7.4 Urinetown!

The Gospel of Musical Theatre

We’ve got the Lutherans to thank for this one.

It’s the worst-ever name for a musical, but Peter & Nathan think that 2001’s Urinetown, with music and lyrics by Mark Hollmann & Greg Kotis, is worthy of your attention – and some sustained theological reflection.

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We talk about:

• The show's origin story (thanks, Lutherans!) and its unfortunately timed Broadway debut on the heels of 9/11.
• The politics of Urinetown – capitalist overlords versus the people's revolution, all painted in broad, satirical brushstrokes. Are there any responsible political figures in this show?
• What is Urinetown? A prison for malefactors? A way for the powerful to prey on the vulnerable? Death? Despair?
• "Following your heart" – What does that mean? And what if whatever your heart seems to be telling you turns out to be wrong?
• The power of music (particularly Gospel music) to move us to action. Who "should" be singing this music, and who is it for?

You’ll hear:

• "Too Much Exposition" / "What is Urinetown?" – satirical take-downs of conventional musical theatre tropes
• "I See A River" / "Run Freedom, Run" / "Follow Your Heart" – Urinetown asks some complicated questions about love and justice. And the music is pretty dang good.

You’ll hear Hunter Foster, John Cullum, Jennifer Laura Thompson, Jeff McCarthy, Spencer Kayden and the Original Broadway Cast from the 2001 recording.

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Check out some of our all-time favorites!

• Phantom of the Opera
• Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
• Jesus Christ Superstar!
• Schmigadoon! (Season 1 / Season 2)
• West Side Story!
• Yentl!
• Frozen!
• Barbie!

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