Welcome to Urinetown (The musical, not the place).
Urinetown is one of those musicals that makes you wonder what the writers were thinking. This is a musical that redefines the modern musical as it takes what you know about musicals and throws it out the window. I'm not really sure I want to spoil anything, because the story is engaging and interesting, and it's really quite poignant, so I'll try hard not to ruin any plot points in this review.
I know you think the name is terrible. It really is. Don't let that stop you from seeing it. I mean what's in a name right? Imagine a world where water is so scarce, they force you to pay to use the amenities. That is the premise of the entire play. (And you learn that during the first song, so it's not really a spoiler, right?)
The music is really fantastic. I had to go out and buy the soundtrack immediately after seeing it. I really love the variety of music, but the music also pays homage to many classic musicals out there. It's done incredibly well. The set is simple, but clever. It's two stories so while the stage seems small, there's still a lot of space available for people to move around. The story is engaging. The characters are absolutely wonderful (and for a friend who went with me, some are even a bit frightening). It is quite grim though, so even though the music is upbeat, prepare for the worst.
I've seen the show twice now, and I loved it both times, the second more than the first. If you get a chance, go see it before it ends! read more