Urinetown has been on my list of shows for many years. It's always been the show that I ALMOST announced, and then went in another direction. Much like Little Sally says in the opening sequence - it's not really a title that grabs people. At least, not in a good way. There's pee right in the title!
I attended the original production on Broadway back in 2001. The show premiered right after September 11th - an incredibly difficult time for our country, and in New York, you could feel the anxiety, fear, and sadness pulsing through the city.
But Urinetown was in many ways what we needed at the time. It hit close to home with its relevant storyline of how the people and the government co-exist, and how our ideals can often be in conflict with what is happening or needs to happen in the world. But it is such a funny show, and because (as again Little Sally says) "the music is so happy," you often forget that you're watching a commentary on our own society.
Little Sally and Lockstock act as our narrators, breaking the fourth wall and responding directly to the story as it happens. Each character or group of characters represents a subset of the people - and in the end, we learn that there really is no "good guy" or "hero." (Spoiler alert - it's not the happy ending you might expect!) Just like in life, decisions and motivations are complicated and messy, and there is no easy answer to a problem.
But I promise you - it's FUN! And what a joy it has been to work on this show with this incredible cast. We have had a great time pulling it together, and I can say with absolutel certainty that I am so glad I waited until now to do this show - with this exact cast. It is truly perfect timing.
Thank you to my entire cast and incredible team.
-Lisa Beth Vettoso
Director
