Political theater stands tallest, hand-in-hand with satire, which continues to laugh, take curtain calls and ignore George S. Kaufman's remark that it's what closes on Saturday night. They're the leading players in "Urinetown: the Musical," which opened at the Tower Grove Abbey last night in a wild and woolly, foolish and frantic, perfectly delightful production by the Stray Dog Theatre. It will run through Feb. 28.
Justin Been and Gary F. Bell directed at breakneck speed and with perfect control of a 16-person cast in a small space. It's dazzling. J. T. Ricroft contributed charming choreography and also drew laughter with a misbehaving hairpiece and a sycophantic portrayal of Mr. McQueen, hand-maiden and toady to the villain.
The story? Well, Caldwell B. Cladwell, a nifty interpretation by Christopher R. Brenner, owns Urine Good Company, which controls the city's water supply. Greg Kotis, who wrote the book and collaborated with Mark Hollmann on the lyrics (Hollmann wrote the music, passable and a good vehicle to carry the words), uses many pronunciation techniques for "urine," making it sound like "you're in," in the title song that opens the show with Officer Lockstock (a powerful Keith Thompson) leading the way. He also serves as narrator, and explains about musicals and what they mean.
Kotis' book, like all theater of this type, is broad and bawdy, with word lplays, puns, double-entendres, even a verbiage lesson from Little Sally (a sparkling Berklea Going). Someone notes that something was "an unexpected surprise," and Sally, not usually the sharpest knife in the drawer, responds, "Is there another kind?" with perfect timing.
Cladwell installs pay toilets for everyone, and puts Penelope Pennywise (the charming Deborah Sharn, playing tough as nails) in charge.
Honors of the evening, however, go to Jennifer M. Theby as Hope Cladwell, daughter of Caldwell and heiress apparent to UGC. She's a brilliant comic in the role, displaying perfect timing, an ability to adapt and to perform under duress, including tap-dancing while bound to a chair and, after a brief blackout, returning to the stage in the same chair, still bound but wearing a different costume. Ah, the magic of the theater.
Antonio Rodriguez is strong. Of course he is, he's playing Bobby Strong, though the adjective would be "strongly." He's the leader of the revolt, he loves Hope and he sings a splendid duet with her, "Follow Your Heart." He's also in outstanding form as the revival-style, spiritual-style, folk song-style "Run, Freedom, Run," which blazes across the stage.
A real vocal show-stopper is "Don't Be the Bunny," in which Brenner, as Cladwell, sings of the virtues of strength and spells out then difference between those who eat and those who are eaten. Michael Brightman, as a politician who is a bought-and-paid-for friend, joins in happily. Officer Lockstock and his sidekick, Officer Barrel (Josh Douglas) — I love the "lock, stock and barrel" use by the authors — are a hoot in "The Cop Song," Sharn gets things off to a fine start with "It's a Privilege to Pee," and Theby and the cast roll up the evening with "I See a River," which salutes, and mocks, more musical-comedy conclusions than one can count.
The evening calls up so many memories. A waving flag is direct from "Les Miz," today's headlines are called to mind when a revolutionary waves a sign saying, "We are the 99 Percent." Everything is old and new at the same time; all references are topical
Anything goes in a musical, which Thompson reminds us early and often, and the theatrical action honors "Awake and Sing," "West Side Story," "Oliver," "The Cradle Will Rock" and many others. Justin Barisonek's multi-level set is just right, as are Alexandra Scibetta Quigley's costumes and Tyler Duenow's lights.
Urinetown, the Musical, a production of Stray Dog Theatre, opened last night at the Tower Grove Abbey, to run through Feb. 28
— Joe
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I agree with the review of Urintown, it is truly fabulous, funny and engaging. JT Ricroft was wonderful, I’m a little bias being a sibling but his role washilarious and the choreography was inventive. There is alot of hidden treasures in the production. The cast is truly a grand mixture of talents that only enhance each others performances. The Abby is very intimate and the prefect venue for this musical. Would truely recommend the musical, for the new musical crowd and the well experienced goers as well. Get tickets soon or you’ll miss out. ENJOY.