If you haven’t seen it yet, there is still time to catch Durango High School Troupe 1096’s production of “Urinetown,” which will close this weekend.
Tickets are available for tonight’s show and Saturday’s matinee and evening performances.
If you go
WHAT: Durango High School Troupe 1096 presents “Urinetown: The Musical,” music and lyrics by Mark Hollmann; books and lyrics by Greg Kotis.
WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 2 p.m. Saturday.
WHERE: Durango High School, 2390 Main Ave.
TICKETS: $15, available at https://tinyurl.com/374bck9e.
MORE INFORMATION: Visit troupe1096.weebly.com.
In the show, “a terrible water shortage has crippled the Gotham-like town that serves as the setting for ‘Urinetown’. In a mad attempt to regulate water consumption, the government has outlawed the use of private toilets,” according to the Troupe’s website. “The citizenry must use public, pay-for-use amenities owned and operated by the corrupt and iron-fisted Caldwell B. Cladwell. The privilege to pee is expensive, draining and dangerous. Anyone who refuses to pay to pee is immediately and without question hauled off to Urinetown. What is Urinetown? Nobody knows, for those who are sent there are never heard from again.”
The Tony Award-winning show opened on Broadway in 2001, and Ben Mattson, Troupe 1096 director, said it’s interesting to see how the social/political commentary has changed since then ... and how it hasn’t.
“‘Urinetown’ doesn’t task itself on finding an answer, but instead on putting life under the microscope for the audience to investigate,” he said. “The show takes heavily from the theatrical concepts of Bertolt Brecht, who wanted the audience to intellectualize what they were seeing, rather than have an emotionally cathartic experience as we typically have. Still, for as much commentary as ‘Urinetown’ raises it’s not THAT deep. It’s hilarious, absurd, and delightful – while still being thought-provoking.”
And while the show’s name may be off-putting to some (which is by design), Mattson said the show is overall pretty tame – there’s no foul language, nothing gratuitous or sexual, and the violence in the show is very cartoonish, he said.
‘Urinetown’ cast
Officer Lockstock: Noah Oury
Penelope Pennywise: Karissa Rocha-Atamas
Bobby Strong: William Reynolds
Little Sally: Zada Lile
Dr. Billeaux: Judah Azulai
Mr. McQueen: Sam Bishop
Senator Fipp: Angel Safari
Officer Barrel: Nathan Greer
Hope Cladwell: Sora Pearson
Joseph “old man” Strong: Daniel Leister
Tiny Tom: Sadie Hanson
Soupy Sue: Bella Lucero
Little Becky Two-shoes: Ava Allen
Caldwell B. Cladwell: Calvin Marshall
Josephine “Ma” Strong: Ginger Ashurst
Hot Blades Harry: Quinn Payne
Robby the Stockfish: Gillian Reynolds
Mrs. Millennium: Avery Edgar
Billy Boy Bill: Sofia Gutierrez
Ensemble: Violet McFarlane, Tiana Batiste, Eric Peterson, Luca Sandoval McCallum, Donovan Dalton and Grace McCrady.
Additional Ensemble (Prelude, Act I Finale and I See A River only): Madie Moore, Andrea Lawrence and Delaney Eagan.
“The troupe is extremely excited about presenting this show. We have all been working incredibly hard on putting this production together,” he said. “Petra Lyon has been working since first semester on the music with the kids, and this is hands-down our strongest ensemble we’ve had in a musical. The staging and choreography is absolutely beautiful, and the technical design is extraordinary.”
After “Urinetown” closes, Troupe 1096 will begin preparations for its season closer, “You Can’t Take It with You,” which will open in mid-April.
katie@durangoherald.com
