Andy Laub

So because finding a house, packing, moving, and fixing aren’t all enough work by themselves, I wisely also committed myself to, well, being in a musical. Yes, acting. And singing. And dancing. We’re opening in a week, and it’s starting to feel pulled together, so I’m really excited.

But it’s not just any musical, oh no. This is Urinetown (The Musical). It’s a story about love, corruption, rebellion, and so much more. Also it’s funny. And the music is the best. The basic idea is that water has become extremely sparse, to the point where one huge company oversees public restrooms (the only kind available anymore) that people must pay to use. Those who refuse to pay are carted off to the mythical Urinetown (the place). So naturally, this… arrangement… doesn’t last more than a couple scenes, as the young hero finds himself leading a rebellion against bathrooms that you have to pay for.

Normally, I’d guess there’d be only a moderate amount of interest in the show before it opened and people actually saw it. But not this time. As this production was already in its planning stages, Stevens Point Area High School (SPASH) kicked around the idea of doing it but it got canned by the higher-ups. Thankfully, media, being what it is, smelled some sort of story, and so now we’re doing “The show banned in Stevens Point!” Hot damn.

Obviously, it’s still too early for reviews, but we did get a preview in the City Pages yesterday. While I admit I read them sparingly, there was one bit that was just too good:

Originally scheduled to be performed in Stevens Point Area High School in November of 2006, the SPASH superintendent and high school’s principal canceled it for what they deemed “inappropriate content” — specifically irony, a concept not dealt with in the school’s curriculum until 12th grade apparently.

Burn!

So anyway, if you’re in the area, come see it, because it’s awesome.

Urinetown (The Musical)
UWMC Theater

• March 9, 10 at 7:30
• March 11 at 2:30 2:00
• March 14, 15, 16 at 7:30

Reserved seating; for tickets call 715.261.6230

• $12 Adults
• $10 Seniors & non-UWMC Students