Urinetown: The Musical

Saturday, March 22, 2025 @ 7:00pm

Union County Performing Arts Center (UCPAC) - Main Stage
1601 Irving Street, Rahway, NJ 07065

THIS EVENT HAS PASSED

The Academy for Performing Arts at UCVTS presents Urinetown: The Musical!

Join us for a satirical comedy set in a dystopian future where a water shortage forces citizens to pay to use public toilets controlled by the corrupt Urine Good Company. When idealistic Bobby Strong leads a rebellion against the oppressive system, he falls for Hope Cladwell, the daughter of the company’s ruthless CEO. As the revolution unfolds, the musical humorously critiques capitalism, corporate greed, and even theatre conventions, blending dark comedy with unexpected twists.

Meet the Cast

The Academy for Performing Arts (APA) in Scotch Plains, NJ, is a prestigious high school within the Union County Vocational-Technical Schools (UCVTS) that provides a dynamic and immersive education in theatre, dance, and technical arts. Combining a strong academic foundation with professional-level artistic training, APA nurtures students’ creativity, discipline, and passion for performance. Through a curriculum that includes acting, voice, movement, stagecraft, and production, students develop the skills needed for success in college and the performing arts industry.

More About the Musical

Urinetown: The Musical premiered at the New York International Fringe Festival in 1999 before making its Off-Broadway debut in 2001 and transferring to Broadway later that year. With music and lyrics by Mark Hollmann and a book by Greg Kotis, the show cleverly critiques capitalism, corporate greed, bureaucracy, and even musical theatre conventions.

Set in a dystopian future where a water shortage forces citizens to pay to use public toilets controlled by the corrupt Urine Good Company, Urinetown follows a rebellion led by the idealistic Bobby Strong against the oppressive system. The show’s self-aware humor, absurdist elements, and sharp social commentary made it a critical and commercial success.

During its Broadway run, Urinetown won three Tony Awards in 2002, including Best Original Score and Best Book of a Musical. It has since become a popular production for regional and school theatres, praised for its witty satire, engaging music, and thought-provoking themes.