Nederland Middle-Senior High School’s theater and choir director Elizabeth Evans is excited to bring back the hit, Tony-winning Broadway musical Urinetown to Ned! The show was originally supposed to be performed by the school in April 2020, but the pandemic unfortunately prevented the final production from occurring. Now, Evans is giving the show another chance at the middle-high school.

The story, with music by Mark Hollman, book by Greg Kotis, and lyrics by both, centers on Bobby Strong (performed this time around by Tyler Goodnow, originally performed in 2020 by Noah Turner), a young custodian who works for an enterprise known as Urine Good Company. The company, headed by Caldwell B. Cladwell (performed by Ben Weber, originally performed by Jamie Lammers), requires all of the citizens of a rundown town to pay every time they go to the bathroom, and not everyone has the money to do so. Bobby meets and falls in love with Hope Cladwell (performed by dance captain Sierra Tomlinson, understudied by Lola Kelley, originally performed by Ellie Brewer), Cladwell’s daughter, and realizes that Urine Good Company’s policies are dangerous. He starts a rebellion with the dirt-poor citizens of the town against Cladwell’s dictatorial rule.

Throughout the show, Officer Lockstock (performed by Morgan Lake, originally performed by Rowan Harper) and Little Sally (performed by dance captain Aya Pelkhum Donahue, understudied by Gloriana Howell, originally performed by Hadley Zotti) talk to the audience about the plot of the show, what the fabled “Urinetown” could possibly be, and how strange and off-putting certain aspects of Urinetown (the musical and its concept as a whole) are.

The show consistently pokes fun at and references classic Broadway musicals such as West Side Story, Les Miserables, and Fiddler on the Roof, as well as the medium of musical theater in general. It’s a hilarious musical satire of capitalist governments and theater that is sure to bring a certain level of comedic discomfort to its audience while also exploring serious topics such as water conservation and the effects of climate change.

The show also stars Blue Garcia-Paine as tough warden Penelope Pennywise (understudied by Hazel Kelley, originally performed by Marguerite Bradley), Hazel Kelley as Cladwell’s right-hand man Senator Fipp (originally performed by Cooper Nielsen), Ben Brodsky as Cladwell’s subordinate Mr. McQueen (originally performed by Alex Berumen-Gonzalez), Kyle King as leader of a gang of the poor, Hot Blades Harry (originally performed by Lucy Schalz), dance captain Aiden Cleveland as Bobby’s father, Joseph “Old Man” Strong (originally performed by Morgan Lake), and Lola Kelley as Bobby’s mother, Josephine “Old Ma” Strong (originally performed by Liesl Nunemacher).

Skylar Dulude doubles as Cladwell’s secretary (originally performed by Ande Hammers) and as an executive at Urine Good Company, and the other actors who portray members of the gang of the poor also double up as both cops monitoring the town and Urine Good Company executives: Trinity Prahl as Little Becky Two-Shoes (originally performed by Meagan Figgins), Roonagh Mannion as Soupy Sue (originally performed by Sydney Mayhew), Eliza Moore as Tiny Tim, as well as Urine Good Company scientist Dr. Billeaux (both originally performed by Dean Howell), Mars Gervais as Robby the Stockfish (originally performed by Skylar Abookire), and Gloriana Howell as both Billy Boy Bill (originally performed by Blue Garcia-Paine) and wannabe-Cladwell-secretary Mrs. Millennium (originally performed by Maggie Lake). As well as doubling as both a cop and an executive, Keahi Pelkhum Donahue will also portray Lockstock’s partner in crime (fighting), Officer Barrell (originally performed by Townes Bakke).

Aiden Cleveland, Eliza Moore, Gloriana Howell, Keahi Pelkum Donahue, Lola Kelley, Mars Gervais, Roonagh Mannion, Skyler Dulude, and Trinity Prahl also serve as the primary chorus throughout the show – the chorus and primary chorus of the 2020 cast consisted of Alex Berumen-Gonzalez, Alex Jaffe, Ande Hammers, Blue Garcia-Paine, Cooper Nielsen, Dean Howell, Liesl Nunemacher, Lucy Schalz, Maggie Lake, Meagan Figgins, Morgan Lake, Ruby Gustafson, Sierra Tomlinson, Skylar Abookire, Sydney Mayhew, and Townes Bakke.

Elizabeth Evans serves as the show’s music, technical, and overall director, as well as the ticket designer. Other technical directors include Mark Mabbett, Eli Weiner, Amelie Bodnar, and Evelyn Leary. Kiona Goodman serves as the show’s assistant director, and Lucy Schalz is the show’s choreographer. Eliza Brundege fills the role of property mistress, and Susan Blurton, Jace Thurston, Rory McLaughlin, and Lauren Dirr help with costumes.

Amelie Bodnar serves as the stage manager and as part of the technical stage/ build crew, which also consists of Keahi Pelkum Donahue, Evelyn Leary, Eli Weiner, Jace Thurston, River Lemaster, Ciel Seavers, Maxine Toorenburg, Rory McLaughlin, Araelia Livingston, Opal Kinnikin, Jackson Watts, Quinn Waltrip, Penny Bodnar, Kale Mahorski, Annabelle Alper, Abby Hess, Penelope Turner, and Leo Filippello. Perrine Breche, Eliza Brundege, Abby Hess, Angus Kier, Evelyn Lear, Liam Robertson, Ben Weber, and Elijah Weiner serve as helpers from the school’s construction class. Keahi Pelkhum Donahue and Abby Hess serve as the lighting directors under the stage manager.

Opal Kinnikin and Quinn Waltrip serve as the spotlight operators, Jaz Mannion as the cast party coordinator, and Stephanie Weber as the ticket coordinator. The T-shirts were designed through Elevated Impressions, and video of the show will be filmed by Fulframe. Previous members of tech from the 2020 production include stage manager Xoli Hatwan, Aspen Abel, Violet Rainwater, Zach Weiner, Aric Olsen, Lucas Schalz, Kendall Zotti, Natalie Taylor, Ely Nitsch, Mia Milwitz-Clanton, Ben Nichols, and Chris Francis. Mallorie Knight also served as a choreographer in the 2020 production.

The 2024 production of Urinetown, presented through a special arrangement with Music Theater International, will be performed on April 11, 12, 13, 19, and 20, 2024, at 7 p.m. in the high school auditorium (located at 597 Eldora Road in Nederland), with additional 1 p.m. matinees available on April 13 and 20. Adult tickets are available at $10, and student and senior tickets at $5. Copies of the filmed show will be available to order for $25 each.

See the show and support the school’s music and theater program along the way!

While the show has gone through many massive changes since the original planned performance, Evans is excited to come back and finish the only planned musical that Nederland never had the chance to perform.