Urine for good company in Urinetown (the musical, not the place)!
As the last of the four annual productions, English teacher and theater director Anne Calderon took it upon herself to direct the musical comedy “Urinetown”, written by Mark Hollman and Greg Kotis.
Available to the student body to come watch on the weekend of April 18, 19 and 20, “Urinetown” told the story of a town overturned by a twenty-year drought, forcing its residents to pay to share a communal bathroom. Those who failed to pay the price were quickly arrested and shipped off to Urinetown. Where they quickly “expired,” in the words of character Little Sally, played by Stella Hoyt. In a comedic twist, “expired” meaning getting pushed off a building.
Despite its comedic demeanor, “Urinetown” tells a story reflecting issues present in today’s societ ,such as the privileges of the wealthy and the disadvantages and exploitation of the poor.
Being the final production of the year, and following a show such as last year’s “Tuck Everlasting”, it’s nothing short of an understatement to say that Urinetown had some big shoes (and toilets) to fill.
“Although everyone in theater may not always agree on everything, we all do our absolute best to put on the best show possible.” said Reagan Seye, a member of the technical crew.
The two months worth of rehearsals and building were on the run. As of April 25, H-F’s production of Urinetown has landed several nominations in the Illinois High School Musical Theater Awards, from the actors themselves, direction of Anne Calderon, the play itself.
Actresses Jazmin Rhodes and Stella Hoyt were nominated for Best Actresses, actors Gabe McKinney and Bryce Stewart for Best Actors. Anne Calderon for Best Direction, and Urinetown as a whole for Best Production.
Though winners have not yet been announced, a single nomination, let alone six, in the entire state of Illinois is nothing to dismiss. The cast, crew, and directors worked tirelessly from the first day of production to the night the curtain closed.
“I will never take this role for granted due to the preparation required. I was actually excited to rehearse, and I enjoyed performing Cladwell’s songs. I set small milestones to inch closer to the comedic depiction of Cladwell. This was a good strategy for measuring progress and evaluating in real time the version of Cladwell that I sought to bring to the set. From the first table read, opening night, to strike, this was a great experience.” McKinney said in an interview for the IHSMTA.
Despite the stress of expectations, an endless amount of unoriginal puns and an eventful tech week, “Urinetown” was without a doubt a perfect show to end the ‘23-’24 school year with.
