Seton Hill University’s (SHU) most recent musical, “Urinetown,” had a funny name, but an even funnier cast bringing it to life onstage.
“Urinetown: The Musical” is a satirical comedy, created by Mark Hollman and Greg Kotis in 2001. The musical is about a dystopian reality where common people must pay to pee. Urinetown uses this outlandish idea to give messages regarding capitalism, the legal system and corporate management in a gut-busting manner.
Sophomore Gabriella DeCarli was a comedic fan favorite playing Little Sally, but nothing could compare to the laughs erupting from the audience while Sarah Chelli, cast as Hope Cladwell, danced while bound to a chair and gagged. “I keep asking people afterwards if it’s funny, that’s the most important thing,” says Chelli. “We [the cast] laugh at the jokes as much as other people do, probably more than other people do.”
With a ten-minute intermission between the first and second acts, the cast had time to change, get a drink of water and touch up makeup backstage with lightening-fast speed, but many audience members felt that they had to choose between getting a snack and using the bathroom. Trust me, when you’ve sat through over an hour of pee-related jokes, you’re going to choose the bathroom.
After one weekend of performances down, the cast is looking forward to resuming their roles for this weekend’s performances.
For another great performance from SHU’s theatre students, check out the Student Theatre Activities Council’s production of “Edges” March 21-23 at the Seton Hill Performing Arts Center.