Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – The hugely entertaining Encores! revival of URINETOWN still tells a cautionary tale worth listening to

• By drediman
• February 8, 2025
• No Comments

Earlier this week at New York City Center, I attended the anticipated Encores! revival of Urinetown. Featuring a score by Mark Hollmann and a book by Greg Kotis, the musical climbed its way from humble origins at the International New York Fringe Festival to become a cult classic, scoring big at the Tonys where it garnered awards for Best Score, Best Book, and Best Direction. The premise is audacious but simple. Urinetown is a cautionary tale — albeit, a hugely entertaining one — set in a dystopian capitalist future in which water scarcity has deemed it necessary that citizens pay for the “privilege to pee” (all the bathrooms are controlled by a monopolizing conglomerate known as Urine Good Company).

Although the idea seems appropriate for a sketch comedy, that it works well as it does as a full-fledged two-act musical must be credited to Hollmann and Kotis’s exceptionally smart and hilarious writing — the end product being an astutely and pointedly told tale that has retained its urgency after nearly 25 years. The piece also pioneered the now common sub-genre of the self-referential musical, basking as much in Brechtian tradition as it does parodying musical theater. But unlike many similarly meta-theatrical shows that have come after it, Urinetown retains its own distinct identity, which is most evident in Hollman’s excellent score, both an inspired nod to Kurt Weill, as well as a smirking homage to musical theater styles past and present. Thanks to Bruce Coughlin’s expanded orchestrations and Mary-Mitchell Campbell’s thoughtful conducting, I don’t think the score ever sounded better than does here.

The Encores! treatment actually works quite well for the musical. Wittily directed by Teddy Bergman with a firm grasp of the material, the work shines in this relatively scrappy, fast-paced presentation. The cast is fantastic, nailing the balance between broadness and character/world-building. Even the smaller characters register vividly (I’m looking at you, Jeff Cahoon and Jeff Hiller). Leading the way are Greg Hildreth and Pearl Scarlett Gold as the show’s de facto narrators, as well as the delectable pairing of Jordan Fisher and Stephanie Styles as the romantic leads. As the show’s corrupt capitalist bully, Rainn Wilson makes un-likeability an irresistible trait. Stepping in for Keala Settle as Miss Pennywise, Tiffany Mann brings the house down with her vocal fireworks.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

URINETOWN
Off-Broadway, Musical
New York City Center
2 hours, 20 minutes (with one intermission)
Through February 16