A musical named “Urinetown” might sound funny to those who don’t know its story. However, avid Broadway fans and theater lovers can attest to the fascinating ways this musical challenges the potential of corrupt government systems. “Urinetown” follows a timeline in which everyone must pay to use the bathroom. Instead of restrooms inside everyone’s homes, there are “public facilities” with varying price levels that citizens must pay to use when necessary. Of course, this society is extremely corrupt, and although it does not reflect our current reality, it can still guide us to think about the functions of government systems today.
This musical premieres on April 16, 2026, and Parris Bradley, the executive director at the Mullen Center and set designer for “Urinetown,” shared what the set will include.
The set’s design is centered around four main locations situated upon a turnstile. These four locations will work together throughout the show, and it is up to the actors alone to successfully move the set depending on the scene.
The first of the four locations is Public Amenity Number 9. This is the cheapest facility citizens can pay to use, and is where the actors will spend the majority of their time. The set uses wallpaper to display dirty tiles and stairs, which will allow viewers to step into this reality more intensely.
The second of the four locations situated on the turnstile is the Urine Good Company. This company is often described as monopolistic and corrupt because it controls all public restrooms. This set incorporates large amounts of “power blue.” Power blue is an example of how color can be used to influence audiences and evoke specific emotions. The blue used for the Urine Good Company set will make us think of its power. The color green might make us think of the environment. This is just one example of how even the smallest details, such as choosing the colors for a set, can have large impacts.
The next two locations are on the smaller ends of the four-sided structure on the turnstile. One side represents a street corner, while the other becomes a secret hideout. Wallpaper with a brick pattern was used to create a realistic-looking street corner. The secret hideout is meant to be underground, so it is being made to appear as such with a lot of grey. These locations, in addition to the two described above, incorporate the Brechtian theatrical style, which means they will provoke critical, objective thinking rather than emotional immersion. This style shows how, by connecting all four locations, any confusion is broken through, and the set does not hide anything from them either.
Although it may appear that the citizens in this reality have the worst experiences of everyone and that all hardship falls on them, having all four locations joined together will remind viewers that what affects one side affects all sides. The conjoined reality created in this set will show how the hardships affect everyone, even if the citizens seem to get the worst of it.
Those who wish to see Villanova’s production of “Urinetown,”can visit villanovatheatre.org/urinetown to purchase tickets. This production is set to premiere on Thursday, April 16, and close on Sunday, April 26.
