‘Urinetown’ makes us look at ourselves

Dear Editor:

Environment vs. capitalism, compassion vs. greed – sound familiar?

Our beloved Aspen is a gorgeous and exciting place to live and/or spend some vacation time, but it is indeed troubled by these aforementioned situations. So how does a town make the difficult decisions needed for survival of both the population and natural resources? Theatre Aspen School’s Teen production of “Urinetown, the Musical” presents all these problems in an amusing, highly entertaining, yet thought-provoking style.

“Urinetown, the Musical” satirizes environmental catastrophes, capitalism, social irresponsibility, the legal system, “pie in the sky” idealism, bureaucracy, corporate mismanagement, and municipal politics – a whacky, hysterical romp about very serious issues. The show also parodies several famous Broadway musicals and the Broadway Musical itself as a form.

Come enjoy a fun-filled Theatre Aspen School performance of singing, dancing, and over-the-top comedy and tragedy, then go visit the Rocky Mountain Institute, ACES, Wilderness Workshop, the Aspen Institute, and Windstar – which are all seriously trying to figure out solutions to all these problems – for some factual information to help heal humanity and the earth.

The show plays Thursday and Friday morning, July 21 and 22, at 10:30 in Theatre Aspen’s new Hurst Theatre and at 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 22, the Snowmass Chapel. Tickets are $15 for adults, and $10 for children. “Urinetown, the Musical” is a perfect opportunity for we Aspenites to laugh at ourselves, realize our shortcomings, and then get busy working together to avoid being the next Urinetown.

Ricki Smith Newsman

Aspen