Urinetown with good company
Erik Burgess
Issue date: 11/10/09 Section: Entertainment
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A slew of first-timers commanded the stage when the very odd Urinetown: The Musical opened on Nov. 6 to a nearly-packed house.
A majority of the lead roles were covered by first-year students making their debut in Hamline theater. These first-years definitely made their mark.
The musical is set in a time, presumably in the future, when overuse of the world's water supply has caused its distribution to be run as a private business.
Citizens of the town are forced to pay to use the restroom or face the penalty of being dragged away to Urinetown - an unknown place of punishment for those who chose to relieve themselves on the streets.
The story is narrated quite humorously by one of these very debut performers, first-year Phil Behringer who plays Officer Lockstock. Behringer dove right into his Hamline debut role; with an animated voice and perfect timing, he delivered his opening night lines with the comfort of a seasoned vet. Alongside his dopey partner Officer Barrel, played by senior Noah Johnson, the two had the audience reeling all night.
Lockstock first introduces the audience to the citizens waiting in line to use the Public Amenity No. 9, a restroom that charges the fee of approximately $6.
The hero of the night is played by another debut, first-year Ben Honda. His performance as Bobby Strong, the typical member of the lower-class looking to make it big and change the world, was solid. We meet Strong as the cleaner of this Public Amenity No. 9. Because he works for Urine Good Company, the business that holds the monopoly on restrooms, he is allowed free use of the facilities. However, when his father, a short-lived but lively role portrayed by first-year Ryan Spies, is carted away for relieving himself on the side of a building, Honda goes into action to disrupt the tyranny of UGC.
Of course, he needs some inspiration. He finds it well-played in sophomore Heather Burmeister's Hope Cladwell. Conflict arises when he finds out Hope is the daughter of UGC mogul Caldwell B. Cladwell, the man raking in the money of the impoverished citizens. Cladwell is played by another debut performer, first-year Alexander Gerchak, and he was nothing short of hilarious. Mimicking Jim Carrey, but without being too over the top, Gerchak's role was funny from action to his distinct tone of voice.
Other kudos are due to sophomore Clara Cavins-Wolford, whose well-played role of Penelope Pennywise marked her first lead appearance in a Hamline Theater production, and to junior David Patton, whose portrayal of the cowardly, greedy Senator Fipp was disgusting, raunchy and downright hilarious.
The score to Urinetown: The Musical was performed well for the most part but the pit seemed, at certain points, not to line up with the actors on stage. Also, in the finale to Act I, it felt like there was limited power behind the voices of the full cast, as if someone had let the air out of the room.
However, the individual songs were well done and the choreography had the audience cracking up. Look no further than Act I's "Don't Be a Bunny" or Act II's "Run, Freedom, Run" for more proof.
The costuming and set were also very effective. The peasants of Urinetown were dressed in earth tone garb and left to peddle for pennies beneath oblong apartments, which appeared to be a collaboration of Dr. Seuss and Tim Burton-esque styles. The rich wore bright greens, blues and pinks and discussed their profits in a gilded office setting.
Beneath the showtunes and wit lie many themes easily applied to the world today - corruption, monopolizing industries and unsustainable lifestyles. Most of the humor in the show also comes from it poking fun at musicals in general, mainly through the narration by Lockstock. Perhaps the best way to critique society is through satire. If so, this performance provided a solid foundation for critique.
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