Now playing at The Playhouse San Antonio is the local production of ‘Urinetown – the Musical,’ the Tony Award winning satirical comedy musical about a dystopian future where a drought has caused a water shortage that has led to a government enforced ban on private toilets. It satirizes the legal system, capitalism, social irresponsibility, populism, bureaucracy, corporate mismanagement and municipal politics. Starring Brendan Brady as Bobby Strong and Emily Cleveland as Hope Caldwell, it has music by Mark Hollmann, lyrics by Mark Hollmann and Greg Kotis and the book by Greg Kotis.

Despite the dubious title, it opened to an almost full house on Friday as the audience was treated to a night of laughter and homage to musical theater. The show opens as the citizens are in line to use the public toilet, in this case Public Amenity #9, that is run by Penelope Pennywise. While Penelope is by the book-strict, her assistant Bobby Strong is not and desperately wants to do the right thing. After his father, Old Man Strong, defiantly relieves himself on the street rather than pay for the ‘privilege’ of using the facility and is taken away by the authorities, he gets the desire to fight for what is right. When he meets Hope Caldwell, the naïve but well-meaning daughter of Caldwell B Cladwell, the CEO of the megacorporation that owns the public toilets, he is inspired to start a rebellion where everyone can “pee for free.”

The cast is big but they work well together under the direction of Tim Hedgepeth. Brendan Brady’s performance as Bobby Strong is solid and together with Emily Cleveland as Hope Caldwell and the rest of the talented cast, they make ‘Urinetown’ an enjoyable experience. Show highlights include the disturbing yet funny “Don’t Be the Bunny” by Cladwell, McQueen and Fipp and the inspiring “Run, Freedom, Run” by Bobby and the ensemble. Toilet humor aside, fans of musical theater will appreciate the references to shows like ‘Les Misérables,” “West Side Story,” “Cabaret” and many more. Officer Lockstock and other characters periodically break the fourth wall to talk about the show and explain what is going on. Overall, ‘Urinetown – the Musical’ is a hilarious story of greed, corruption, love and revolution and what happens when heroes arise out of desperate times. Even though it is not the typical ‘feel good’ show it is worth seeing more than once to catch all the musical references and hidden jokes.

‘Urinetown – the Musical’ plays at The Playhouse San Antonio through Sunday May 28 with show times on Friday and Saturday at 8p.m. and Sunday at 3p.m. Tickets are available online or at the box office at (210) 733-7258.