You know those "rave reviews" that people always talk about? Well, you're about to read one. That's right, the Carnegie Mellon School of Drama's rendition of Urinetown: The Musical left absolutely nothing to be desired. In fact, this production was particularly exciting because Carnegie Mellon Drama was the first theatre group in Pennsylvania given the rights to perform Urinetown.

The experience started the second the audience walked into the theatre, with dim lighting, sounds of dripping water, and two crew members dressed as police officers panning searchlights around the room. The set and stage, which was guarded by two other patrolling police officers, made it seem as though a person was looking into an oversized pipe which happened to contain a grimy network of metal stairs and railings. After about ten minutes of this, the two officers went off stage and brought out the conductor, who was dressed as a prisoner, forced him into the pit. From there, the show officially began.

Urinetown takes place during the aftereffects of a worldwide drought which has caused people to change their lifestyles and, naturally, made it impossible for anyone to afford private bathrooms. In an effort to make sure that people can still do their business without ruining what's left of the water supply, laws force the use of corporate controlled public bathrooms which charge high fees. Of course, corruption in the leadership of the company and in the local politicians has made the cost of urination so high that it is impossible for many people to pay the required fee. This wouldn't be a problem if it weren't for the fact that if a person is caught urinating anywhere else but the restroom, they are exiled to Urinetown, a mysterious place that nobody really knows anything about.

While the premise is entertainingly ridiculous enough, what makes this story so exceptional is the combination of comedy, blatant musical satire, and social commentary. The overall message of the musical is ridiculing the American paradox, which demands unbound luxury and human rights at the expense of natural resources, but half of the time the actors are focused on breaking every Broadway rule and stereotype in existence.

A great script can be a flop without a strong performance to back it up, but Carnegie Mellon's cast did an excellent job. Officer Lockstock and Little Sally, played by CFA seniors Dan Amboyer and Marissa Lesch, kept the audience in the know by explaining what was going on in the plot through aside conversations wedged between scenes, and they were sure to remind the audience of the predictable nature of musicals. Bobby, the hero of the show who was played by CFA senior Timothy Scott Wilson, also managed to hold a grip on both his followers on stage and his audience during his songs about the freedom to urinate, while Hope, played by CFA senior Johanna Brickey, captured his heart. Throughout the performance, punch lines consistently arrived on time, and the cast seemed to fill the roles of their characters perfectly.

After Urinetown was over, I thought about all the times I've heard Simon Cowell tell American Idol contestants that they "should be on Broadway" as though it was an insult. In reality, the level of talent that this cast and crew displayed was almost mind-blowing. I wholly recommend you try to attend future productions of the Carnegie Mellon Drama Department. Even if it ends up only being half as entertaining as Urinetown was, it will still be well worth your time and money.

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