Urinetown
Opening Night: September 20, 2001
Closing: January 18, 2004
Theater: Stephen Sondheim Theatre
Bet you never thought you’d see this on Broadway! Imagine a town where it’s no longer free to pee. Now imagine that’s the subject of a new musical. The show is set in a Gotham-like city overwrought by ecological disaster. The water shortage has led to a government-enforced ban on private toilets, and the privilege to pee is regulated by a single, malevolent corporation, which profits by charging admission for one of mankind’s most basic needs.
READ THE REVIEWS:
September 21, 2001
Context is crucial in the theater, which only pretends to exist in a world of its own creation. Most mundanely and tangibly though not insignificantly, a show cannot escape its physical environment. It generally takes place on some kind of stage in some kind of building, the properties of which (size, location, condition) have a palpable effect on the show’s artistic strategies and intent, not to mention the expectations of an audience.
Please note: To view this review you may need to log in to a free New York Times account.
