Urinetown: You Gotta Go See It

The cast for the Masuk Center for the Performing Arts' production of the award-winning musical "Urinetown" has held off on live performances, so its actors can rehearse a little longer, but they can't hold it anymore. The show will debut in the high school auditorium on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

The satirical comedy is based upon the book by Greg Kotis. It was made into a Broadway musical in 2001, which won numerous awards.

"This satirical musical is about a town that is experiencing a water shortage, so it becomes illegal to pee," said Michael Crowley, producer of Masuk's version of "Urinetown." "You have to pay to go to the bathroom and a large company owns all the toilets. It also pokes fun at musicals, satirizing musical numbers from 'Les Miserables' and the 'West Side Story.'"

The Masuk Performing Arts Production is directed by Julia Strong.

To reserve tickets to "Urinetown", call (203) 452-5823, extension 7043. Admission is $12 for adults, $10 for students and $10 for senior citizens. The Thursday, Nov. 17, show will begin at 7:30 p.m., and the Friday, Nov. 18, and Saturday, Nov. 19, shows will be at 8 p.m.

"Urinetown" satirizes the legal system, capitalism, social irresponsibility, populism, bureaucracy, corporate mismanagement and municipal politics.

Jesse Schwartz plays as Bobby Strong, who works for Miss Pennywise (Amina Ali) at the poorest, filthiest urinal in town. Strong is an everyman, who starts a revolution and falls in love.

"He gets fed up about the way things are run in his town and decides to take action," Schwartz said of his character. "It's almost unheard of to protest. He stands up to fight corporations."

The corporation is named Urine Good Company. It is led by president, Caldwell B. Cladwell (played by Noah Kreski), a miserly man who gleefully exploits the poor.

His daughter Hope, played by Maddie Harvey, falls in love with Bobby Strong.

The narrator is Officer Lockstock (Cullen Burling). Lockstock's partner is Officer Barel (Andrew Salzano).

This is the first time Masuk students will perform "Urinetown" and Schwartz said he and fellow cast members are having a good time doing it. He said, "It's such a different show than what we've done here."