Urinetown at New York City Center Made a Splash

It was Valentine’s Day, and my fabulous friend and I were in search of a golden show to cap off our evening. After dining at Pink Taco and taking in the breathtaking views from the top of the of Empire State Building, we agreed that nothing epitomized romance quite like Urinetown at New York City Center.

We were running a bit behind, and of course, I had to pee before the show started. As Alanis Morrisette would say, “Isn’t it ironic?” Even the bathrooms were sprinkled with funny quotes from the musical – which, if you haven’t guessed, revolves around pee.

New York City Center revived the show as part of its Encores! series, giving a fresh splash to a beloved show with a cast that was leaking with talent.

The cast featured Jordan Fisher (Bobby Strong), Rainn Wilson (Caldwell B. Cladwell), Keala Settle (Penelope Pennywise), Josh Breckenridge (Senator Fipp), Kevin Cahoon (Old Man Strong, Hot Blades Harry), Pearl Scarlett Gold (Little Sally), Yeman Brown (Billy Boy Bill), Christopher Fitzgerald (Officer Barrel), Greg Hildreth (Officer Lockstock), Jeff Hiller (Mr. McQueen), Tiffany Mann (Soupy Sue), Daniel Quadrino (RobbThe cy the Stockfish), Graham Rowat (Ensemble, Officer Lockstock on Feb 14), Stephanie Styles (Hope Cladwell), Myra Lucretia Taylor (Josephine Strong), and John Yi (Tiny Tom).

Many theater critics have the power to flush a show down the toilet with their reviews, but this time, they were overflowing with positivity.

More Than Toilet Humor – New York Times 

Urinetown Is Still Potable – Vulture 

‘Urinetown’ Is Back, and It’s Both as Relevant and Delightfully Esoteric as Ever – The Sun

Is ‘Urinetown’ Still Good to the Last Drop? – Observer

Biting satire and loving parody – New York Post

Of course, the production was full of puns, but it also had themes that were extremely relevant.

I’ll admit, my only prior experience with the show was a high school production in the early 2000s, so my excitement was all about the incredible cast, especially the talented Jordan Fisher. It turned out to be an absolute joy, with no one person carrying the show. From the ensemble to Little Sally, every performance had the audience laughing non-stop. Of course, Jordan’s powerhouse voice didn’t disappoint, especially during his rendition of “Run, Freedom Run,” which brought down the house with applause.

New York City Center is conveniently located on West 56th street and has a strong line-up including Love Life and Wonderful Town.