Pioneer Theatre Guild: Urinetown (Publicity Shoot)

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The poor revolutionary Bobby Strong (Robby Eisentrout) and the rich tycoon’s daughter Hope (Mara Abramson) are in love. Now before I get anybody in trouble, I want to clearly state: the boys’ bathroom, while not the cleanest facility I’ve been in, was not remotely as dirty as you see here. The problem — and for purposes of the publicity shoot this actually was a problem! — was that the bathroom was too clean. So I employed several tricks in post-production to achieve the desired level of skankiness.

Today’s publicity shoot for the Pioneer Theatre Guild’s spring musical Urinetown took me deep into the dank, fetid underbelly of our public school system. The dueling stenches (of human waste and industrial cleaning products) forced me to hold my nose more than a few times. (In truth, there weren’t really any stenches, dueling or otherwise. But sometimes photographers just make up interesting backstories.) Even so, I can’t recall a publicity session that turned out any sweeter than this one. Bonus: the dark, gritty, and satirical texture of the show legitimized my use of techniques that might otherwise have constituted Photoshop abuse.

Everyone involved — the actors, crew, directors, and producers — did a phenomenal job preparing for the shoot. Everything about it was buttery smooth and efficient.

[From the PTG press release:] Nominated for 10 Tony Awards, this groundbreaking contemporary musical comedy has redefined the world of musical theater. URINETOWN satirizes many contemporary issues, and holds the mirror up to society showing us what can happen when a greedy political system has to deal with an ecological crisis. A twenty-year drought causes all restroom activities to be done in public toilets, which are controlled by the government or big business. Strictly enforced laws ensure that people must pay to pee, or else they will be sent to Urinetown where culprits are sent but never return. A new fee hike, instituted by corrupt corporation Urine Good Company, triggers a revolutionary revolt by the poor. This ultimately leads up to a head to head battle between these two opposing forces, but with an ending that will shock and surprise!

Officer Lockstock (Rory Scott) keeps the street urchin Little Sally (Ashley Park) in line.

L-R: Penelope Pennywise (Emily Steward), Bobby Strong (Robby Eisentrout), Hope Cladwell (Mara Abramson), Caldwell B. Cladwell (Robert Axelrod), Officer Lockstock (Rory Scott), and Little Sally (Ashley Park).

More info on the Pioneer Theatre Guild and the 2008–2009 season.

Tickets

• Adults: $12
• Students/Seniors/Teachers: $8

Performance Schedule

• Saturday, April 25 @ 7:30pm
• Sunday, April 26 @ 2pm matinee
• Friday, May 1 @ 7:30pm
• Saturday, May 2 @ 7:30pm
• Sunday, May 3 @ 2pm matinee

All performances will be in Schreiber Auditorium at Ann Arbor’s Pioneer High School.

“Evacuation complete.”

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See also:

• Pioneer Theatre Guild: Rent (Jun 24, 2014)
• FutureStars 2014 (Jan 30, 2014)
• Pioneer Theatre Guild: Pippin (Nov 17, 2013)
• Shrek The Musical (May 20, 2013)
• FutureStars 2013 (Jan 22, 2013)
• Pioneer Theatre Guild: Ragtime (Jan 6, 2013)
• Pioneer Theatre Guild: Ragtime (Publicity Shoot) (Oct 12, 2012)
• Pioneer Theatre Guild: West Side Story (May 4, 2012)
• FutureStars 2012 (Jan 24, 2012)
• Pioneer Theatre Guild: Phantom of the Opera (Nov 10, 2011)
• Pioneer Theatre Guild: Seussical (Jun 3, 2011)
• Pioneer Theatre Guild: Seussical (Publicity Shoot) (Apr 28, 2011)
• FutureStars 2011 (Jan 17, 2011)
• Pioneer Theatre Guild: Hairspray (Nov 15, 2010)
• Pioneer Theatre Guild: Hairspray (Publicity Shoot) (Oct 29, 2010)
• FutureStars 2010 (Jan 18, 2010)
• Pioneer Theatre Guild: Oklahoma! (Nov 11, 2009)
• Pioneer Theatre Guild: Oklahoma! (Publicity Shoot) (Oct 12, 2009)
• Pioneer Theatre Guild: Urinetown (Apr 27, 2009)
• FutureStars 2009 (Jan 19, 2009)
• Pioneer Theatre Guild: Miss Saigon (Nov 8, 2008)
• Pioneer Theatre Guild: Miss Saigon (Publicity Shoot) (Oct 1, 2008)
• Pioneer Theatre Guild: Willy Wonka (Apr 29, 2008)
• Pioneer Theatre Guild: Willy Wonka (Publicity Shoot) (Apr 2, 2008)
• FutureStars 2008 (Jan 21, 2008)
• Pioneer Theatre Guild: Thoroughly Modern Millie (Nov 4, 2007)
• Pioneer Theatre Guild: Thoroughly Modern Millie (Publicity Shoot) (Oct 9, 2007)
• Pioneer Theatre Guild: A Streetcar Named Desire (May 17, 2007)
• Pioneer Theatre Guild: Wizard of Oz (Apr 19, 2007)