The first show in the brand new Innovation and Arts Building just passed, so here is an inside look at Windward’s fall show, Urinetown (the musical, of course) and the rehearsal process. 

Urinetown: The Musical ran on Broadway from 2001-2004. During that time, it was nominated for 10 Tony Awards and won 3, including Best Original Score. The musical is a political satire that takes place in a dystopian world where private toilets are banned due to a water shortage. Bobby Strong, the charismatic protagonist, listens to the female lead ingénue Hope Cladwell to follow his heart to start a revolution against paying for “The Privilege To Pee.”

Photo: Randi Roberts Photography

The first Windward show of the season sets the stage for the following performances throughout the year, so many factors go into choosing the perfect musical. The director and choreographer of the show, James Patric Moran, says his motivation for selecting the show for the fall was its current political relevance. “The show brilliantly satirizes and closely examines significant contemporary issues, including the legal system, economic disparity, social irresponsibility, growing populism, and corporate/political corruption,” explained Moran. “As these topics are so relevant in America today, the production offers a timely and provocative opportunity for audiences and artists alike to assess our collective responsibility.”

Moran most enjoyed the varied references included in the show, while still adding new spins and creative points of view. He strongly believes in collaborating with the cast to give the show a personal touch. “Choreographing Urinetown has been a deeply creatively fulfilling process, largely because the show parodies the American Musical itself. Throughout the production numbers, the music often references landmark shows such as West Side Story and Chicago, which allows us to explore a diverse and exciting range of dance styles and genres,” he shared. Moran continued, “I make a point of incorporating the cast’s creativity in the studio, as that personal investment truly makes the final product more dynamic and engaging.” 

Photo: Randi Roberts Photography

Dr. Daniel Koh, Director of Vocal and Instrumental Music, also noticed the classic musical references in the score. He called the music  “…energetic, catchy and full of interesting dissonance,” while being “…very challenging from the point of view of ensemble harmonies.” He elaborated, “It’s been a long time since we’ve done a musical with this much ensemble harmony; there are numbers where the cast is split into two groups – the “rich” ensemble and the “poor” ensemble – and each of the two ensembles separates into as many as five different vocal parts!” However, Dr. Koh believes that the cast tackled the challenge with enthusiasm. 

“I make a point of incorporating the cast’s creativity in the studio, as that personal investment truly makes the final product more dynamic and engaging.”  – James Patrick Moran, director and choreographer

The cast and crew of Urinetown had the opportunity to put on the show in the brand new Innovation and Arts Center. Matthew Steward, stage manager and teacher of the new Theater Tech class, is excited about the switch into the Rosenthal Theater. He has high hopes about the potential of the advanced technology and design. “The transition to the new Rosenthal Theater represents a significant evolution in our technical design capabilities…. Everything has to expand now so that the audience can appreciate the hard work that our team puts into creating the design.” Tyler Gloege ‘29, a student in the theater tech crew, is also looking forward to the new opportunities the theater offers. “Ian Sloane, our Technical Director at Windward, has done a fantastic job making this space professional yet approachable for both us in tech and the artists performing in the space, setting us up for success….This all gives us so much range and possibility when it comes to light, sound, and video design,” he said.

Photo: Randi Roberts Photography

Leading up to the performance, the cast was equally as excited. Kaleo Knight ‘26, played one of the musical’s leads, Penelope Pennywise, the facilitator of an amenity where people pay to pee. Being cast in a lead role her senior year left Knight with a challenge to live up to. Her character needed development because she was caught between the rich and poor. “Penelope Pennywise is so different from who I am, and diving into her mindset has been both challenging and rewarding. [“Priviledge to Pee”] really establishes Penny’s stakes: what she stands to gain and what she’s at risk of losing. This mindset has guided me in making clear, defensible, logical physical choices within Urinetown’s heightened world while also committing to the choreography and blocking I’m given.”

Rylan Jackson ‘29, is new to Windward and the musical theater world. He comes from a strong acting background, appearing in the 2025 feature film Back In Action, among other roles. He feels that the Windward community space has been impactful, bringing more connection between cast members than his experiences on set did. “One major difference I noticed was that in theater, everyone gets to rehearse and learn the choreography and harmonies together, meaning everyone connects more during the learning process.”