A celebration of musical theater

In a lot of ways, this musical’s journey from the fringes of off-Broadway to mainstream Broadway success serves as an inspiration for local theater company, Atlantis Productions. Moreover, this show hews closely to the avowed Atlantis goal of presenting high-quality theater productions that combine a great story with equally great music.

Quick on the heels of Atlantis’ much-acclaimed productions of The Rocky Horror Show and Dreamgirls comes yet another groundbreaking theatrical experiment for director Bobby Garcia and company: Urinetown. Simply put, Bobby chose Urinetown as his next big play because it is a loving spoof and intoxicating celebration of musical theater. "It parodies everything from Fiddler on the Roof to Les Miz," Bobby says.

Urinetown was the undisputed toast of the Great White Way three years back, and the most well-reviewed theater sensation in recent memory. "It is better than The Producers," quipped Richard Zoglin of Time magazine. "It’s pure gold," concurred Clive Barker of The New York Post. "Urinetown is hilarious," wrote Bruce Weber of The New York Times. "It is simply the most galvanizing theater experience in town." And the esteemed Rex Reed of the New York Observer unequivocally raved, "Color it different. It is a fresh, unique, original, impudent, colorful, exciting, irreverent, surprising, and wonderful musical."

Not only the critics showered it with praise, the various awards groups in the American theater industry also rewarded it with numerous trophies. It won three Tony Awards, for Best Director (John Rando), Best Original Score (Mark Hollman and Greg Kotis), and Best Book (Greg Kotis) in 2002. It also won the 2001 Obie Award for Best Lyrics and Best Choreography (John Carrofa) and the 2002 Drama League Award for Distinguished Theater Production of a Musical. Also in 2002, it brought home the Lucille Lortell Awards for Outstanding Musical and Choreography. Online voters also bestowed on it the Broadway.com Awards for Favorite New Broadway Musical, Favorite Ensemble Cast, and Favorite Featured Actor (Jeff McCarthy). It is so easy to see why Bobby Garcia was instantly drawn to Urinetown.

For the Philippine production of Urinetown, Bobby has signed up the best and brightest Filipino artists to collaborate with Atlantis onstage and off. Only the most gifted artists and technicians would do for such a landmark Broadway musical, as far as Bobby and Atlantis are concerned.

Veteran performers Michael de Mesa and Jinky Llamanzares will assume the pivotal roles of Caldwell B. Cladwell and Penelope Pennywise, respectively. Rocker Jett Pangan will portray Officer Lockstock, while fresh young talent Fiona Barranda will play Little Sally. Tackling the demanding lead characters, Bobby Strong and Hope Cladwell are up-and-coming theater stars Noel Rayos and Cathy Azanza.

In casting the 16 lead and ensemble players, Bobby had very specific actors in mind. "It all boils down to knowing that they can do their parts well," he asserts.

It helps, of course, that Bobby has worked with all of these actors at one time or another. Michael and Jett have been Atlantis regulars as early as the Rent days. Noel and Cathy both appeared in The Rocky Horror Show and Jinky guested in Dreamgirls.

"And the actors have also worked together in the past, in different shows," Bobby adds. "We have all worked, if not together, then in separate groups. There’s one degree of separation between all of us. I wanted to make sure that the entire cast had chemistry. It’s because it’s very much an ensemble piece, in the same way that Rent was an ensemble play. Everyone has a substantial part in the show, even the chorus."

That is precisely the challenge of Urinetown. Indeed, just to stage a play in this day and age is a challenge in itself, but for Bobby, the most rewarding aspect of directing Urinetown is in the process itself.

"It’s really all about making the humor come out because if you read the script, especially if you read it out loud, it’s already funny as is," he affirms. "You just can’t help but laugh out loud at how absurd it is."

That is also the reason why a very high IQ, not to mention a just-as-finely tuned sense of humor, was Bobby’s main criterion in choosing his players. "You need some sort of intelligence to be able to perform in this show," he explains. "You really need to get the humor. You have to understand the piece. It’s primarily because all the characters in this show are slightly off," he guffaws. "They’re just not completely there. They’re all slightly delusional."

Even backstage, Bobby lined up an unbeatable team of professionals led by musical director Manman Angsico, lighting director Gerry Fernandez, and choreographer Val Trono. Both onstage and off, the entire Atlantis troupe will surely have a ball in mounting the mighty challenge that is Urinetown.

The Atlantis production of Urinetown will open tonight at the RCBC Plaza and will run until Dec. 21.