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In a Gotham-like city, a depletion of the Earth's water supply has led to a government-enforced ban on private toilets. The privilege to pee is regulated by a single malevolent company that profits by charging for one of humanity's most basic needs. From amongst the people, a hero has risen who will lead them to freedom. A grand, mischievous love letter to the conventions of musical theatre, Urinetown depicts a world wracked by ecological disaster, caught in the throes of corporate greed, and ultimately toppled by the best of intentions. Praised by critics for reinvigorating the contemporary musical, Urinetown is one of the most distinctive, intelligent and jubilant theatrical experiences of the twenty-first century. It opened at New York City's Fringe Festival, then transferred to Broadway in September 2001, winning three Tony Awards, including Best Book of a Musical. Urinetown received its UK premiere at the St James Theatre, London, in February 2014, later transferring to the Apollo Theatre in September, in a production directed by Jamie Lloyd.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
About the Author:
Both Greg Kotis (book/lyrics) and Mark Hollmann (music/lyrics) come out of fringe theatre in Chicago. Urinetown is their first musical. It started out at a Fringe Festival in New York and took two years to reach Broadway.
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Urinetown
ACT IScene 1Early morning. The poorest, filthiest urinal in town. Above the entrance to the urinal hangs a sign that reads Public Amenity #9. THE POOR lie sprawled across the stage, sleeping quietly. Music for "Urinetown" plays softly in the background. OFFICER LOCKSTOCK enters from the house, inspecting the theater for orderliness. Satisfied, he takes his place onstage and addresses the audience directly.
LOCKSTOCK: Well, hello there. And welcome--to Urinetown! (Pause.) Not the place, of course. The musical. Urinetown "the place" is ... well, it's a place you'll hear people referring to a lot throughout the show.(PENELOPE PENNYWISE and BOBBY STRONG enter. They carry with them a small table upon which rests a ledger.)PENNY: You hear the news? They carted Old So-and-So off to Urinetown the other day.BOBBY: Is that so? What he do?PENNY: Oh, such-and-such, I hear.BOBBY: Well, what do you know? Old So-and-So.(Bobby and Penny set up their workstation, placing the table beside the entrance to the amenity as THE POOR begin to rise.)LOCKSTOCK: It's kind of a mythical place, you understand. A bad place. A place you won't see until Act Two. And then ... ? Well, let's just say it's filled with symbolism and things like that.(THE POOR sing the "Urinetown" theme on an "ooh" ever so softly as they prepare for another day. LITTLE SALLY enters, counting her pennies.)LOCKSTOCK: But Urinetown "the musical," well, here we are. Welcome. It takes place in a town like any town ... that you might find in a musical. This here's the first setting for the show. As the sign says, it's a "public amenity," meaning public toilet. These people have been waiting for hours to get in; it's the only amenity they can afford to get into.(LITTLE SALLY approaches LOCKSTOCK.)LITTLE SALLY: Say, Officer Lockstock, is this where you tell the audience about the water shortage?LOCKSTOCK: What's that, Little Sally?LITTLE SALLY: You know, the water shortage. The hard times. The drought. A shortage so awful that private toilets eventually became unthinkable. A premise so absurd that--LOCKSTOCK: Whoa there, Little Sally. Not all at once. They'll hear more about the water shortage in the next scene.LITTLE SALLY: Oh. I guess you don't want to overload them with too much exposition, huh?LOCKSTOCK: Everything in its time, Little Sally. You're too young to understand it now, but nothing can kill a show like too much exposition.LITTLE SALLY: How about bad subject matter?LOCKSTOCK: Well--LITTLE SALLY: Or a bad title, even? That could kill a show pretty good.LOCKSTOCK: Well, Little Sally, suffice it to say that in Urinetown (the musical) everyone has to use public bathrooms in order to take care of their private business. That's the central conceit of the showww! (He sings.)Better hope your pennies Add up to the fee-- We can't have you peeing For free. If you do, we'll catch you.We, we never fail! And we never bother with jail. (MCQUEEN, FIPP, and BARREL enter. All sing.)ALL:You'll get Urinetown! Off you'll go to Urinetown! Away with you to Urinetown!LOCKSTOCK: You won't need bail.(HOPE CLADWELL enters. As LOCKSTOCK and LITTLE SALLY speak, HOPE approaches BOBBY at his table.)LOCKSTOCK: Later on you'll learn that these public bathrooms are controlled by a private company. They keep admission high, generally, so if you're down on your luck, you have to come to a place like this--one of the poorest, filthiest urinals in town.LITTLE SALLY: And you can't just go in the bushes either--there's laws against it.LOCKSTOCK: That's right, Little Sally. Harsh laws, too. That's why Little Sally here's counting her pennies. Isn't that so, Little Sally?LITTLE SALLY: I'm very close, Officer. Only a few pennies away.LOCKSTOCK: Aren't we all, Little Sally. Aren't we all.(LITTLE SALLY keeps counting.)HOPE: Excuse me, sir, but can you tell me the way to the private company that controls these public bathrooms?BOBBY: You mean Urine Good Company?HOPE: That's the one.LOCKSTOCK: (To the audience) You'll meet the guy who runs Urine Good Company later. That there's his daughter. BOBBY: It's quite a ways from here, ma'am. This here's the bad part of town.HOPE: So it is.BOBBY: But if you squint, you can just make out their headquarters rising above the skyline.HOPE: The gleaming tower on the hill?BOBBY: That's the one.HOPE: Gosh, it's beautiful.BOBBY: You most certainly are.HOPE: Pardon?BOBBY: It most certainly is.HOPE: Oh dear, I'm late already. Thanks ever so much for the directions and such. Bye! (She exits.)BOBBY: Anytime.LOCKSTOCK: (To the audience) Well, we've talked on long enough, I imagine. Enjoy the show. And welcome--to Urinetown (the musical)! (All sing.)WOMEN:MEN:You, our humble audience,You, our humble audience,You have come to seeYou have come to seeWhat it's like whenPeople can't pee free.People can't pee,People can't pee free,Can't pee free.First act lasts an hour.First act lasts an hour.Don't assume you're fine.Don't assume you're fine.Best go now, there often is a line.Often is a,Often is a line.ALL:This is Urinetown! One restroom here at Urinetown! It's unisex at Urinetown! All by design.LOCKSTOCK, MCQUEEN, FIPP, BARREL:It's the oldest story--Masses are oppressed; Faces, clothes, and bladders All distressed. Rich folks get the good life, Poor folks get the woe. In the end, it's nothing you don't know.ALL:You're at Urinetown! Your ticket should say "Urinetown"! No refunds, this is Urinetown! We'll keep that dough!ALL:On with the show!(LOCKSTOCK, BARREL, MCQUEEN, and FIPP exit as PENNY shouts out instructions to THE POOR.)PENNY: All right, folks, you know the drill. Form a line and have yer money ready. We'll not be repeating yesterday's fiasco, and that means you, Old Man Strong.(THE POOR crowd around the amenity, forming a line.)LITTLE SALLY: ... Four hundred and ninety-six. Four hundred and ninety-seven. Just a few more.(MCQUEEN enters, now on his way to work. LITTLE SALLY rushes toward him, her hand stretched out in supplication.)LITTLE SALLY: Penny for a pee, sir?(MCQUEEN exits. SENATOR FIPP enters.)LITTLE SALLY: Please, sir, spare a penny for a morning pee, sir?FIPP: What's that?LITTLE SALLY: Or a nickel or a dime?FIPP: Out of my way, child! I've peeing of my own to tend to.LITTLE SALLY: But--(FIPP exits. LITTLE SALLY joins the crowd. At the entrance to the amenity OLD MAN STRONG is arguing with PENNY.)OLD MAN STRONG: I haven't got it!PENNY: Then go get it!OLD MAN STRONG: C'mon, Penny, I'm good for it.PENNY: That's what you said last week and I still haven't seen penny one. And it's Ms. Pennywise to you.OLD MAN STRONG: Bobby! Bobby, reason with the woman. I'm a little short this morning.TINY TOM: No shorter than yesterday. Unless I've grown.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.OLD MAN STRONG: Now, Ms. Pennywise, we've all had to make special ... arrangements with people in high places over the years. Why not let this one be ours?SOUPY SUE: If Old Man Strong gets in for free, then so do I!TINY TOM: And I!LITTLE BECKY TWO-SHOES: And I!PENNY: Quiet back there! No one's gettin' anywhere for free! Don't you think I have bills of my own to pay?! Don't you think I have taxes and tariffs and payoffs to meet, too?! Well, I do! (Musical vamp for "It's a Privilege to Pee" begins.) And I don't pay them with promises, see. I pay them with cash! Cold hard cash. 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!BOBBY: But, Ms. Penny--PENNY: No buts, Bobby.OLD MAN STRONG: In the name of God, Penny, what difference could it make?PENNY: What difference?!! (Outraged, she sings.)"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, For once they've onced, they'll want to once once more.I run the only toilet in this p...
ACT IScene 1Early morning. The poorest, filthiest urinal in town. Above the entrance to the urinal hangs a sign that reads Public Amenity #9. THE POOR lie sprawled across the stage, sleeping quietly. Music for "Urinetown" plays softly in the background. OFFICER LOCKSTOCK enters from the house, inspecting the theater for orderliness. Satisfied, he takes his place onstage and addresses the audience directly.
LOCKSTOCK: Well, hello there. And welcome--to Urinetown! (Pause.) Not the place, of course. The musical. Urinetown "the place" is ... well, it's a place you'll hear people referring to a lot throughout the show.(PENELOPE PENNYWISE and BOBBY STRONG enter. They carry with them a small table upon which rests a ledger.)PENNY: You hear the news? They carted Old So-and-So off to Urinetown the other day.BOBBY: Is that so? What he do?PENNY: Oh, such-and-such, I hear.BOBBY: Well, what do you know? Old So-and-So.(Bobby and Penny set up their workstation, placing the table beside the entrance to the amenity as THE POOR begin to rise.)LOCKSTOCK: It's kind of a mythical place, you understand. A bad place. A place you won't see until Act Two. And then ... ? Well, let's just say it's filled with symbolism and things like that.(THE POOR sing the "Urinetown" theme on an "ooh" ever so softly as they prepare for another day. LITTLE SALLY enters, counting her pennies.)LOCKSTOCK: But Urinetown "the musical," well, here we are. Welcome. It takes place in a town like any town ... that you might find in a musical. This here's the first setting for the show. As the sign says, it's a "public amenity," meaning public toilet. These people have been waiting for hours to get in; it's the only amenity they can afford to get into.(LITTLE SALLY approaches LOCKSTOCK.)LITTLE SALLY: Say, Officer Lockstock, is this where you tell the audience about the water shortage?LOCKSTOCK: What's that, Little Sally?LITTLE SALLY: You know, the water shortage. The hard times. The drought. A shortage so awful that private toilets eventually became unthinkable. A premise so absurd that--LOCKSTOCK: Whoa there, Little Sally. Not all at once. They'll hear more about the water shortage in the next scene.LITTLE SALLY: Oh. I guess you don't want to overload them with too much exposition, huh?LOCKSTOCK: Everything in its time, Little Sally. You're too young to understand it now, but nothing can kill a show like too much exposition.LITTLE SALLY: How about bad subject matter?LOCKSTOCK: Well--LITTLE SALLY: Or a bad title, even? That could kill a show pretty good.LOCKSTOCK: Well, Little Sally, suffice it to say that in Urinetown (the musical) everyone has to use public bathrooms in order to take care of their private business. That's the central conceit of the showww! (He sings.)Better hope your pennies Add up to the fee-- We can't have you peeing For free. If you do, we'll catch you.We, we never fail! And we never bother with jail. (MCQUEEN, FIPP, and BARREL enter. All sing.)ALL:You'll get Urinetown! Off you'll go to Urinetown! Away with you to Urinetown!LOCKSTOCK: You won't need bail.(HOPE CLADWELL enters. As LOCKSTOCK and LITTLE SALLY speak, HOPE approaches BOBBY at his table.)LOCKSTOCK: Later on you'll learn that these public bathrooms are controlled by a private company. They keep admission high, generally, so if you're down on your luck, you have to come to a place like this--one of the poorest, filthiest urinals in town.LITTLE SALLY: And you can't just go in the bushes either--there's laws against it.LOCKSTOCK: That's right, Little Sally. Harsh laws, too. That's why Little Sally here's counting her pennies. Isn't that so, Little Sally?LITTLE SALLY: I'm very close, Officer. Only a few pennies away.LOCKSTOCK: Aren't we all, Little Sally. Aren't we all.(LITTLE SALLY keeps counting.)HOPE: Excuse me, sir, but can you tell me the way to the private company that controls these public bathrooms?BOBBY: You mean Urine Good Company?HOPE: That's the one.LOCKSTOCK: (To the audience) You'll meet the guy who runs Urine Good Company later. That there's his daughter. BOBBY: It's quite a ways from here, ma'am. This here's the bad part of town.HOPE: So it is.BOBBY: But if you squint, you can just make out their headquarters rising above the skyline.HOPE: The gleaming tower on the hill?BOBBY: That's the one.HOPE: Gosh, it's beautiful.BOBBY: You most certainly are.HOPE: Pardon?BOBBY: It most certainly is.HOPE: Oh dear, I'm late already. Thanks ever so much for the directions and such. Bye! (She exits.)BOBBY: Anytime.LOCKSTOCK: (To the audience) Well, we've talked on long enough, I imagine. Enjoy the show. And welcome--to Urinetown (the musical)! (All sing.)WOMEN:MEN:You, our humble audience,You, our humble audience,You have come to seeYou have come to seeWhat it's like whenPeople can't pee free.People can't pee,People can't pee free,Can't pee free.First act lasts an hour.First act lasts an hour.Don't assume you're fine.Don't assume you're fine.Best go now, there often is a line.Often is a,Often is a line.ALL:This is Urinetown! One restroom here at Urinetown! It's unisex at Urinetown! All by design.LOCKSTOCK, MCQUEEN, FIPP, BARREL:It's the oldest story--Masses are oppressed; Faces, clothes, and bladders All distressed. Rich folks get the good life, Poor folks get the woe. In the end, it's nothing you don't know.ALL:You're at Urinetown! Your ticket should say "Urinetown"! No refunds, this is Urinetown! We'll keep that dough!ALL:On with the show!(LOCKSTOCK, BARREL, MCQUEEN, and FIPP exit as PENNY shouts out instructions to THE POOR.)PENNY: All right, folks, you know the drill. Form a line and have yer money ready. We'll not be repeating yesterday's fiasco, and that means you, Old Man Strong.(THE POOR crowd around the amenity, forming a line.)LITTLE SALLY: ... Four hundred and ninety-six. Four hundred and ninety-seven. Just a few more.(MCQUEEN enters, now on his way to work. LITTLE SALLY rushes toward him, her hand stretched out in supplication.)LITTLE SALLY: Penny for a pee, sir?(MCQUEEN exits. SENATOR FIPP enters.)LITTLE SALLY: Please, sir, spare a penny for a morning pee, sir?FIPP: What's that?LITTLE SALLY: Or a nickel or a dime?FIPP: Out of my way, child! I've peeing of my own to tend to.LITTLE SALLY: But--(FIPP exits. LITTLE SALLY joins the crowd. At the entrance to the amenity OLD MAN STRONG is arguing with PENNY.)OLD MAN STRONG: I haven't got it!PENNY: Then go get it!OLD MAN STRONG: C'mon, Penny, I'm good for it.PENNY: That's what you said last week and I still haven't seen penny one. And it's Ms. Pennywise to you.OLD MAN STRONG: Bobby! Bobby, reason with the woman. I'm a little short this morning.TINY TOM: No shorter than yesterday. Unless I've grown.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.OLD MAN STRONG: Now, Ms. Pennywise, we've all had to make special ... arrangements with people in high places over the years. Why not let this one be ours?SOUPY SUE: If Old Man Strong gets in for free, then so do I!TINY TOM: And I!LITTLE BECKY TWO-SHOES: And I!PENNY: Quiet back there! No one's gettin' anywhere for free! Don't you think I have bills of my own to pay?! Don't you think I have taxes and tariffs and payoffs to meet, too?! Well, I do! (Musical vamp for "It's a Privilege to Pee" begins.) And I don't pay them with promises, see. I pay them with cash! Cold hard cash. 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!BOBBY: But, Ms. Penny--PENNY: No buts, Bobby.OLD MAN STRONG: In the name of God, Penny, what difference could it make?PENNY: What difference?!! (Outraged, she sings.)"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, For once they've onced, they'll want to once once more.I run the only toilet in this p...
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