“Urinetown” is a musical that was hosted by the UL Lafayette School of Music and Performing Arts. The musical was directed by Brandon Motz and musically directed by Shawn Roy.
The show was created by Mark Hollmann and Greg Kotis. This musical was a small show that no one wanted to produce until it debuted at the New York International Fringe Festival. The success of the show blew everyone away, especially producers.
In the playbill of “Urinetown”, Brandon Motz, the director of University of Louisiana at Lafayette spring musical said, “ It unleashes biting commentary on greed, injustice, political corruption, and corporate monopolization, while also serving a critique of virtue and idealism.”
The musical ran for at least two weeks from March 10 to March 19. The showings were Thursday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. each night in Burke-Hawthorne Hall, where the musicals are usually performed.
The show was prepared over the span of two and a half months. Each rehearsal ran for three hours on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday along with a few weekend rehearsals as well.
There was a cast of 22 students who are all in the School of Music and Performing Arts. There have been members of the community of music and performing arts, who urge non-musical students to join.
Luna Touchet, a cast member, is a junior who is majoring in music media at UL Lafayette talks about the benefits a musical brings.
“I think it is important to involve students to join musicals. Performances like this do so much to help you develop a stage presence, working with others, dancing and singing, of course, and on top of all of that, it is so much fun,” Touchet said.
There have been some students that have also helped create the set for this event. Jessica Johnson is a senior majoring in theatre at UL Lafayette.She spoke about her experience being involved in the technical side of the production.
“I’m a scenic painter for the production and I really enjoyed painting the set and just trying to use the techniques that I learned in class, as well as ushering and just making sure that people, like their families who come to see them, are welcomed and that they are really comfortable,” Johnson said.
Alyssa Huddleston, a student-usher for the show, is a freshman who is majoring in psychology and minoring in theatre at UL Lafayette talks about the sense of community the theatre has.
“I think in a way people gain a sense of community. They can find other people that enjoy musicals as much as they do. It gives them an insight on musicals that they haven’t seen, any or if they want to be one in the future,” Huddleston said.
The School of Music and Performing Arts welcomes everyone. Everyone including students, faculty, and the general public is welcome to the community of music and performing arts.
“Urinetown” is a musical that has been performed multiple times, and each time filled with energy and projection. Each show has proven the amount of time and effort throughout the past January.
The musical shows light towards a run-down town that has been going through a 20-year drought. Under the heel of Cladwell B. Cladwell, private toilets were banned, and people had to pay to use the bathroom. Bobby, the main protagonist, is a worker for one of the public bathroom areas and decided to stand up for what is right and revolt for the “freedom to pee” after what had happened to his father.
The cast had so much energy in this show along with a few good chuckles then and there, The School of Music and Performing Arts have outdone themselves through the talent of their students.