Kendall Aronson, Campus Carrier Asst. Arts & Living Editor
 |
| Spencer Russell | CAMPUS CARRIER |
| “Urinetown” opened on Feb 22. in Sister Theatre. The show is set in the near future where the rich have capitalized on a water shortage, charging poor people to pee. The show will run until March 4. |
BCTC’s production of “Urinetown,” a satirical, dystopian musical chronicling a world in which it is a privilege to pee, premiered on Feb. 22.
The show was very well produced. The choreography and its execution was very exciting and the cast as a whole was talented. The costumes and set showed great attention to detail and added to the quality of the show. The songs that included the full cast were very impactful and generally well done. The scene in which Bobby asks the conductor of the pit for help in conducting the song was particularly funny and memorable. Throughout the production the cast did an excellent job of staying in character and making sure their character’s actions were still unique even songs featuring the entire cast.
The use of lighting during the production especially exemplified the creativity in the show. In musical numbers such as “The Cop Song,” flashlights were used to create further dramatic effect.
Junior Tyler Hooper played the lead role of Bobby Strong. Both his singing and his acting were fantastic, and he did an overall stellar job in the role.
Freshman Daniel Holder shone in his role of Caldwell B. Cladwell, the villain of the show. From the time he was wheeled onstage, lounging on his desk, to when he stole the show in every scene he was in, and eventually in his demise, he was fantastic. Sophomore Kenny Morgan and senior Ethan Hart also did well in their performances as Cladwell’s henchmen.
Officer Barrel and Officer Lockstock, played by freshman Ben Allee, and senior Eric Jackson respectively, did an excellent job portraying their characters and had great chemistry. Jackson captured both humor and morbidity in his role, which served as a narrator for the entirety of the show.
During the opening performance, freshman ensemble member Madison VandenOever fell during one of the songs and fractured her arm. She played it off quite well, and I was unsure whether the fall was on purpose until afterwards.
The pit orchestral section gave an added dimension to the production. It was nice to have a live orchestra rather than a recording. However, from the balcony where I was sitting during the performance on Thursday night, it was difficult during some parts of the show to hear the dialogue over the orchestra.
This was the first BCTC musical production I have seen while at Berry, and overall, I think it was a great performance. There will be more performances March 1-3 in the evening at 7:30 p.m. and a matinee performance on Sunday March 4 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $5 for students, $7 for seniors and $10 for adults.