Penn. HS must market Urinetown without using the title
#1Penn. HS must market Urinetown without using the title
Posted: 11/30/06 at 12:54pm
WTF.
Erie Catholic Bishop Donald Trautman does not object to the play itself -- but a diocesan spokesman said the bishop is concerned with the title "Urinetown" being connected publicly to the all-male Catholic high school.
So, the student play will go unnamed.
It would be a copyright violation to alter the show's title. That means the high school must try to sell tickets to its upcoming school play without referring to its title -- "Urinetown: The Musical."
http://www.wsoctv.com/education/10431001/detail.html
#1re: Penn. HS must market Urinetown without using the title
Posted: 11/30/06 at 1:02pmWould they be allowed to call "Once Upon a Matress" by it's title?
#2re: Penn. HS must market Urinetown without using the title
Posted: 11/30/06 at 1:07pm
that is the most screwed up thing ever. Why would they do the play then....so what is it called...
Academy of the Sacred Heart
presents...
________________
#3re: Penn. HS must market Urinetown without using the title
Posted: 11/30/06 at 1:09pmWow, I feel bad for the director and the students in the show.
#4re: Penn. HS must market Urinetown without using the title
Posted: 11/30/06 at 1:13pmit's not like it's called PISSTOWN, or DISCHARGETOWN. it's the scientific name, but we know how religion and science doesn't exactly mesh....
#5re: Penn. HS must market Urinetown without using the title
Posted: 11/30/06 at 1:14pm
How in the blue hell do you market a show without a title?
AND, how are they going to do Urinetown with an all-male cast?
#6re: Penn. HS must market Urinetown without using the title
Posted: 11/30/06 at 1:14pm
I think they could make it work wonderfully! Make it a big mystery- that'll attract the crowds!
"COME SEE OUR MUSICAL!"
"What musical is it?"
"I don't know, maybe we should go buy tickets so we can find out!"
Wanting life but never knowing how
Jon
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/20/04
#7re: Penn. HS must market Urinetown without using the title
Posted: 11/30/06 at 1:34pmAll-Male schools typically bring in girls from thier "sister" all-girl school - and vice versa.
#8re: Penn. HS must market Urinetown without using the title
Posted: 11/30/06 at 1:38pm
Yeah, I saw a production of South Pacific which technically was staged at the all-male half of the school, but the female half obviously had a large hand in it.
#9re: Penn. HS must market Urinetown without using the title
Posted: 11/30/06 at 1:44pm
To Rose_MacShane -
I went to an all-boys school. Our sister school (an all-girls school) participated in our shows, bands, cheerleadering team, etc. We were in their shows (along with another all boys school), their bands, jazz choir, etc.
I just don't understand this controversy about Urinetown. Maybe because I've seen it, been in it, and adore it. Oh, well. I guess I have to celebrate that they are able to do it at all!
There was a theater company that performed West Side Story in Dallas years ago. I don't know why, but they were not permitted to use the title in their publicity. They simply called it, "The Classic Musical by Arthur Laurents, Leonard Bernstein, and Stephen Sondheim"
Jon
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/20/04
#10re: Penn. HS must market Urinetown without using the title
Posted: 11/30/06 at 1:45pm
Alternate titles:
Tinkletown
Wee Wee Town
Whiz Town
Number One Town
#11re: Penn. HS must market Urinetown without using the title
Posted: 11/30/06 at 1:59pm
Im sure they will just market it as
"Cathedral Prep High School's Winter Musical"
Believe me, the people who plan to attend the show (teachers, friends and family of the cast) will know what the title is, and will attend regardless of how it is marketed.
#12re: Penn. HS must market Urinetown without using the title
Posted: 11/30/06 at 3:30pmThey do relize that they are going to have to say the the name Urinetown severel times in the show. Don't they?
#13re: Penn. HS must market Urinetown without using the title
Posted: 11/30/06 at 3:34pmThey're not saying the kids can't say the title during the performance. -- they just can't use it in their promotional materials.
#14re: Penn. HS must market Urinetown without using the title
Posted: 11/30/06 at 3:34pmI personally think an all-male version of Urinetown would be awesome!
#15re: Penn. HS must market Urinetown without using the title
Posted: 11/30/06 at 3:58pm
Gee, Officer Lockstock, people sure are dumb, aren't they?
Yes, Little Sally, yes, they are.
Mattbrain
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/23/05
#16re: Penn. HS must market Urinetown without using the title
Posted: 11/30/06 at 4:26pmAll I can say to them is, "Have fun playing to a half-empty house."
#17re: Penn. HS must market Urinetown without using the title
Posted: 11/30/06 at 4:28pm
My sentiments exactly, Jason.
I can't help but laugh out loud when I read about this URINETOWN censorship business. The only up side I can think of for the audience is, you think you're going to have to sit through some unknown high school "play", you're dreading it, you're waiting for the lights to come down, and out walk Officer Lockstock and Little Sally; you then realize they're doing URINETOWN! What a wonderful surprise!
-Kad
"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)
MargoChanning
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/5/04
#17re: Penn. HS must market Urinetown without using the title
Posted: 11/30/06 at 4:28pmI just don't get why they would do the show at all if they can't even tell anybody what the title is. There are thousands of other shows that they could do, after all.
#19re: Penn. HS must market Urinetown without using the title
Posted: 11/30/06 at 4:32pm
Maybe they should advertise the show by putting fliers in bathrooms and hope that people might catch on.
Or at least be curious enough to go see it.
PS I think this whole thing is a little ridiculous.
Updated On: 11/30/06 at 04:32 PM
#20re: Penn. HS must market Urinetown without using the title
Posted: 11/30/06 at 4:37pm
The authors of Urinetown once joked that they thought of naming the show "You're in town". Then, once the audience was in their seats, a sign or banner would come down, changing the title to "Urinetown". So, there's a solution!
#21re: Penn. HS must market Urinetown without using the title
Posted: 11/30/06 at 5:54pm
maybe they could just use a picture of a toilet and add the word "town" to the end of it.
Updated On: 11/30/06 at 05:54 PM
#22re: Penn. HS must market Urinetown without using the title
Posted: 11/30/06 at 6:04pmWell, that nixes next year's plan to do Ragtime.
#23re: Penn. HS must market Urinetown without using the title
Posted: 11/30/06 at 6:15pmAnd Naked Boys Singing is clearly out...
#24re: Penn. HS must market Urinetown without using the title
Posted: 11/30/06 at 6:57pmBut we all know what will happen, they will Nix Urinetown and do somthing appropriate, like Caberet or Best Little Whorehouse.
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