Does Urinetown work for people?

[rattleNwoolypenguin]

Posted: 4/29/22 at 10:40am

I think it’s both smart and on point with the commentary AND too smug and annoying. 
 

I would love to see a version that stripped most of the musical theatre parody (which I think is really old and tired now) and made it less winking at the audience. I just think it goes into indulgent instead of walking that line of tongue in cheek.

still love a lot of the score. 

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 4/29/22 at 10:55am

If done well, it’s one of the funniest musicals in decades.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 4/29/22 at 10:56am

I love it. Directed it twice.  The cast loved it, the audiences love it.

A lot of the parodies go over audiences' heads, as they aren't always as astute.   

[Kad]

Posted: 4/29/22 at 11:07am

It  basically launched the modern “Broadway musical parody Broadway musical” and frankly, none have done it better- largely because it doesn’t lean on direct and specific musical references. It pokes fun of tropes and conventions without going wink-wink nudge-nudge or playing inside baseball. It works best when it’s played “straight” and everybody lets the absurdity of the material do the work. 
 

It’s a showcase for great comedic / character actors, as well. 

[rattleNwoolypenguin]

Posted: 4/29/22 at 11:18am

I honestly think it’s possible every production I’ve seen has just been far too scenery chewing for me to enjoy it fully.

I believe that it probably can be really funny. Maybe when regional theatre and schools got ahold of it they all decided it should be one note camp.

[musikman]

Posted: 4/29/22 at 11:26am

Kad said: "It basically launched the modern “Broadway musical parody Broadway musical” and frankly, none have done it better- largely because it doesn’t lean on direct and specific musical references. It pokes fun of tropes and conventions without going wink-wink nudge-nudge or playing inside baseball. It works best when it’s played “straight” and everybody lets the absurdity of the material do the work.


It’s a showcase for great comedic / character actors, as well."

Came here to say this exact thing.  It felt like the first show to use the musical parody trope throughout, and no one has done it as successfully.  To me, it’s the AIRPLANE! of musicals.  Everything is absurd and played deadpan and straight which is what makes it so funny.  
 

Comparing that to, say, “A Musical!” from something rotten which is about as subtle as a jackhammer.  
 

It also strays from most musical comedies in the sense that the ending is extremely dark (while still funny) and is anything but happy.  That felt novel to me.  

[Smaxie]

Posted: 4/29/22 at 11:38am

The cast of the Broadway production generally did not lean into camp, and played everything with earnestness, seriousness of purpose and a unified vision. The underlying darkness (and prescience) of the show's dystopian premise also keeps things from becoming just about the musical theatre references. The whole thing was a singular experience - even in the atmosphere contributed by the Off-Broadway and Broadway venues. Nothing compared to seeing it on West 54th Street above that police station, but the ramshackle, downtrodden Henry Miller's Theatre, with its odd, unidentifiable smells, was as close an equivalent as possible. 

[JBroadway]

Posted: 4/29/22 at 11:42am

My only exposure to it (aside from the cast recording) was a pretty strong youth production some years ago. I thought the show was pretty brilliant. 

[dramamama611]

Posted: 4/29/22 at 12:04pm

rattleNwoolypenguin said: " Maybe when regional theatre and schools got ahold of it they all decided it should be one note camp."

 

Well, there is no collective thinking here....so maybe you've just been unlucky wtih the productions you've seen.  

 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 4/29/22 at 12:24pm

I’m my opinion it belongs on any list of the best musicals of this century.

I would love to see an OBC reunion concert of Urinetown (though hurry up, John Cullum isn’t getting any younger!!)

[inception]

Posted: 4/29/22 at 3:54pm

Does Urinetown work for people?

No...people work for Urinetown!

[gypsy101]

Posted: 4/30/22 at 1:36am

i’ve sadly never seen it (living in southeast michigan i’m not sure how often it’s produced in the area) but i love the musical score, one of my favorites of the 2000s!

[Stage Door Sally]

Posted: 4/30/22 at 9:08am

Kad said: "It basically launched the modern “Broadway musical parody Broadway musical” and frankly, none have done it better- largely because it doesn’t lean on direct and specific musical references. It pokes fun of tropes and conventions without going wink-wink nudge-nudge or playing inside baseball. It works best when it’s played “straight” and everybody lets the absurdity of the material do the work.
It’s a showcase for great comedic / character actors, as well."

My thoughts exactly! Urinetown is my favorite modern musical, and I have been begging and pleading for a Broadway revival for years now. The book is smart, sophisticated, and very funny throughout the dark. Same goes for the music!

I have written several posts in the past about revival dream casts, and here is my latest:

Officer Lockstock: Calling Jeff McCarthy! Pleeeeeease!
Caldwell Cladwell: Danny Burstein 
Bobby Strong: Andrew Rannells
Hope Cladwell: Phillipa Soo
Penelope Pennywise: Jackie Hoffman/Christine Ebersole
Little Sally: ???

[darquegk]

Posted: 4/30/22 at 9:11am

This one would make a great low budget film like “Reefer Madness.” I just want to hear Will Arnett as Lockstock.

[inception]

Posted: 4/30/22 at 10:03am

Stage Door Sally said: "Kad said: "It basically launched the modern “Broadway musical parody Broadway musical” and frankly, none have done it better- largely because it doesn’t lean on direct and specific musical references. It pokes fun of tropes and conventions without going wink-wink nudge-nudge or playing inside baseball. It works best when it’s played “straight” and everybody lets the absurdity of the material do the work.
It’s a showcase for great comedic / character actors, as well."

My thoughts exactly! Urinetown is my favorite modern musical, and I have been begging and pleading for a Broadway revival for years now. The book is smart, sophisticated, and very funny throughout the dark. Same goes for the music!

I have written several posts in the past about revival dream casts, and here is my latest:

Officer Lockstock: Calling Jeff McCarthy! Pleeeeeease!
Caldwell Cladwell: Danny Burstein
Bobby Strong: Andrew Rannells
Hope Cladwell: Phillipa Soo
Penelope Pennywise: Jackie Hoffman/Christine Ebersole
Little Sally: ???"

[inception]

Posted: 4/30/22 at 10:13am

Stage Door Sally said: "

Bobby Strong: Andrew Rannells
Hope Cladwell: Phillipa Soo
 

Interesting pairing, but I just don't see them having chemistry as romantic leads.  

I think it's a show that always works.  Sometime in the last ten years the high school down the street from me did it & people who went in saying "What us this stupid thing the teacher chose?" left cheering.

 

[inception]

Posted: 4/30/22 at 10:13am

Stage Door Sally said: "

Bobby Strong: Andrew Rannells
Hope Cladwell: Phillipa Soo
 

Interesting pairing, but I just don't see them having chemistry as romantic leads.  

I think it's a show that always works.  Sometime in the last ten years the high school down the street from me did it & people who went in saying "What us this stupid thing the teacher chose?" left cheering.