Urinetown | |
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Original Broadway poster art
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Music | Mark Hollmann |
Lyrics |
Mark Hollmann Greg Kotis |
Book | Greg Kotis |
Productions | 2001 Off-Broadway 2001 Broadway 2003 National Tour 2014 West End 2015 Off-Broadway |
Awards |
Tony Award for Best Book Tony Award for Best Score |
Urinetown: The Musical is a satirical comedy musical that premiered in 2001, with music by Mark Hollmann, lyrics by Hollmann and Greg Kotis, and book by Kotis. It satirizes the legal system, capitalism, social irresponsibility, populism, bureaucracy, corporate mismanagement, and municipal politics. The show also parodies musicals such as The Threepenny Opera, The Cradle Will Rock and Les Misérables, and the Broadway musical itself as a form. The characters of Bobby Strong and Hope Cladwell were included on New York Theatre Monthly's list of "The 100 Greatest Roles in Musical Theatre".
Urinetown debuted at the New York International Fringe Festival, and then was produced Off-Broadway at the American Theatre for Actors, from May 6, 2001 to June 25, 2001. The musical then opened on Broadway at Henry Miller's Theatre, running from September 20, 2001 through January 18, 2004, totaling 25 previews and 965 performances.
It was directed by John Rando, and featured music and lyrics by Mark Hollman, book and lyrics by Greg Kotis, and choreography by John Carrafa. The original cast included Hunter Foster (as Bobby Strong, later replaced by Tom Cavanagh), Jeff McCarthy (as Officer Lockstock), Nancy Opel (as Penelope Pennywise), John Cullum (as Caldwell B. Cladwell), Jennifer Laura Thompson (as Hope Cladwell), Spencer Kayden (as Little Sally), John Deyle (as Senator Fipp), and Ken Jennings (as Old Man Strong/Hot Blades Harry). Principal cast changes included James Barbour as Officer Lockstock, Carolee Carmello and Victoria Clark as Penelope Pennywise and Charles Shaughnessy as Caldwell B. Cladwell as well as Amy Spanger as Hope Cladwell. It was nominated for 10 Tony Awards and won three.