Kicking off Parents’ Weekend with the opening night of “Urinetown,” Washington University’s Performing Arts Department brought their best melodramatic acting, passionate singing and, of course, desperate yelping about urine on the Edison Theatre stage.

The musical features a talented cast of Wash. U. students and was produced by industry professionals, many of whom are Wash. U. faculty, as well as other undergraduate and graduate students who assisted with such aspects as sound, costume design and choreography.

Kayla Steinberg | Student Life

Junior Ethan Evans leads a group of townspeople in protest during “Urinetown” at Edison Theatre on Friday, Oct. 20.

The premise of the Broadway musical is that in a town experiencing a water shortage, peeing becomes a privilege and people must pay to do private business in public bathrooms. The hilarious performance is a satirical comedy, with the absurd notion of “paying to pee” serving as a critiquing of capitalism and self-serving business practices. In the musical, capitalists are evil—the CEO of Urine Good Company Caldwell B. Cladwell (junior Brandon Krisko) even relates poor people to “bunnies” who must serve rich humans so that they can have things like bunny slippers and trips to Rio de Janeiro, demonstrated through the song “Don’t Be the Bunny.”

The musical premiered in 2001 and features music and lyrics by Mark Hollmann and Greg Kotis. It won three Tony Awards—Best Book of a Musical, Best Original Score and Best Direction of a Musical as well as the Theatre World Award.

Kayla Steinberg | Student Life

Bobby Strong (junior Ethan Evans) and Hope Caldwell (freshman Shelby Davis) hold hands across a crowd of wealthy townspeople and protestors during the second act of “Urinetown.”

“Urinetown” is both the name of the prison-like town where rule breakers are banished and also the name of the musical, as several actors acknowledge throughout the show. The musical broke the fourth wall by recognizing that it was, in fact, a musical right at the start (evidenced by the accompanying song title “Too Much Exposition”), with the cast welcoming the audience to “Urinetown” through vibrant song and dance (“It’s a Privilege to Pee”). Its opening was immediately humorous, with such antics as people lamenting as they waited to pee, sending the audience howling.

It progressed to reveal the central storyline of the rich wanting “dough” coupled with a love story between bathroom sweeper Bobby Strong (junior Ethan Evans) and Caldwell B. Cladwell’s daughter, Hope Cladwell (freshman Shelby Davis). The wait and cost of using the public facilities turned into a protest that featured several clashes between both the rich and the poor and between the two lovers themselves.

Kayla Steinberg | Student Life

Junior Carly Rosenbaum (as Penelope Pennywise) performs during “Privilege to Pee.” A satirical comedy, “Urinetown” addresses ideas of government control of resources and capitalism.

The actors’ singing was absolutely incredible and matched the powerful nature of the songs. “Privilege to Pee” was particularly riveting, for it featured a chorus of voices from the poor as well as the strong vocals of bathroom money collector Penelope Pennywise (junior Carly Rosenbaum). The actors masterfully embraced the satire with sensational movements and punchy lines. The dancing in the performance was fairly simple, but it let the singing and acting really show through. One of the most exciting staged moments was when Bobby Strong and Hope Cladwell were lifted horizontally by the other characters and held hands while they were spun in the middle of a massive clash between the wealthy and the poor.

The exciting performance was timed perfectly, for the Parents’ Weekend opening enabled an audience of Wash. U. students, families and even Chancellor Mark Wrighton to attend. There was something for everyone to love—humor, catchy tunes and thought-provoking topics such as the innocence of humanity, loss of hope and optimal systems of government—all in a musical about pee.

“Urinetown” will continue next weekend at 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27 and Saturday, Oct. 28, and at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29. Tickets can be purchased online on the Wash. U. Edison Theatre website or in-person at the Edison Theatre box office.