The thrill of Urinetown

Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award Winning playwright David Auburn (Proof) recently said that it’s getting more expensive and much more difficult to produce Broadway shows – he might as well be talking about theater in the Philippines.

But, in as much as it has gotten harder, with the help of some generous corporations and the belief of some very passionate artists, we are able to continue to bring live theater to Philippine shores.

And this time around, we are bringing a Broadway musical that has taken New York audiences by storm. Urinetown: The Musical has been hailed by many critics as one of the most invigorating and galvanizing theater experiences in recent years. And I really believe it is.

I first saw a production of Urinetown in June of 2001 when it was still an off-Broadway phenomenon. It was the hottest ticket to come by at that time (and also the "coolest" conversation topic – perhaps because of its odd title). It was around that time that word got around about Urinetown possibly transferring to Broadway. Many people laughed at the thought of a Broadway musical with that title. But when Urinetown opened on Broadway on Sept. 20, 2001 (postponed from its original opening scheduled Sept. 13, 2001 because of the 9/11 terrorist attacks), Urinetown was heralded as Broadway’s "It" Musical. It was indeed the tonic New Yorkers needed at an unbearably difficult time. Urinetown, with its hysterically funny story and exuberant music, went on to win three Tony Awards and continues to run on Broadway to full houses.

We are extremely fortunate to have been granted the rights to stage Urinetown in the Philippines while it continues to draw large crowds on Broadway. Manila audiences will be one of the first outside the US to see a production of Urinetown. And that really excites all of us working on the show.

Don’t let the title throw you off. Urinetown is one of the funniest, most romantic and heart-warming musicals that have opened on Broadway (and maybe even in Manila) in recent memory. It’s one of the those shows you can bring the whole family to (despite the odd title).

Urinetown is the simple story of a boy and a girl who fall in love in a city in the middle of a water shortage. It is also a loving tribute to musical theater – and perhaps that is why I fell in love with it from the beginning.

Musical theater has always been my passion. Don’t get me wrong, I love great dramas with beautiful language, but there is something about the energy of a musical I have never been able to find in any other artistic medium. When I was getting my Masters of Fine Arts in Directing, I chose to focus on Musical Theater because of the joy and excitement it always brought me through the years – starting when I was 10. And in its own unique way, Urinetown celebrates the love of musicals.

The Philippines, after all, is the country with the best musical talent in the world. I really believe that. And the cast of Urinetown is proof of that statement. It has always been our goal at Atlantis Productions to gather artists from different media and put them onstage together so we all learn from each other. In the past, we have had rock stars, film and television actors, recording artists, theater veterans and many newcomers work hand in hand putting together a show. The variety and perspectives of everyone has always allowed us to grow further as professionals in our fields. And we have done just that with Urinetown once again.

Heading the cast is rock icon turned theater addict Jett Pangan as Officer Lockstock, the narrator of the evening; Miss Saigon Toronto and The Who’s Tommy Toronto veteran Jinky Llamanzares as Penny Wise (Jinky was nominated for a Dora Mavore award, the Canadian equivalent of a Tony Award and she was the only Filipina ever nominated for that award); theater veterans Noel Rayos and Cathy Azanza as lovebirds Bobby Strong and Hope Cladwell; theater actress Pheona Baranda as Little Sally and Michael de Mesa as Caldwell B. Cladwell (his first villain role in Atlantis). Joining them is an ensemble of new and old theater performers eager to do their best.

This has been one of the most enjoyable shows I have had the pleasure of directing. To say I would laugh so hard until my stomach ached during rehearsals would be an understatement. Plus, we have our good old reliable crew led by Bernice Aspillaga-Canete to keep us on schedule and on track. And with my partner in crime and comfort blanket Gerry Fernandez there to do the lighting for us, it certainly seems like old times. But we have a brand new choreographer, Val Trono whipping the cast into shape for the many dance numbers Urinetown has. Val and I went to high school together and she was in the ensemble of Dreamgirls (as well as Dance Captain). It’s such a treat to work with someone you’ve known for many years and watch them create such enjoyable, inventive dances.

But yes, putting a show on these days is not as easy as it was a few years back (and that already wasn’t an easy endeavor!). Times are hard and it is understandable that most companies are holding onto every cent. But I believe theater is important. And the contributions corporations give theater arts returns to them in heaps in many different ways (some intangible). And, thanks to these extremely generous companies, establishments and individuals who have supported us from day one, and continue to do so, we have made it this far.

For starters, there’s The Philippine STAR. An article will never capture the gratitude we feel towards Mr. Max Soliven, Mr. Miguel Belmonte, Ricky Lo, Millet Mananquil, Doreen Yu, Boy Abunda and the efficient, friendly staff of The STAR for continuously supporting us year after year. And not just us – The STAR has been a benefactor of theater arts, supporting most of the theatrical productions that open in this country. Your belief in what we do is truly a blessing for us all.

And then there’s UVA (by far the best restaurant in the Greenbelt area, I think) which hosted our press conferences from the get go when they were still in Quezon City and we were still relatively unknown. Raymund Isaac has not only been a good friend since I returned to Manila, but along with his staff at Portfolio, has supported us by shooting our publicity photos from day one, giving us that look only he could create. Music One (they have the best selection of soundtracks and Original Cast Recordings in town) has been an ally for most of our musical productions. The generous support of the American Embassy has helped ease our royalty payments to the licensors in the US. The PCSO excitedly supports our musical productions time and again. And with the support of Bayo, Jam 88.3, MBC, NBC 92.3 Joey, Aquasure, Goldilocks, Kanin Ni Tisay, Bergmann, Avon, Magoo’s Pizza, Country Style, Apple Center by PowerMac, Berocca, Gloria Jean’s Coffee, Hit Productions, Carpaccio, Mexicali, King Philip and the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, we have been able to bring Broadway’s "It" Musical to Manila.

Urinetown is a show that really can get you into the holiday spirit. It’s a musical whose humor and heart provide many great thrills. And it also has a wonderful simple message – there are times when you deserve to just kick back and have one helluva good time!

(Urinetown the Musical runs until Dec. 21 at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza, Makati. For tickets, call Atlantis Productions at 8927078 or Ticketworld at 8915610.)