February 10, 2025: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler

It’s hard to believe it’s been a quarter-century since a show going by the esthetically challenged title of Urinetown came to town. Beginning as a sleeper hit at the New York Fringe Festival, it first moved off-Broadway, then into the decrepit Henry Miller Theatre on Broadway (since demolished and replaced by the Stephen Sondheim). The Miller hadn’t housed a play or musical since 1969 and was smartly kept in its ravaged state under the aegis of scenic designer Scott Pask. Its doomsday atmosphere fit the mood perfectly and everything about it worked like a charm. Now it has been staged as the opener of the thirty-first season of Encores! at City Center, housed in its less-than-hospitable auditorium seating 2,257, larger than any Broadway theater. It’s only one of the problems that face this production, directed by Teddy Bergman with a less than assured hand.

With a show like Urinetown, tone is everything due to its “wink-wink, nudge-nudge” dialogue. All its actors need to be on the same page if it has a prayer of succeeding and here it’s a genuine setback with a mix of styles that can cause whiplash. The issue of limited rehearsal time at Encores!, forever racing with the clock, is another added pressure. Also, an understudy having to take over one of its key roles at the eleventh hour gave off more than a whiff of trial-under-fire.

For those uninaugurated, Urinetown takes place in a drought-nourished town which forces monetary charges upon its community for the use of water in all its forms. Woe to anyone who dares indulge in alternative means of going to the bathroom. After all, in Urinetown “It’s a privilege” to Pee,” as the title of one song goes. With its nods to such working poor musicals as Marc Blitzstein’s Cradle will Rock and Kurt Weill’s Threepenny Opera, the satiric book by Greg Kotis is often very funny and the score by Kotis and Mark Holliman riffs on the masters’ works with aplomb. I used to enjoy listening to the CD when it came out, though I haven’t done so in years.

Which brings up a cogent point about Urinetown. Is it a perennial musical or one of those shows that upon a second or third visit results in its flaws becoming increasingly obvious? First, it’s too long at 2.5 hours when its story could easily be told in less time (a lot of Act Two is mere running in place, though it does feature its best tune “Run, Freedom, Run” performed to a fare-thee-well by Jordan Fisher as Bobby Strong). And second, with this sort of genre increasingly popular over the years, the feeling that things are by now a bit old hat can’t be escaped.

Speaking of styles, it is Stephanie Styles as the maiden in distress Hope Caldwell who delivers on all counts. Beautiful, a strong signer, and absolutely hilarious, her physicality and original way with a line go a long way towards creating a wonderful characterization. I can only conjecture, but it feels as if she got there on her own as director Bergman seems to have encouraged everyone to just do their thing. The results are less than satisfying with Rainn Wilson, so memorable as Dwight Shrute on the long running TV series The Office, doing his best without pushing too hard (like so many others). But the role of Caldwell B. Cladwell calls for someone with musical theatre in their bones, which Wilson doesn’t possess (it’s not for nothing it was created by the great John Cullum at the age of seventy-two and then still in his prime). I always enjoy Myra Lucretia Taylor, who excels here in the small role of Mrs. Strong, and Greg Hildreth, another for whom I have great affection, does well by Officer Lockstock, though he could have used a stronger directorial guidance to polish off some rough edges. It’s a shame such talented performers as Kevin Cahoon and Christopher Fitzgerald also seem handtied, not fully letting their freak flags fly and reveling in the sort of comedy they seem to always come up with so creatively. Tiffany Mann substituting last-minute for Keala Settle is forced to sing in certain keys that seem to not match her vocal abilities. And Penelope Pennywise is a part that needs (again) strong directorial guidance, which put her in an unfortunate position.

It seems a major error to cast a genuine adolescent, Pearl Scarlett Gold, as Little Sally, a role that is normally handled by an adult. This young actor is fine, but without the knowingness that comes with someone well over the age of the character, many of Little Sally’s riotous lines fall flat. The six-person chorus seem to have been encouraged to go as big as they can but what might have seemed funny in the rehearsal room does not translate as such onstage.

The smaller than usual orchestra contains sparkling new orchestrations from its original arranger, Bruce Coughlin (the original Urinetown included just four instruments). As conducted by Mary-Mitchell Campbell, the Encores! orchestra sounds as bright and crisp as it always does. A clever setting by Clint Ramos has the musicians seated inspiringly upon a row of porta potties. Lighting by Justin Townsend and costumes by Sophia Choi are admirable, though the sound design by Nevin Steinberg has its ups and downs.

The case for Urinetown being worthy of an Encores! revival has been openly discussed in online chat rooms since it was first announced and perhaps such conversations will continue after this production closes at the end of the week. Important to note that at the 2002 Tony ceremony, after Urinetown had won Best Director, Best Book of a Musical, and Best Score, many wondered how the far less well received Thoroughly Modern Millie managed to pull off the trick of winning Best Musical. Interesting that Encores! announced Millie for its 2020 season that was then canceled due to the pandemic. If it had been done, it might have made for a good debate over which show really deserved that Tony.

Urinetown is at New York City Center (131 West 55th Street) through February 16. Visit ticket information, please visit www.nycitycenter.org.