Tickets are $4 for MC students, faculty and staff; $5 for other students and senior citizens; and $6 for adults. They may be reserved by calling 309-457-2104 or by e-mailing theater@monm.edu.

Winner of three Tony Awards, three Outer Critic’s Circle Awards, two Lucille Lortel Awards and two Obie Awards, "Urinetown" is an earnest tale of love, greed and revolution.

"Drawing from ‘West Side Story’ and ‘Chicago,’ among others, the show irreverently pays witty homage to the great American musical theater tradition," said Bill Wallace, professor of communication and theater arts and director of the MC production.

Wallace said the show is set in a town plagued by a 20-year drought, where water has become so scarce that private toilets have become unthinkable. At the mercy of a single dominating corporation, which maintains a monopoly on the town’s public amenities, the destitute citizens must pay towering taxes and fines to carry out their most private and basic needs.

"Out of the mass of the pitiable," said Wallace, "a hero rises to lead his fellow citizens against the tyrannical regime." Calling the musical hilariously funny and touchingly honest, Wallace said it provides a fresh perspective on one of America’s greatest art forms.

With compositions by Mark Hollmann, the musical is based on the book by Greg Kotis. It debuted at the New York International Fringe Festival, was produced Off-Broadway at the American Theatre for Actors and then moved to Broadway, opening at Henry Miller’s Theatre on Sept. 20, 2001. It ran on Broadway through January of 2004.

Serving as musical director for the MC production is Perry White, associate professor of music. Steve Richter, director of instrumental activities, is the instrumental director. Stage and light design is provided by Doug Rankin, director of theater, with choreography provided by Stephanie Baugh, student teacher supervisor in the departments of educational studies and art.