Dystopian musical critiques capitalism
A 20-year drought leads the government to enforce a ban on private toilets. Now, the citizens must use public amenities that are controlled by a single corrupt company, which profits off of one of humanity’s most basic needs.
This harsh, dystopian reality sets the stage for “Urinetown: The Musical.” Augustana’s upcoming production, written by Greg Kotis, will be performed at the Edith Mortenson Center Theatre from Thursday, Nov. 20 through Sunday, Nov. 23.
With a cast made up of more than 30 students, Kotis’ musical is a comedic and satirical commentary on the legal system, environmental collapse and capitalism.
Jayna Gearhart Fitzsimmons, assistant professor of theatre and the production’s director, said she taught this musical in her First-Year Seminar class for the past several years and believed that its production (at Augustana) would be timely.
“I love this musical,” Fitzsimmons said. “We get to see characters stand up and fight for what they believe in. I think that’s a really important thing to kind of hold close now in our own present moment.”
From laying the ground work with the design team and stage managers to coordinating rehearsals, Fitzsimmons, her cast and her crew have been working on this musical all semester long. The large, unique sets take an enormous amount of time and collaboration, with each step requiring detailed planning.
“Our process starts way earlier than a lot of people think because it does take a lot of collaborative work,” Fitzsimmons said. “We started way back at the beginning of the semester to get to where we are now.”
For sophomore Avery Hemminger, stepping into the role of Hope Cladwell has pushed her to look for that fine line between lighthearted humor and heavier truths.
“I think the most challenging part for me, at least with my character, is trying to make my character feel like it’s trying to find a balance between the comedy and like, the reality of the situation within the show,” Hemminger said.
Sophomore Heidi Blecher, who is in the Urine Good Company (UGC) ensemble and the cop ensemble for this production, shared her feelings about the dilemma that regular people are faced with in the play.
“It’s interesting to look at what’s more morally ethical,” Blecher said. “Do we conserve water and save that, or do we allow people to pee for free and possibly drain our resources?”
Sophomore Mya Lynk, who is also in the UGC ensemble, shared her excitement about being in her first musical and the challenges that she has been facing in rehearsal practices.
“It was kind of fun to see how everything gets put together, and musicals are definitely more complicated,” Lynk said. “They tend to be more rewarding because of a lot of moving pieces.”
Dan Workman, associate professor of theatre and chair of the theatre department, plays the main villain role of Caldwell B. Cladwell. He said that he’s eager to have a part in this musical and cannot wait for both students and faculty to experience the production.
“I think the audience should expect to have fun. I think they should expect to see some wonderful talent on our stage,” Workman said. “As always, to enjoy themselves and to come away with a little warning to take care of our resources.”
As opening night approaches for “Urinetown: The Musical,” the Augustana Theatre Department invites the campus community to laugh, reflect and consider what happens when basic human needs cross paths with corporate greed.
