And then there’s the show itself. A brilliantly funny musical satire set in a world much like our own, but ravaged by drought so severe that restrictions on water usage have become draconian. You have to pay to pee at designated public restrooms. And the punishment for breaking those laws? Well, it’s a trip to Urinetown for you – a mysterious place that no one has returned from, and that doesn’t sound very pleasant.

Robby Eisentrout is our hero, the leader of the rebellion against outrageous pee fees, who leads the cast into a religious frenzy in Run Freedom Run as he tries his best to follow his heart. A heart that leads him to both zealous rebellion and zealous love with Hope Cladwell. Mara Abramson is Hope, combining her sweet, initially naïve personality who happily hops beside cute bunnies with a hilariously short and frightening temper whenever she hears things that don’t fit into her philosophy, and whose large heart truly is surrounded by the tissues Bobby suggests (she pulls a couple of these tissues out of her bosom to dab her eyes when it seems she may not seem her Bobby again).

Too bad she’s the daughter of Caldwell B. Cladwell, the unscrupulous owner of Urine Good Company, the company making piles of profits off the backs, butts, etc. of the poor who can no longer afford to relieve themselves even in the sleaziest of public amenities, with Robert Axelrod turning in a good performance as the vain, greedy, snobby Caldwell who shines as he leads the kickline done in his honor with his adoring employees (with a backdrop of a humongous building-sized portrait of himself hanging behind his desk – part of Kasia Mrozewska-Fenz’s fantastic sets). Though we spend most of our time at Kasia’s public amenity set, a very cool-looking crumbling brick edifice where the city’s poor languish, scrounging every penny to try to pee legally, ripe for the revolution about to explode.

Emily Steward is Penelope Pennywise, keeping the desperate poor in line with intimidating spirit and voice and muscle (she can pick men up by their collar, so long as they stand on their toes), but she has a vulnerable and sensual side as well. The wretched poor is a talented lot with their finger on the pulse of the comedy, each creating clear personalities for themselves, all teetering on the edge of sanity, highlighted by Helen DeMarsh as Bobby’s mother, Maia Gleason as preggers Little Becky Two Shoes infatuated with her large belly, and the super sadistic Hot Blades Harry (John Spalding), the two of them leading the group in the bloodthirsty Snuff That Girl. And when the wretched poor aren’t part of the action? Well, why waste time on serious matters of revolution when they don’t have any lines, allowing them to play leapfrog with each other (at one point leapfrogging into Hope, then nervously hoping she doesn’t notice so that they can continue going about their playtime).

Rory Scott is our narrator and chief enforcer of the tough laws, Officer Lockstock, and he has a natural dry sense of humor and timing that suits his character perfectly as he cracks down on crime, tries to avoid the affections of Officer Barrel (a butch but lonely Olivia Songer), and narrates to us and Little Sally. Ashley Park is our Little Sally, the young question-asker peasant girl trying to gain understanding of Urinetown and the plight of the suffering and how successful the show might be as a musical, all while saving her pennies in her piggy bank teddy bear, with Ashley nailing the role with hilarious expressions, characterization, and a frightened but frenzied participation in the throes of revolution.

Performed April 25 - May 3, 2009

Photos by Myra Klarman

Rob Hopper
Executive Director
National Youth Theatre

~ Cast ~