Though painfully cynical, Riverwalk’s ‘Urinetown’ is phenomenal all around

The dystopian musical comedy “Urinetown,” running at Riverwalk Theatre Thursday (Nov. 14) through Sunday (Nov. 17), is an intriguing work that’s both timely and too late — timely because it tells the story of a society that brings about its own doom but too late to make an impact, however small, on local audiences.

In an imaginary place and time, a decades-long drought has forced society to take measures of extreme austerity. Water is so scarce that people must pay to use public restrooms that are controlled by the megalithic Urine Good Co., which is sanctioned by the corrupt government. The poor masses are cowed into submission with the threat of being sent to the mysterious Urinetown if they don’t comply.

Against this backdrop, assistant custodian Bobby Strong (Robert Mueller) becomes an unlikely leader of a rebellion. Strong’s father (Aaron Wittbrodt) is sent to Urinetown after relieving himself on the street in desperation. A despondent Bobby meets and falls in love with Hope Cladwell (Kira Elena Billard), who teaches him to follow his heart, leading to an uprising.

Hope is the daughter of Urine Good Co. CEO Caldwell B. Cladwell (James Curtis), and when Bobby discovers this, he takes her hostage to protect the rebels. When Bobby’s negotiations with the miserly CEO fail, Hope becomes the unlikely leader of the rebellion. 

This would be an entirely different review in 2008, or maybe even six months ago, periods of time when rally cries like “yes, we can” and “when we fight, we win” gave those on the left some hope that this country had a bright future. This week, though, the cynicism of “Urinetown” cuts deep. This is because the finale leaves no true protagonists.

Creators Mark Hollmann and Greg Kotis drafted a plot based on sweeping stereotypes and tropes: Politicians are all corrupt, corporations only care about profit, and the wealthy are hand-wringing evil geniuses. Stereotypes typically exist because there’s some truth behind them, which makes another stereotype particularly biting now: Sometimes people, perhaps well-intentioned but misguided, act against their own best interests. Right now, that seems to be the prevalent theme of “Urinetown.”

Having said all that, Riverwalk’s production is phenomenal all around. Brian Farnham not only directs the play but also did the choreography, which is tight and energetic. Farnham also had a hand in the set design, which is enhanced by husband-and-wife duo Michelle and Tracy Smith’s prop design. The set pieces are impressive — grungy, industrial and highly functional — allowing the production team to take full advantage of every inch of the performance space.

Costume designer Amanda Macomber and hair and makeup designer Kayla Henry did a bang-up job of outfitting two ends of the spectrum between the haves and the have-nots. The poor are filthy and clad in creatively combined scraps, while the rich are adorned in regalia that would surely meet the approval of “The Hunger Games’” Effie Trinket.

There’s no drought of talent among the cast, but a few deserve to be highlighted. Billard has a gorgeous and pure voice, perfect for her role as the good-hearted Hope. Meghan Malusek, one of the Lansing area’s prized musical talents, doesn’t need to be the lead to be a star as the tough but conflicted Penelope Pennywise. Special kudos goes to Carmen Zavala-Kelly, a delight to watch as Little Becky Two Shoes, who looks to be 10 months pregnant. Not only does she keep up with the choreography despite the artificial baby belly, but she and Luka Pawsek (as Hot Blades Harry) are gleefully menacing as they threaten Hope during “Snuff the Girl.”

Creative types and those with open minds like to believe that art has the power to change the world. Riverwalk’s “Urinetown” is an outstanding production of a complex cautionary tale. It’s unfortunate that more people weren’t cautioned by its themes in the 23 years since its premiere.

“Urinetown”  

Nov. 14-17  

7 p.m. Thursday  

8 p.m. Friday-Saturday  

2 p.m. Sunday  

Riverwalk Theatre  

228 Museum Drive, Lansing  

(517) 482-5700

riverwalktheatre.com