(Back left to right) Ed Egan, Judah Frank, Faye Rex, Bjorn Stowers, Rose Lynn (Front left to right) Joanne Nosuchinsky, Rachel Yucht, Kevin Feehery

What happens when a greedy capitalist, who controls the water rights of a town, forces everyone to pay for a basic human need? Hilarious chaos. And that is what ensues when Rider University opens its main stage season with the musical comedy, “Urinetown,”written by playwrights Greg Kotis and Mark Hollmann., The fine arts department production will run November 10, 11, 17, 18 in the Fine Arts Center’s Yvonne Theater in the Fine Arts Building on the Lawrenceville campus. The curtain rises at 8 p.m.

The premise resulted from Kotis’s experiences in Europe, which sparked his wild imagination. While backpacking through Europe, he quickly learned that he had to pay for the use of public facilities. The longer he stayed in Europe, the poorer he became, and the more annoyed he was about having to pay for such necessities.

The thought soon struck him to write a play about a Gotham-like town crippled by a terrible water shortage. In a mad attempt to regulate water consumption, the government has outlawed the use of private toilets. Anyone who refuses to pay to urinate is hauled off to Urinetown and never heard from again. This comedy hit premiered at New York’s Fringe Festival in 2001, before moving to Off-Broadway and later to Broadway.

“This is a spoof on the works of Bertolt Brecht, a German playwright who championed the oppressed masses and condemned greedy capitalists,” said Dr. Patrick Chmel, the play’s director and chairperson of the fine arts department. “The play is beautifully written, totally off-the-wall, outrageous and absurd. Our young actors have been reveling in these characters. It has a large cast and tough score. It is very challenging material for our actors to sink their teeth into.”

Twenty-two Rider students will perform. Music direction will be provided by Dr. Jerry Rife, professor of fine arts. Tickets are $10 for the general public, and $5 for students, faculty and staff. There is a preview performance on Thursday, November 9 at 7 p.m. Tickets for that performance are $4 per person at the door. A brush-up performance takes place Thursday, November 16 at 7 p.m. at the $4 admission price. For more information, call 609-896-5303.

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