Urinetown The Musical in Wilton

URINETOWN – THE MUSICAL AT THE WILTON PLAYSHOP

CAST FEATURES MANY WILTON FACES OLD AND NEW

WILTON, CT, October 15, 2010 – It's not unusual to see and experience professional "Broadway" talent on the stage of the Wilton Playshop.  But when one of those 'stars' is making a comeback after a 15-year break to become a physician – well that is a first.

For Dan Southern, the allure of playing the lead character Officer Lockstock, the narrator and top cop, is what drew the 5-year resident back to the stage after leaving Broadway, television and film behind to become a doctor. A founding member of the Riverside Shakespeare Company of NYC Dan worked as a director, actor, and dancer on stages throughout the US and Europe.  His many credits include performances with the National Shakespeare Theater and Broadway productions of  Scandal!, Loves of Anatol, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead and  appearances in feature films Thomas Crown Affair and The 13th Warrior and more.

"I saw the show in New York and wanted to play the role of Lockstock.  I remember walking out of the theater and repeating the lines – the show was a blast of fresh air on Broadway," noted Dr. Southern.  "It is a show that demystifies the theater experience by playing against audience expectations." 

Indeed, one of the funny opening sequences with Officer Lockstock, addresses the unsavory name of the show's title Urinetown, when one of the characters challenges Officer Lockstock to explain the title to the audience noting "a bad title… That could kill a show pretty good."

Yes, full disclosure, Urinetown does take place in a mythical town where residents must pay to pee because of a severe water shortage.  Don't let the title keep you from seeing this wonderful send-up of the Broadway genre. Otherwise you'll miss a production with unforgettable songs and dance numbers that take on the themes of love, murder, greed, corruption, and more.

In addition to Mr. Southern, the Wilton cast members include Meg Fuentes as Josephine Strong, the mother of the play's 'hero, and Donna Savage, playing Dr. Billeaux, a toady to the evil executive Mr. Cladwell who runs Urinetown.  Both board members at the Wilton Playshop they have performed extensively throughout Fairfield County.

Other familiar Wilton faces include a number of cast members who grew up in town and are returning to the Wilton stage.  They include Betsy Simpson who plays 'Hope Cladwell' the play's young ingénue; Meredith Walker as 'Little Becky Two Shoes' a down and out rebel; Kevin Patrick McGuire who plays two roles – the hero's father and 'Hotblades Harry,' a rebel who has seen better days; and behind the scenes, creating the fast-stepping dance numbers is former resident Jorie Janeway.

With music and lyrics by Mark Hollmann, lyrics and book by Greg Kotis, The Wilton Playshop production of Urinetown opening October 29th, is directed by Stacie Moye, with musical direction by Anna DeMasi and choreography by Marjorie Janeway.

Performances can be seen Friday and Saturday, October 29 and 30 at 8 PM, Sunday, October 31 at 2 PM, Friday and Saturday November 5 and 6 at 8 PM, Sunday, November 7 at 2 PM and Thursday, Friday and Saturday, November, 11, 12 and 13 at 8 PM.

Reservations can be made online at  www.tickets@wiltonplayshop.org. Subscriptions to The Wilton Playshop season can also be made online.