Urinetown  •  7:00 p.m. Nov. 17-18 & 2:00 p.m. Nov. 18-19
at PHS

Tickets: $7 adults, $5 youth

'A side-splitting satire'

A side-splitting sendup of greed, love, revolution (and musicals!), in a time when water is worth its weight in gold.

Winner of three Tony Awards, three Outer Critics Circle Awards, two Lucille Lortel Awards and two Obie Awards, Urinetown is an hilarious musical satire of the legal system, capitalism, social irresponsibility, populism, bureaucracy, corporate mismanagement, municipal politics and musical theatre itself! Hilariously funny and touchingly honest, Urinetown provides a fresh perspective on one of America's greatest art forms.
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In a Gotham-like city, a terrible water shortage, caused by a 20-year drought, has led to a government-enforced ban on private toilets. The citizens must use public amenities, regulated by a single malevolent company that profits by charging admission for one of humanity's most basic needs. Amid the people, a hero decides that he's had enough and plans a revolution to lead them all to freedom!

Inspired by the works of Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill, Urinetown is an irreverently humorous satire in which no one is safe from scrutiny. Praised for reinvigorating the very notion of what a musical could be, Urinetown catapults the "comedic romp" into the new millennium with its outrageous perspective, wickedly modern wit and sustained ability to produce gales of unbridled laughter.

Honored to have been chosen for:

'A rare opportunity'

The cast of Pittsburg High School Theatre Department’s upcoming musical, “Urinetown,” had a rare opportunity on Sunday, Oct. 29: a master class with a Broadway actress, Janine DiVita. 

The master class was partially funded by a grant from the Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas Future Fund and partially funded by private donation. A portion of the class was open to the public.

DiVita is a critically acclaimed actor, singer, dancer, and writer who in addition to Broadway shows and national tours, has performed in concert halls, and Tony Award-winning regional theaters across the country and world. She starred as Elizabeth in the national tour of Young Frankenstein and played Rizzo in Grease on Broadway. She has been seen on screen opposite Dustin Hoffman in the Francois Gerard directed feature film, “The Choir” and has had roles on hit television shows such as FX's "The Americans," and CBS' "Elementary."

DiVita’s resumé includes a Barrymore Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical for her role as Nancy in Oliver. She holds a dual degree in Musical Theatre and Communications Studies from The University of Michigan and lives in New York City.

“This is an incredible opportunity for high school students from Pittsburg, Kansas — from anywhere, really — to be able to experience,” said "Urinetown" Director Greg Shaw. “This is the equivalent of the PHS football team getting to work with Alex Smith from the Chiefs.”

​In addition to her entertainment career, DiVita is also a passionate activist and educator, having earned the title of Global Citizen Ambassador and having taught classes that emphasize self-confidence, self-expression, communication and team building for the past 10 years at various educational institutions around the country.
 
She co-founded Empowered Voices (www.empowered-voices.com) with Stephanie Brooks as a way to strengthen social awareness and encourage understanding by educating and empowering individuals through self expression, awareness, and connectedness.

During rehearsal for the high school’s production of “Urinetown,” she provided coaching and feedback with cast members.

The satirical comedy musical premiered on Broadway in 2001. It satirizes the legal system, social irresponsibility, capitalism, populism, bureaucracy, corporate mismanagement, and municipal politics.

In a Gotham-like city, a terrible water shortage, caused by a 20-year drought, has led to a government-enforced ban on private toilets. The citizens must use public amenities, regulated by a single malevolent company that profits by charging admission for one of humanity's most basic needs. Amid the people, a hero decides that he's had enough and plans a revolution to lead them all to freedom.

The show also parodies musicals such as The Threepenny Opera, The Cradle Will Rock and Les Misérables, and the Broadway musical itself as a form.

The characters of Bobby Strong and Hope Cladwell were included on New York Theatre Monthly's list of "The 100 Greatest Roles in Musical Theatre,” and the show itself won three Tony Awards.

Following the class, she attended the Best of Broadway performance of Rent on Sunday evening at the Bicknell Family Center for the Arts  — a sold-out show.
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