The Wright Times

Issue date: 5/1/08 Section: Arts & Culture

Media Credit: Barbara Zacharewskaja

The Stage Wright TheatrThe Stage Wright Theatre
group performed the musical
Urinetown, and it stunk like
a town full of urine.

When the cops
walked onstage in their oversized
uniforms, you knew
you were in for trouble. The
acting was decent in a few
places, but most of the singers
sang like they had urinary
tract infections and just wanted
the pain to stop. Directed
by Professor Maria Jaskot-
Inclan, the musical explores
political corruption and misguided
social activism, in a
comedic, irreverent way. The
material, by Greg Kotis and
Mark Hollman, remains as
funny today as it was when it
originally opened on Broadway
in 2001. But the Stage
Wright production fell somewhere
between, whatttt? and
wow my ears actually hurt.
It must be prefaced that the
show in question was a preview
- the show probably
improved during it's run.

Still, one actress
stood out. Jessica Romanowski
played Penny Pennywise
to a tee, performing the tough
yet heartful caretaker of Urinal
Number 9. With a fun,
sarcastic flair, she bordered
on stereotype, but just when
you thought she couldn't go
anywhere else with the character,
she took her up a notch,
giving the character heart.
Romanowski's crystal clear
voice was made for musical
theatre and she resisted the
urge to sing Britney Spearsstyle
pop like other leads, executing
her part with the ease
of a seasoned performer.

Something seemed
off in the orchestra. The music
and singing were almost
never in sync. Sometimes the
music was too loud and other
times it was way too soft.
This, of course, could have
had a great deal to do with
the archaic sound system.
But a few more rehearsals
might have helped. It may
have been a lighting choice,
but the stage was too shadowy
during the first act, but
improved right after intermission.

On the other hand,
there were moments when
the chorus sounded fantastic,
but half a minute later
went flat and out-of-sync.
Parts of the song, "Run Freedom
Run," in the second act
were surprisingly wonderful,
but just when the audience
started enjoying the music,
something went wrong

Continued...

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