Posted: Saturday, July 01, 2006
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Don't miss this audience favorite!
"Urinetown: The Musical"
July 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 20, 21, 22, 2006
All shows 8 p.m. Tickets (440) 964-3396
Winner of three Tony Awards, 3 Outer Circle Critic’s Awards, 2 Lucilee Lortel Awards and 2 Obie Awards Urinetown the Musical was an unexpected hit that captured the attention of mainstream audiences making a New York ticket hard to come by. Since then, production companies across the country have been winning the hearts of audiences with this hilarious spoof whose title has probably scared away more ticket buyers than it has attracted. Nevertheless, Urinetown has managed to become one of the newest favorites and Straw Hat Theatre is the first community theater in Ohio to receive permission to produce the show.
Straw Hat Theatre’s Urinetown the Musical will open this Friday and performances will be held on the Ashtabula Arts Center’s indoor main stage on July 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 20, 21 and 22. All shows will begin at 8:00 p.m. The Arts Center is located at 2928 West 13th Street in Ashtabula.
Writers Greg Kotis and Mark Hollman have written this politically incorrect saga that manages to squeeze an ongoing stream of humor from lines and lyrics. The story, complete with villain, hero and romance, is about a Gotham-like city where a terrible water shortage leads to a ban on private, in-home bathrooms! Citizens are forced to use public, high priced, pay-per-use amenities run by the greedy toilet entrepreneur, Caldwell B. Cladwell, owner of the monopolistic Urine Good Company. Anyone who can’t or won’t pay is dragged off to the mysterious Urinetown from which no one has ever returned. When a young hero falls in love with Cladwell’s daughter, her optimistic words give him strength. Seizing the moment, he leads a revolution to provide the public with much needed relief.
“At the most basic level – everyone can relate to this show – everyone has to, you know, use the facilities,” says director Debra Greene-Lowe. “The premise that the world becomes so environmentally challenged that public bathrooms become the only bathrooms, is certainly an absurd topic for a musical. Which is what makes it so fun. I promise you will laugh out loud at the lyrics and the characters.”
Appearing in the Urinetown cast will include Douglas Anderson and Tom Jessup as “Lockstock” and “Barrell,” Tom Jessup as “McQueen,” Jon Rose as “Caldwell B. Cladwell,” Ellie Portman as “Penelope Pennywise,” Alexandria Lowe as “Little Sally,” Mark Pendleton as “Senator Fipp” and “Joseph Strong,” Rose Emrich as “Hope Cladwell,” Jacob Lowe as “Bobby Strong,” and Megan Ansbro, Megan Bettley, Ralph Elliott, Rachel Gerard, Jordan Malin, Robert Pierce, Hannah Schleutter, Adam Shimko, Devon Shriver, Joshua Twining, Bridget Vargo, and Andrew Weirer in the Ensemble.
Tickets can be purchased by calling the Arts Center at (440) 964-3396. Ticket prices are $12 for patron seating, $10 adults, $9 seniors and $8 students and children. Tickets can also be purchased at the door if seating remains available.
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