Apollo Performing Arts Center

Director’s Musings – Urinetown Fall 2009 December 3, 2009

In 2001 my husband Scott was on a business trip to the Big Apple.  Rarely passing up a chance to enjoy the sights, sounds, smells, and of course, theatre, I tagged along.  (Scott paid, I played)!   On the first day in NYC, I was feeling rather haughty-taughty while having a delightful luncheon with a former student, Christopher Sieber (who just happens to be a Broadway star) when he said, “…the must see show right now is Urinetown: The Musical!” I gasped, “I am NOT going to any show titled Urinetown….”  He tempted, “It’s going to win Tony Awards!”  Reluctantly, I went to see it, and the show has never left me. My hope is you will leave the theatre tonight understanding why Urinetown: The Musical is heralded by critics as “one of the most wickedly-witty musicals in years.”   

In a season riddled with difficult illnesses and unavoidable conflicts, the students and directors of this production have worked exhaustively– yet enthusiastically.  This cast and crew is ready to showcase what happens when talent and tenacity join forces with heart and soul to whisk the audiences off to Urinetown: (The Musical, that is)!              

Sincerely,

Deborah J. Bendix, Director

Urinetown Poster – Fall 2009 December 2, 2009

Urinetown Cast List October 11, 2009

Cast
Officer Lockstock – Danny Erickson
Little Sally – Madison Schiller
Bobby Strong – Howie Vreeland
Hope Cladwell – Abby Schnobrich
Caldwell B. Cladwell – Michael Wesely
Penelope Pennywise – Emma Peterka and Angel Spooner
Heidi Gene Pour – Emma Peterka and Angel Spooner
Senator Fipp – Brennan Orth
Secretary Faye Following – Amanda Maricle-Roberts
UGC Executive Mrs. Roar-Likealion
Mrs. Millenium – Laura Briese
Mr. McQueen – Zack Kuntz
Officer Barrel – Adam Logeman
Officer Knobby-Knee – Ben Wallen
Joseph “Old Man” Strong – Josh Wallin
Josephine Strong – Tara Dykema
Tiny Tom – Erick Austin
Soupy Sue – Kenzie Kalway
Nicety Nice – Brienne Reischl
Little Becky Two-Shoes – Amanda Farag
Little Nancy No-Shoes – Kendra Banwell
Atta Girl Pearl – Sabrina Keller
Henriette Hotblades – Leah Webster
Betty Bobbie the Stockfish – Melissa Murray
Lucy Lukerbie – Kelsey Krueger
Billy Boy Bill – George Luangoudom

Understudies
Hope/Little Sally – Leah Webster
Henriette Hot Blades – Melissa Murray

Pit Orchestra
Piano – William C. White
Trombone – Ben Evanson
Cello – Spencer Frie
Bass – Mitch Kruger
Percussion – Joe Orcutt
Saxophone – Joel Thielman
Clarinet – Mallory White

Crew

Lights
Matt Banks*
Kasey Haight
Alex Kayser
Austin Rice

Sound
Mariah Nix*
Cj O’Hara
Sam Kjolhaug

Stage
Kiersty Jehoich*
Lisa Krueger*
Erin Banks
Kenzy Jehoich
Mike Krugman
June Vormalee

Costumes
Megan Maricle-Roberts*
Sam Botz
Tram Bui
Sara Doroff

Publicity
Kendra Banwell
Amanda Maricle-Roberts

Set Building
Heather Colgan
Parker Kayser
Jim Kurzhals

* Denotes crew leader

Theatre Announces Musical September 30, 2009

Synopsis

With a title like Urinetown: The Musical, one might ask Shakespeare’s question, “What’s in a name?”  Once the initial reaction to the title wears off (and be assured there is an initial reaction), the audience quickly sees why Urinetown: The Musical  is heralded as “one of the most wickedly-witty, musicals in years”… 

The basic premise to this Tony-Award Winning musical is simple:  A terrible water shortage has caused a 20-year drought which has led to a government-enforced ban on private toilets. The citizens must use public amenities, regulated by a monopoly that profits by charging admission for one of humanity’s most basic needs (much like the days when Romans were taxed for this same service).  Amid the people, a hero emerges and a revolt for the people’s freedoms begins! This is a revolution not unlike those that fill our own history books.  This musical comedy satirizes capitalism, social irresponsibility, corporate mismanagement, bureaucracy, petty small town politics, and the role we all play on life’s stage.   A delightful bonus to the plotline is an underlying spoof of Broadway’s favorite musicals including:  Les Miserables, Guys and Doll, West Side Story, Oliver, Annie, Phantom of the Opera, Evita, Fiddler On the Roof, and  Titanic.  Be forewarned, the musical is likely to leave you  toe-tapping and thinking long beyond the curtain call!  Enjoy Central Minnesota’s Premier of Urinetown: The Musical!

How did Urinetown: The Musical come about?  The story goes like this:  “A few years back, a cash-strapped writer, Greg Kotis wandered the cold, rainy streets of Paris deciding whether to use one of the pay-per-use toilets or to pee-free in a back alley.  It was then that an idea struck him for a play about a city where all public toilets were controlled by one monopoly.  Relieved and back in New York, Kotis created Urinetown with the help of friend composer Mark Hollman.  They created the show literally in a church basement on weekends.  They never expected the show to end up on Broadway.  They never expected the show to win the highly coveted 2002 Tony Awards Triple Crown!” Thus, having to go to the bathroom, and. having to pay for one of life’s most basic necessities, became a play about corruption, oppression, class war-fare and environmental degradation, now one of the most celebrated plays on Broadway!