It's a privilege to pee! (Derby Dinner Playhouse)

Mar 3

3 min read

111

Urinetown: The Musical

Music and Lyrics by Mark Hollmann

Book and Lyrics by Greg Kotis

Produced and Directed by Lee Buckholz

A Review by Regina Harris

A dystopian future. A 20-year drought. Overuse of resources, specifically water, leads to a society where scarcity has led to a government-enforced ban on private toilets. One can’t just pee willy nilly - citizens must use public toilets operated by the Urine Good Company, led by unscrupulous company president, Caldwell B. Cladwell. The fees are unaffordable, but the punishment is worse. Citizen Bobby Strong, in the spirit of his firebrand father, leads a rebellion against the system, challenging the capitalist’s stronghold over one of life’s most basic needs. The actual location of Urinetown is nebulous; it’s more a threatening concept to get citizens to “behave” more than it is an actual place. But don’t be fooled; Urinetown: The Musical is also a heck of a good time.

On Thursday, February 19, Derby Dinner Playhouse (or "DDP") opened Urinetown: The Musical. The next evening performance on February 20, was director Lee Buckholz’s final opening night before retiring after a long career with DDP. Urinetown’s satirical comedy balances humor with underlying social commentary. It is as funny as it is thought provoking and seemed a very relevant show with which to end a successful career.

In a cast packed with polished professionals, a few performances stand out. Landon Sholar brings a fierce sincerity to Bobby Strong, leader of the rebellion, while infusing a wicked comedy to the character. He took the opportunity at the end of the gospel inspired “Look at the Sky” to use his tremendous boyish charm to milk a few more laughs and applause with a little, “wink, wink, nudge, nudge.” It was hilarious. Not to be outdone, Ben Teitelbaum as Officer Lockstock, the show’s narrator, keeps the show on its toes. Without his super energetic lead, the pace might have wavered. His commanding physical height, contrasted beautifully with Katelyn Webb as Little Sally, a little but astute 8ish-year-old on roller-skates carrying a bear backpack whose innocent but incisive observations also keep the narrative moving at a fast clip. The very embodiment of villainous corporate president, Clay Smith brought Caldwell B. Cladwell to life. His character was easy to despise, but his comedic talent brought a discomforting character to a laughable level. And Jillian Prefach Baker brings the whole performance together as Penelope Pennywise. Her robust and commanding performance during “It’s a Privilege to Pee” set the tone of the show.

While the simple set design is dark and foreboding, every inch of the stage is well used. The upbeat tempo of the show keeps it from being feeling oppressive. Costumes are well-done, evoking a gritty, post-Depression/WWII make-do era (for the bulk of the cast) contrasted with the glamor-drenched wealthier capitalists. They highlighted class division and imparted a real Upstairs/Downstairs vibe. Kudos to the costume design team.

While the concept of the production implies a dark downer of a show, Urinetown: The Musical brings thought-provoking narrative to a hoot of a musical mishmash of every well-loved musical of the last century. It was fun to identify which musical the production was referencing at any given moment.

I’m a bit embarrassed to admit that, having lived here for many years, I had never visited DDP until last week. I walked away a diehard fan. For the price of the ticket, the dinner part is just a bonus. I highly recommend checking it out. The show runs through March 30.

Urinetown: The Musical

Derby Dinner Playhouse

February 19-March 30, 2025

525 Marriott Dr.

Clarksville, IN 47129

(812) 288-8281

http://derbydinner.com