“Urinetown” is a musical based around comedy, greed, love and a revolution of the people. This musical has won several awards nationally, including several Tony Awards — best book of a musical, direction of a musical and original musical score.

“Urinetown” takes place during a 20-year water shortage, which leads to the government taking action and putting a ban on private toilets. Cladwell B. Cladwell, the CEO of Urine Good Company, controls the public toilets, and becomes rich from this drought.

The musical has a cast of 22 people, and it has approximately 40 people working on it during a two-and-half month period to set this musical up for production. The music is done by musicians, two of which are professors at IU Southeast — Joy Cofield, who instructs piano and Jim Dersch, who is a vocal/choir accompanist. Simeon Burks, the other musician who played drums in the performance, is a pastor at New Albany First Church.

“This is one of the largest casts we have had,” Rebecca Worthington, theater and psychology senior, said. “We all had a good time.”

The musical had several audience interactions. Officer Lockstock, a character in the musical, walked up to the audience and acted his part. He asked a few audience members to see his ticket to the show.

“The audience seemed to love it,” Worthington said. “I think tonight’s performance went really well.”

The audience had a lot of laughs throughout this play, especially in one act where the majority of the comedy of this musical comes into play.

“It’s the poor against the people who have things,” Jim Hesselman, assistant professor of theater, said.

The Department of Theater designed the layout for the play, from making the props to the costumes.

“They only sent us the script and music,” Hesselman said. “Everything is produced here.”

Students who worked on the props for a class had to work at least 40 hours in order to receive credit for creating the stage work.

“Anything you see tonight is done by us, except the script and the score,” Hesselman said.

There are more than 200 light cues done by the Department of Theater in the show. Hesselman said sometimes the light cues do not come together how they are supposed to, so they have to tweak things.

“I thought each actor was perfect in the role,” Christian Stucky said.

She came to watch her brother, Timothy Stucky, who played as Officer Barrel.

“I think it was a great musical and very comical,” Stucky said.

Justin Levesque, psychology junior, said he went to the play to watch his friends perform.

“I have a bunch of friends in the musical,” Levesque said.  “I’m here to support them.”

The show also ranged in majors, from theater to biology and business.

“We have cast members from all different skill levels,” Hesselman said.

The musical also has an unforeseen twist to it at the end.

“I think the end fits the show because it drops the bomb shell at the end,” Worthington said.

Worthington played Josephine Strong, who is the mother of the main character in the play.

“I will probably come see it again,” Wyatt McManus general studies freshman said. “I love the senator.”

The corrupt senator named Senator Flipp is a character who works for Cladwell to pass the laws he wants in place.

McManus said has seen this musical several times before in high school he said.

“The first time I saw it, it threw me off,” McManus said. “I would definitely recommend someone who hasn’t seen it to come watch it. It [is] different, which makes it enjoyable.”

By JEREMY EILER

Staff

jreiler@ius.edu