Urinetown: Revolutionize your view of public amenities

This upcoming production will forever change the way you view communal restrooms. Photo credit: Diana Pratt/ UVU Review

What do capitalism, public toilet usage and singing have in common?

Seemingly nothing, until brought together as Urinetown, the Broadway musical brainchild of Greg Kotis and Mark Holman. This play is set to be performed at the Ragan Theater Jan. 21 through Jan. 30.

“The show was chosen by our season selection committee. They were looking for a contemporary musical comedy, as our show last year was a dramatic musical,” said David Tinney, the director behind the production. “Urinetown is a very broad satire, very funny. But it is also incredibly sharp and politically current.”

Set in a drought-ridden city, the plot revolves around a governmental ban on private toilet usage and the enforcement of public facility usage. The rub is that in order to use these toilets to carry out a basic human function, the citizens must pay monetary homage to the regulatory megacorporation Urine Good Company (UGC) or face being sent to Urinetown, the illusory location to which all nonconformists are sent.

“Anyone who hasn’t seen this show before will enjoy it purely for the entertainment value, but it is also much deeper than it appears to be. If you have seen this show before, there are some surprises,” Tinney said.

Although anyone was welcome to showcase their talents through the audition process, those ultimately given roles have exceptional abilities with which they will satisfy their audiences.

“This cast is incredibly talented, and it has been so exciting to work on this show with them. They are amazingly dedicated, and the show really is a product of a huge collaborative effort with cast, designers, crew, etc.,” Tinney said.

With absurdity and political satire around every turn, this production is sure to keep audiences enlightened, entertained and roaring with laughter until the curtain closes.

Showing at 7:30 p.m. each performance, tickets can be purchased online at uvu.edu/theatre, or at Campus Connection.