The irony of Urinetown.

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There are very few things that terrify me. They include: Wolf Blitzer, Old people with bookbags and ANYTHING to do with bathrooms. Anyone that knows me at all know that the lengths I will go to secure a private bathroom. This includes talking about it, hearing about it ( or “it” at all!) seeing it, pretty much anything. I wouldn’t let my old roomates pause movies, for fear of them hearing me pee in the bathroom. I made my new landlord install a bathroom fan, so I wouldn’t be subjected to hearing people go to the washroom! Its a problem. I’m aware.

So last night, as I settled into my seat at newly opened Grand Theatre in downtown Calgary, I asked myself, why was I sooooo excited to see my third showing of the hit musical “Urinetown: The Musical” What is Urinetown you might ask? Unfornatly I cannot tell you, for fear of myself being sent there. But what I can tell you that Urinetown is an unforgettable experience, and the production that I witnessed last night was as high of quality that my friend natalie roy and I saw in New York City several years ago.

The jist of the show is that, our way of life is unsustainable. The town’s water dries up and private washrooms are closed and citizens must now pay to pee! I know what your saying, but why Michael do you enjoy this so much. You hate bathrooms. I do, I know this, but how can I hate anything put to music. (see: Buffy the Musical episode, and this season look for a Scrubs musical episode.) To lay it all down, the show is a satire of both the way we live our lives and musicals as a whole. (Shout outs to Les Miserables are abundant.)

Sally: You know Officer Lockstock, I don’t think people are going to like this musical.
Officer Lockstock: Why’s that Sally, don’t you think people want to know that their way of life is unsustainable.
Sally: That, and the title is awful!

Highlights of the show include, the Act 1 finale, Don’t be the Bunny, Snuff the Girl and anything before during or after those numbers! If you are in Calgary, or in a city where there will be a production of it, you MUST see it.

Also, The Grand Theatre has Unisex Bathrooms, aside from feeling like I was on Ally McBeal, please add this to the list of things that terrify me!