On the Stage

The MTI theatre group just released the rights to perform these musicals:

Urinetown
tick, tick...BOOM!
Caroline, or Change

those are all good, and I could talk for a long time on tick, tick..BOOM! (and I probably will in another post) but this time I'm introducing you all to Urinetown, if you're not familiar already.

Urinetown is a great musical! It's premise was off the playwright who was backpacking around Europe and he ran out of money and couldn't go to the bathroom because in Europe is costs money to go to the bathroom, yet it's illegal to pee in public.

So in the musical they have a vast water shortage and so the water supply is being maintained and supervised by Cladwell who runs Urine Good Company, and his main cohort, Officer Lockstock and his henchmen Deupty Barrell keep the town in order. Well in short, Bobby Strong starts a revolt because it's illegal to pee in public but they have to pay quite the fee anytime they need to pee, there is no toilets anywhere except in public where they are guarded and you have to sign in and out everytime you pee, and pay every time you pee.

Anytime someone is caught peeing in public they get carted off to Urinetown and then we find out that Urinetown is them taking you up to the roof of Urine Good Company's building and shoving you off. Which ends up happening to Bobby but not until he gets a good revolt going and falls in love with Cladwell's daughter, etc.

Well I'll just stop there in the story, that's the basic plot.

There is a song, sung by Nancy Opel who plays Ms. Pennywise and it's called, "It's a Privelage to Pee" and it is some of the best singing from a woman I've ever heard in a musical. The notes she hits and with the force that she hits them, not many women on this planet can do. She doesn't go up into her head voice, it's just straight chest voice...now I'm at work so I don't know what clip they have on amazon, but have a listen...the song is hysterical.

The whole show is so hysterical and just phenomenal, it's great. My other person favorite is "Run, Freedom, Run!" by Hunter Foster who plays Bobby Strong. Check that one out too, so much fun!

Urinetown

IT'S A PRIVILEGE TO PEE

*Old Man Strong*
Bobby! Bobby, reason with the woman. I'm a little short this morning.

*Bobby*
He's my Pa, Ms. Pennywise. Can't he come in for free? Just this once?

*Penny*
Get your head out of the clouds, Bobby Strong. No one gets in for free.
Every morning you all come here. And every morning some of you got
reasons why ya ain't gonna pay. And I'm here to tell ya ya is gonna pay!

*Old Man Strong*
In the name of God, Penny, what difference could it make?

*Penny*
What difference?!

"Times are hard"
"Our cash is tight"
"You've got no right"
I've heard it all before
"Just this once"
Is once too much
Cause once they've onced
They'll want to once once more

I run the only toilet
In this part of town, you see
So, if you've got to go
You've got to go through me

It's a privilege to pee
Water's worth its weight
In gold these days

No more bathrooms
Like in olden days
You come here and pay a fee
For the privilege to pee

Twenty years we've had the drought
And our reservoirs have all dried up
I take my baths now in a coffee cup
I boil what's left of it for tea
And it's a privilege to pee

The politicians in their wisdom saw
That there should be a law
The politicians taxed the toilets
And made illegal
Public urination and defecation

So, come and give your coins to me
Write your name here in the record book
The authorities will want to look
If you've been regular with me
If you've paid the proper fee
For the privilege to pee

*Bobby*
But Ms. Pennywise -

*Penny*
I said no buts, Bobby. You're a sweet lookin' boy and I likes to keep
you around, but this man ain't comin' in without payin'. Not this time.

*Old Man Strong*
I can't wait much longer, Bobby. There's no tellin' what I might do!

*Penny*
You think you've got
Some kind of right?

*The Poor*
Kind of right, kind of right!

*Penny*
You think you'll come in here and go for free?

*The Poor*
Snag a freebie!

*Penny*
The only thing you'll get it "no" for free!

*The Poor*
Negatory!

*Penny*
I'm a business gal, you see

*The Poor*
Business gal you see!

Penny
I sell the
Privilege to pee!

*The Poor*
It's a privilege to pee

*Penny*
The good Lord made us
So we'd piss each day
Until we piss away
The good Lord made sure
That what goes in men
Must soon come out again
So you're no different then
From lowly me

*The Poor*
Me
Lowly me
Lowly me
Lowly me
Lowly me!


*Bobby*
But, Ms. Pennywise -

*Old Man Strong*
That's enough, Bobby.


*Penny*
And I think I'll charge you twice


*Old Man Strong*
No need to jeopardize your position.


*Penny*
Or better yet, have you arrested


*Old Man Strong*
I'm through with all this, you see.


*Penny*
Since you prefer the law gets tested


*Old Man Strong*
Scrapin' cash three times a day


*Penny*
And in Urinetown you'll see


*Old Man Strong*
Crazy with the nitrates half the time


*Penny*
Why it's dumb to fight with me


*Old Man Strong*
It's no way to live, I tells ya. No way to live.


*Penny*
For the privilege to pee!