Many of us go home after a long day at work to relax and unwind. But for a select group of Boulder County residents, their lives as performers begin when their 9-to-5 ends.
“It takes a special type of person to work an entire day and then come to the theater to work on a show,” says Sarah Hartland, an actor in the Arts HUB’s upcoming production of Urinetown. “We have a lot of STEM and tech professionals on the cast …[but] in the evenings, we’re like, ‘Five, six, seven, eight!’”
That’s been the story at The Arts HUB, formerly known as the Arts Underground, since it began serving the east Boulder County community in 2007. After outgrowing its original basement space in downtown Louisville, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit purchased a 1.4-acre Lafayette property in 2015 as the site of its new home. The company moved a year later into the space at 420 Courtney Way, complete with a 194-seat theater and dance rooms, along with a lobby, kitchen and gallery wall.
Seven years after settling into their new digs, the organization introduced the Arts HUB Players, a theater troupe dedicated to showcasing local talent with works produced by and for the community. The Arts HUB Players are currently gearing up for their latest production, Urinetown, a musical that blends satire, social commentary and toilet humor.
This sardonically funny show debuted in New York in 2001, with music by Mark Hollmann, lyrics by Hollmann and Greg Kotis, and a book by Kotis. Urinetown is set in a dystopian future where the government has outlawed private restrooms due to a lack of water, and people must pay the mega-corporation Urine Good Company to find relief.
“In an ocean of musicals that are either ’80s movie adaptations, jukebox musicals or musicals from the 20th century that didn’t age well, Urinetown stands out,” Hartland says. “It’s a unique idea with original music that feels like it could have been written this year. [The play] deals with serious themes around capitalism, labor and class; it doesn’t necessarily have a happy ending, but it is packaged in this really fun way.”
‘Culmination of community’
Jason Lindsey, director of the Arts HUB’s upcoming production of Urinetown, was enthralled by the musical’s humor and score when he first saw it performed at a theater in Dillon.
“I fell in love with its wit right away, and the really dark tone was right up my alley,” Lindsey says. “The fact that people are still doing it over 20 years after its premiere speaks to how timely it is. Urinetown has always been one of my dream musicals to direct. So, when the opportunity to work with the Arts HUB arose, this was the first project on my list.”
Beyond the play’s tone and timeliness, another notable aspect of the production is its intricate and difficult original score, for which it received one of its three Tony Awards, along with Best Book and Direction.
“You might not think it from the title, but Urinetown actually has really beautiful, complex music,” says Bennet Forsyth, who plays Bobby Strong, a worker who accidentally starts a revolution. “There are a lot of really jazzy chords in it, and the ‘Act I Finale’ is a spectacular climax of musical moments from all over the show.”
According to music director Brandon Warren, the score — including a jazz number, villainous soft-shoe routine and gospel choir — is essentially a deconstruction of everything that constitutes a modern musical.
“It’s sort of a pu pu platter of genres, which I think is really interesting because they all come with individual stylistic challenges,” Warren says. “Finding what makes each number distinct and differentiating them from each other has been a fun musical challenge.”
Lauren Wiseley’s choreography for each number is unique, much like the music it is meant to evoke. She takes cues from a variety of musicals and makes allusions to the dances from other well-known productions.
“I would walk in and say, ‘This is our Fiddler on the Roof day; this is our Chicago-Fosse day,’ and I loved working with the cast to create these references to the diverse musical theater world,” Wiseley says. “We also have a Beyoncé ‘Single Ladies’ moment in one of the songs, but you will have to see the show to find out what that means.”
But perhaps the most essential aspect of Urinetown at the Arts HUB is the collaborative spirit that brought the production to life. With an all-volunteer cast, the show exemplifies the power of neighbors coming together to create something larger than themselves.
“I think the Arts HUB is a wonderful culmination of the community,” Forsyth says. “Our cast is made up of people from all walks of life; just to name a few, we have an ICU night nurse, someone who works for a construction company, and I am currently a school photographer. I love this building and the company for allowing all these different people to come together to make art.”
ON STAGE: Urinetown. Sept. 15-24, The Arts HUB, 420 Courtney Way, Lafayette. Tickets here.
