor of Theatre Arts and Dance Ann Muse. The production will also involve Christy Nicholson as music director and Ruthann Curry Browne, Youth Theatre of Central Arkansas director, as choreographer.
"Urinetown" will be the one opportunity to be both part of and enjoy a musical for most students currently on campus. Hendrix only produces a musical every four years due to the expense in obtaining production rights, creating sets, and especially tailoring costumes for a large ensemble.
The cast and crew of students have been hard at work on "Urinetown" for several weeks now, diligently preparing for opening night with three-hour rehearsals six days a week. Their first "stumble through" went particularly well, according to Muse.
"I was very impressed and surprised with the amount of work accomplished," she said. "However, the bar has been raised," meaning much more work was to come. When the last curtain falls, the cast and crew will be able to relieve themselves of the "tension."
"Though the title is somewhat vulgar, the musical is really an intelligent and unique metaphor for the value of freedom and privacy," Muse said. "However, it is also meant to be a humorous satire."
"It's very funny," sophomore cast member Halley Mayo said. "I am continuously discovering new clever, jokes."
With music and lyrics by Mark Hollman and book and lyrics by Greg Kotis, "Urinetown" originally debuted at the International Fringe Festival before moving to Broadway and opening Sept. 20, 2001. It was the first musical to open in New York after the terrorist attacks. The show ran until Jan. 18, 2004, closing with a total of 965 performances and way too many pun-intended reviews, the most popular being "You gotta go!" In 2002, the musical won three Tony Awards for best director, best original score, and best book of a musical; it was also nominated for seven more. The rights to produce "Urinetown" only recently became available and, wanting to do something fresh, Ann Muse and Media Center Director Bobby Engeler-Young sprung at the opportunity.
The musical takes place in a city in the midst of a drought with water in extremely short supply. A diabolical corporation seizes control of all of the toilets in the city and those unable or unwilling to use the corporate owned facilities are exiled to "Urinetown."
"Urinetown: The Musical" will run in Cabe Theatre Feb. 22 - 25 at 7:30 p.m. with a 2:00 p.m. matinee on Saturday. The show is free of charge and tickets will be given away on a first come, first serve basis either on the Sun Porch the week of the shows or by calling the box office at (501) 450-1342.
"Urinetown" will involve nearly 60 students as both cast and crew, and will be directed by Assistant Professor of Theatre Arts and Dance Ann Muse. The production will also involve Christy Nicholson as music director and Ruthann Curry Browne, Youth Theatre of Central Arkansas director, as choreographer.
"Urinetown" will be the one opportunity to be both part of and enjoy a musical for most students currently on campus. Hendrix only produces a musical every four years due to the expense in obtaining production rights, creating sets, and especially tailoring costumes for a large ensemble.
The cast and crew of students have been hard at work on "Urinetown" for several weeks now, diligently preparing for opening night with three-hour rehearsals six days a week. Their first "stumble through" went particularly well, according to Muse.
"I was very impressed and surprised with the amount of work accomplished," she said. "However, the bar has been raised," meaning much more work was to come. When the last curtain falls, the cast and crew will be able to relieve themselves of the "tension."
"Though the title is somewhat vulgar, the musical is really an intelligent and unique metaphor for the value of freedom and privacy," Muse said. "However, it is also meant to be a humorous satire."
"It's very funny," sophomore cast member Halley Mayo said. "I am continuously discovering new clever, jokes."
With music and lyrics by Mark Hollman and book and lyrics by Greg Kotis, "Urinetown" originally debuted at the International Fringe Festival before moving to Broadway and opening Sept. 20, 2001. It was the first musical to open in New York after the terrorist attacks. The show ran until Jan. 18, 2004, closing with a total of 965 performances and way too many pun-intended reviews, the most popular being "You gotta go!" In 2002, the musical won three Tony Awards for best director, best original score, and best book of a musical; it was also nominated for seven more. The rights to produce "Urinetown" only recently became available and, wanting to do something fresh, Ann Muse and Media Center Director Bobby Engeler-Young sprung at the opportunity.
The musical takes place in a city in the midst of a drought with water in extremely short supply. A diabolical corporation seizes control of all of the toilets in the city and those unable or unwilling to use the corporate owned facilities are exiled to "Urinetown."
"Urinetown: The Musical" will run in Cabe Theatre Feb. 22 - 25 at 7:30 p.m. with a 2:00 p.m. matinee on Saturday. The show is free of charge and tickets will be given away on a first come, first serve basis either on the Sun Porch the week of the shows or by calling the box office at (501) 450-1342.