Urinetown Chicago Closing Night

[Unknown User]

Posted: 5/8/06 at 10:12am

I just made it to Urinetown. I saw the last show last night and I loved it. It made me sad that the show didn't last longer. The place was almost full.

The cast was all fine, except I thought both Bobby (Mayer DeLeeuw) and Hope (Tamara Spiewack) were a little weak vocally. Bobby was a replacement for Michael Buchannan who apparently left for the Christine Baranski Mame. He looked great and was fine I suppose, but I thought he was straining a little for some of the big notes. The only performance I really didn't like was Jospeph Anthony Foronda as Hot Blades Harry who was so big and over the top he seemed like he was in another show. I know that's part of his character, but it was really way too much.

Everyone else was great-- Jon Frazier and Roni Geva as Lockstock & Little Sally were awesome, Christine Sherrill as Penny, Michael Accardo as Cladwell-- all outstanding.

We had some Wicked cast in front of us cheering on a friend in the cast and when Bobby has his "Elphaba moment" I thought they had wet the seats they loved it so much.

All in all a great night in the theatre, sad to see it close.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 5/8/06 at 3:51pm

OMG! Joe Foronda!

Sorry, I'm just excited at seeing his name mentioned again.

[JustChillin8908]

Posted: 5/8/06 at 4:04pm

I wish I could have seen it before it closed

Oh well guess it's time to start looking for a high school production...

[bwaysinger]

Posted: 5/8/06 at 4:32pm

I was really hoping the show would stay open long enough for me to get to Chicago to see it. All the same, here's hoping Chicago continues to nurture open-ended professional runs.
Anyone know how Spelling Bee is doing there?

[chinkie azn jai]

Posted: 5/8/06 at 5:19pm

Spelling Bee has been selling out on a regular basis here.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 5/8/06 at 6:15pm

Memories...

Updated On: 5/8/06 at 06:15 PM

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 5/8/06 at 6:19pm

My preference:

:)

[Bdwy24]

Posted: 5/8/06 at 7:10pm

You can always check out the production going on in Buffalo.
URINETOWN at MusicalFare

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 5/8/06 at 7:14pm

Color Purple has an extended run sometime soon.

What was the "elphaba" moment?

[Unknown User]

Posted: 5/10/06 at 12:26pm

Spelling Bee is selling out, but that is partly due to subscription sales. The buzz is great, however.

The Elphaba moment: Bobby is singing "Look to the Sky" and is leading the chorus while he carries his plunger around. As it swings into the finale, he heads up to the upper leval and is suddenly hit with a green spot and the lights shift to that pattern from "Defying Gravity" and he sings the "ah-ah-ah" as he stands over the crowd with plunger outstretched like a broom. Some of the crowd shrieked with laughter and some exchanged puzzled glances. I liked it because it came and went in a matter of seconds- it was over almost as soon as it began.

One thing I've found funny is the number of people who assume that the lines about the show having a bad title and bad subject matter were added here because the show didn't do well here. I keep explaining, no even when they were selling out on Broadway they were bashign their own show!

[Stagedoor2]

Posted: 5/10/06 at 1:39pm

I was also there on Sunday to see the close and you're right about the Bobby character being the weakest link. I saw it when it first opened with Michael Buchannan and he was a much stronger singer. Mr. DeLeeuw (and how much do I love his name?!) was a fine actor though.

I got the impression that the actress who played Hope wasn't mic-ed properly -- she sounded different than the others.

And oh do I agree about Mr. Foronda -- I couldn't even look at him and my seats were unfortunately in the second row on the side (looking up Little Sally's dress when she's on the catwalk) so he was hard to avoid.

This was a fantastic cast and I really enjoyed the show both times -- sorry it closed.

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 5/10/06 at 1:57pm

I agree. I saw the show when it first opened, and found Tamara Spiewack to be very problematic volume-wise, although I'm told by inside sources that she had been experiencing vocal problems during previews, which perhaps is why. I also thought that Joseph Anthony Foronda was WAAAAAY over the top in his role(s). I couldn't believe the director never reigned him in.

That said, I thought the rest of the cast was generally pretty good, and having never seen the show before (I know, heresy), I found it very enjoyable. I'm sorry to see it close!

[WindyCityActor]

Posted: 5/11/06 at 4:22pm

http://www.performink.com/Framesets/2frmBody.html

I saw the production, and I wasn't wowed about it....I do confess that I saw it during previews.

That said, there was almost no advanced publicity for the opening.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 5/11/06 at 6:47pm

I agree WAC-- Obviously I'm a theatre FREAK and this board is jsut about the only place I heard about the show. I saw one story on CLTV and the reviews. I wonder who handled their press. I would have volunteered had I known how poor it would be.

And I'm struck as I read that PermformInk story-- "Urinetown" is a worse title than "Menopause the Musical"?

Well whatever happened, it was a shame. I enjoyed the show very much. And I shoudl add that despite his vocal weakness I really enjoyed Bobby's performance-- and he looked GREAT in his tank top.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 5/11/06 at 8:56pm

Ugh, I wish I could have seen it. Wicked, Bee, and Urinetown in one weekend would have amazing. Oh well.

[teddyp2]

Posted: 5/11/06 at 9:11pm

you missed a great show, regardless of what these chicago wanna be actor queens say!

great show and a great cast!

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 5/12/06 at 12:23am

Well actually, I'm a WORKING actor in Chicago, and I'm not a queen.

THAT SAID...it was overall a good production despite some of its problems. I really think the reason why it closed had a great deal to do with the total lack of publicity. Seriously, I only knew about this show because I'm a theater person.
Updated On: 5/12/06 at 12:23 AM

[WickedGeek28]

Posted: 5/28/06 at 8:25pm

Love the Elphaba moment!