Urinetown hits the stage as MCCTA’s spring musical

By: Jessica Turgeon

Chris Traina as Bobby Strong and cast in "Run Freedom, Run!"

The curtain opened to reveal Public Amenity #9, a public restroom that has become something of a home to those poor folks who must pay to pee. They don’t want to end up in Urinetown; the place, not the musical.

Urinetown the Musical is a satirical comedy about a water shortage and a tax on public restrooms involving capitalism, politics, corporate mismanagement and other parodies.

Put on by Marist College Council on Theatre Arts (MCCTA), Urinetown the Musical opened this past weekend and ran from Thursday, April 2 to Sunday, April 5. The performances brought in just about a full house for almost every show.

Cladwell Staff in "Mr. Cladwell"

“This was the most fun I’ve had doing a part,” said Matt Wolfe, a senior who played the role of Caldwell B. Cladwell for his last performance with MCCTA.  ”Once you get past the intent of the character and all the work that goes into it, it was a lot of fun,” said Wolfe about his character.

Wolfe had a great learning experience with the director of the show, Beth, who is new to MCCTA and the Marist stage. Wolfe has worked with the same director for most of his musicals at Marist, so this was a new experience. Beth pushed him very far and taught him to “look deep into his character”.

The plot of the story takes the audience on an emotional roller coaster, never knowing where it is going to stop.

However, the uplifting comedic relief of each character substitutes for the lack of a happy ending. After all, it’s a privilege to pee.

Old Man Strong in "Privilege to Pee"

“Can we do a happy musical next time?” says the character of Little Sally to Officer Lockstock while he narrates to the audience that life is unsustainable and what was to be a happy ending shifts rather harshly.

The cast, however, enjoyed the show and the experience that they had with it. Never having been involved with MCCTA musicals, junior Nicole Madar was very entertained by the audience reaction to almost every line.

“My favorite part was Snuff that Girl because that was the moment where I really got to delve into my character and test my limits with it,” said Madar, who played Little Becky Two-Shoes, a poor pregnant woman with a twitch.

Wolfe enjoyed the musical numbers because he was able to showcase unique singing styles, hit some high notes and be funny.  “It left nothing to be desired,” he said.

As MCCTA’s spring musical, Urinetown served as the last show for many graduating seniors. “You can see by my tears how I feel,” said Caryn Shatraw, who played the character of Hope Cladwell.

“I really couldn’t have asked for a better last show,” said Wolfe.

“All the World’s a Stage…”

By Jessica Turgeon

“PLACES.” The actors get into place and wait for the show to begin. The curtain opens and the lights go up…

Just a week away from opening, everything is coming together for the cast and crew of Shakespeare’s ‘As You Like It’. For the first time ever, MCCTA (Marist College Council on Theatre Arts) and Marist Theatre are collaborating in the production of this show.

“I think it’s a healthy relationship because there are so many pressures, such as the space…joining forces produces a more legitimate presence,” said Jim Steinmeyer, director of ‘As You Like It’. Steinmeyer is a 1971 graduate of Marist College and has directed over 60 productions, this being his fifth at Marist.

Every other year, MCCTA puts on a Shakespeare production, and Steinmeyer was excited to be given the opportunity this year to direct. “You don’t get the chance very often,” Steinmeyer said. “It’s a challenge, but sometimes you need that.”

The cast has been in rehearsal since the beginning of the semester. Now entering into tech week, it is time to add the final elements of light and sound, costumes, and the set.

It was decided that the setting of the show should be modernized, so half of the show is set in a chic New York City style and the other half is Hampton’s beach style. The costumes

Touchstone and Jaques. Courtesy of Jon Yantz, house manager.

portray the contrast of those environments for the evil Duchess’ court in the first act and the laid back banished Duchess’ followers in the second.

The weeks of long rehearsals and tedious time spent memorizing lines has paid off. Steinmeyer said he could not have asked for the cast to have handled the material better. He said they have worked hard and have been serious about learning. Steinmeyer believes that the progress of the show is going according to plan as the show approaches.

According to the cast, tech week is off to a good start. “It is interesting to see the production coming together with lights, costume, and sound,” said Gail Goldsmith, a cast member. “It is constantly elevating to a new level.”

Goldsmith is a freshman at Marist and this is her first production with MCCTA. “I’ve really been enjoying it in a dimension I hadn’t expected,” said Goldsmith. She has not been in many productions before, so this has been an exciting new experience for her.

She has especially enjoyed working with a dedicated and enthusiastic cast whom she has found so inspiring.

Another cast member new to the Marist stage is CC Levesque, also a freshman. CC was pleasantly surprised to see how organized the production was compared to her experiences in high school. She believes that everything is coming together well, running smoothly, and finally feels like a production.

There would be no production, however, without the hours of hard work of the stage managers and producers. Tracy Vail has stepped into the role of stage manager for her first experience with MCCTA.

Her role as stage manager is to give blocking with the director, compile the props and music lists, and call lines when the cast is off book. Now that it is tech week, Vail’s job is to call the show, meaning she gives cues to the lights and sound workers and is in charge backstage.

Rosalind and Silvius. Courtesy of Jon Yantz, house manager.

Before this weekend, Vail wanted everything to be in place and ready, such as the music and the lighting cues, but some things fell through. She was also hoping that she had a good enough hold on the play to give the cues.

Vail joined the crew of this show only knowing one of the producers. She said the hardest part of working on ‘As You Like It’ was finding her place.

“It was nice to build relationships with the cast, the producers, Jim…at first I didn’t know if I could do it,” said Vail. She hopes to continue working with MCCTA in the behind-the-scenes field.

Put together an extensive set, detailed costumes, bright lights, a music playlist, a talented cast of actors and an important production crew, and you have MCCTA and Marist Theatre’s ‘As You Like It’. The show will run from Thursday, March 5 until Sunday, March 8.

“All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.”