Korda Opens Exciting 2025 Season with Windsor Premiere of 3-Time Tony Award Winning including URINETOWN: THE MUSICAL
Korda Artistic Productions will open its exciting and eclectic 2025 Season with URINETOWN: THE MUSICAL – a side-splitting sendup of greed, love, revolution (and musicals!), in a time when water is worth its weight in gold. With Book and Lyrics by Greg Kotis, and Music and by Mark Hollmann, this Windsor premiere is directed by Tracey B. Atin, with musical direction by Sam Bourque, and choreography by Hope Forman.
Winner of three Tony Awards, including Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score, three Outer Critics Circle Awards, two Lucille Lortel Awards, and two Obie Awards, URINETOWN is a hilarious musical satire of the legal system, capitalism, social irresponsibility, populism, environmental collapse, privatization of natural resources, bureaucracy, municipal politics, and musical theatre itself! 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 has had enough and plans a revolution to lead them all to freedom! Hilariously funny and touchingly honest, URINETOWN provides a fresh perspective on one of America’s greatest art forms.
URINETOWN opens its 3-week Windsor premiere run with performances on February 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21 and 22, 2025. There will be a Pay-What-You-Can performance on Thursday, February 13, and a Scent-Free performance on Thursday, February 20. All performances are at The KordaZone Theatre, at 2520 Seminole Street in Windsor. Tickets are available at the door, one hour before performances, or at https://www.showpass.com/kordazone-urinetown/. The show is generously supported by Windsor Improv Theatre (WIT), and Denise and Peter Hrastovec.
“Of course, you’re not supposed to like that title – that’s part of the big, good-natured, and remarkably successful joke that is URINETOWN. A terrifically spirited sendup of musicals and their conventions.” – The New Yorker
Korda’s production stars Hope Forman as Hope Cladwell; Calum McMillan as Bobby Strong; Rob Del Papa as Caldwell B. Cladwell; Josephine Cormier as Little Sally; Chloe Dockrill as Hot Blades Harry; Hannah Gault as Soupy Sue; Damie Oliver as Tiny Tom; Georgie Savoie as Little Becky; Clement Esliger as Robby the Stockfish; Cindy Pastorius as Josephine Strong; Rick Laforet as Old Man Strong; Atin as Penelope Pennywise; David Sivak as Officer Lockstock; Brett Hallick as Officer Barrel; Julia Santin as Cladwell’s Secretary; Gregory L. Girty as Mr. McQueen; Alex Alejandria as Senator Fipp; Maria Camila Boada as Mrs. Billeaux; and Patty Hopper as Mrs. Millenium.
The production features a LIVE band led by Bourque, with Nick Worth (piano); Sebastian Bachmeier (reeds); Mackenzie Walsh (brass); Taylor Unis (percussion); Sylvan Doucet-Lefebvre (bass); and vocalists Amber Thibert, Peyton Del Papa, Benjamin Doncom, Cavelle Doucet-Lefebvre, and Bourque.
“It’s terrible that the themes of URINETOWN, a play that I fell in love with over 20 years ago, are perhaps even more relevant today,” said Tracey B. Atin, the production’s director and Korda’s Founder. “I fell head over heels for the fantastic music and the smart and hilarious book and dialogue. It’s a show which manages to be wildly original at the same time it pays homage to the past, to Brecht and Weill, and brilliantly parodies the whole Music Theatre genre. The themes of ecological crisis, corporate greed and injustice were compelling… they still are. URINETOWN isn’t an ‘easy’ musical. Lest you think that it’s simple to define the good guys and the bad guys, let me suggest that although “The Rich” with their selfish lust for power and money are despicable, “The Poor” are pretty messed up too! Look how quickly they swing from violence to high ideals to violence moved by a good song. And the songs ARE sooo good! URINETOWN requires us to think AND feel. I conjecture that humour is the place that balances the two.”
The production is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International, New York, NY. This will be the Windsor premiere for the musical, which opens Korda’s new season. Tickets are available at the door, one hour before performances, or online.
“Korda’s third decade of entertaining and thought-provoking theatre continues with a season that mixes the unknown with the familiar,” said Jeff Marontate, Korda’s Resident Director. “We examine the loss of identity and individuality in a selection of shows that balance laughter, music and mystery. Whether they confront corruption or battle conformity, this season’s protagonists must rediscover the self in order to succeed, or survive!”
