Director’s Note
Urinetown, the musical was inspired by one of its writers’ visit to Europe. He had to decide between using his last few coins on (to quote another hilarious musical, Spamalot) “a drink or a pee.” This experience became the inspiration for a musical about a town where water is so scarce that people have to pay an evil, monopolizing corporation for the “privilege to pee.” With “a premise so absurd,” this social satire will hopefully amuse and surprise audiences in a way that challenges them to think, discover, and even act. In the style of Brecht, and with a wink to Malthusian philosophy, we are reminded that everything on stage is not an illusion, but rather the result of human activity. This “theatre for the people” breaks boundaries and theatrical conventions that not only make us laugh, but force us to face the stark realities of our society that may or may not be staring us in the face.
Although “the title is awful,” we were delightfully surprised to see so many new faces at auditions for this show! As was the trend this year, we have several students new to the GTC and some new to theatre! This impeccably written show is “full of symbolism,” and allowed our performers and crew to explore various musical styles, Brechtian structure, and their comedic timing. They worked so hard and it shows!
Our Technical Theatre and Design II and Sustainability in the Performing Arts classes used this show to explore historical design, sustainable construction, environmental responsibility, and sight gags! Working with this show gave the students a way to explore their own aesthetic design choices while trying to lower the GTC environmental impact. The Costume, Prop, and Set teams worked hard to limit our carbon and water footprints by upcycling many items from GTC stock, renting scaffolding, patroning the East Village’s various second-hand stores, and borrowing from friends at other theatre companies. The process was challenging at times, but the result was very powerful and inspiring for our student designers and leaders!
Inspired by the various musical styles of this show, and the desire to work with more of my lovely and talented colleagues, I reached out to several - Andie, Jane, Kenneth, Jess, and Jenny answered the call. Seniors Luke and Gloria rounded out our team. Together, they worked with the students to create original choreography and highlight the diverse offering of musical and dance styles featured in this show.
I was blessed with an amazing team of talented, cooperative adults to work with on this production. Our shared vision, division of labor, and partnerships on every level made working on this show so pleasurable. Andrew and Daryl, from the bottom of my heart, thank you! We were also so lucky to continue our partnership with the 14th Street Y. This space was perfect for our vision, and Philip & Co. were so wonderful to collaborate with.
I would like to dedicate this performance to every human with hope in their heart and a desire for justice in an increasingly inequitable world.
