Audition Announcement 

 Urinetown

Music and Lyrics by Mark Holman, Book and Lyrics by Greg Kotis

Director: Audrey Lauren Standish 

Assistant Director: Madison Gieryn 

Choreographer: Chloe Maier 

Music Director: Kevin Blakeslee

AUDITION INFORMATION:

University Theatre auditions are open to all UW-Madison students, regardless of major.

We are seeking bold, versatile performers for Urinetown: The Musical—a satirical, high-energy show that blends comedy, social commentary, and musical theatre styles

Audition dates & times: 

• 3-8 pm on Friday, September 11 & 10:30-3:30pm on Saturday, September 12, 2026
• Audition location: Vilas #1132

Please sign up for a time via this link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0D49AAA822AAF49-64988954-urinetown#/ 

Callback date & times: 

• 11-2 pm on Sunday, September 13, 2026
• Callback location: Vilas #1132

AUDITION REQUIREMENTS:

Actors are encouraged to read the script prior to auditions. Perusal copies of the script are available in the Department of Theatre and Drama Main Office, 6173 Vilas, 821 University Ave, during regular hours 9 am-5 pm Monday to Friday.

For Auditions:

Please prepare a contemporary comedic  monologue (published) and a song in the style of Urinetown.

• Monologue (45-60 seconds)
  • Your monologue should:
    • Be fully memorized and timed (no longer than 1 minute)
    • Clearly demonstrate a strong objective/goal
    • Show active pursuit (we want to see you doing, not just telling)
    • Highlight your sense of timing, stakes, and character
• Song (16-32 bars / approx. 30-60 seconds) 
  • We are looking for:
    • Strong storytelling and character choices
    • Comfort with satire, irony, and heightened style
    • Clear vocal technique and musicality
  • Style Guidance:
    • Urinetown is a musical that spoofs and pays homage to multiple musical theatre traditions. Consider material inspired by:
      • Brecht/Weill (Threepenny Opera)
      • Kander & Ebb (Chicago, Cabaret)
      • Classic American musical theatre (Guys and Dolls, The Pajama Game)
      • Gospel or revivalist influences
      • Contemporary musical comedy with edge or irony
  • We ask that you not sing from Urinetown, but your selection should live in a similar tonal world—stylized, character-driven, and theatrically aware.
  • Music Requirements:
    • Bring clearly marked sheet music in a 3-ring binder. 
    • An accompanist will be provided. 
    • Please ensure your music is in the correct key and well organized. 
  • What We’re Looking For:
    • Actors who make bold, specific choices. 
    • A strong sense of play, satire, and theatricality. 
    • Performers who can balance comedy with grounded intention. 
    • Willingness to engage with the show’s heightened, self-aware style. 

For Callbacks:

Actors called back will receive an email in advance with details.

THE PLAY:

Urinetown is a hilarious musical satire of the legal system, capitalism, social irresponsibility, populism, environmental collapse, privatization of natural resources, bureaucracy, municipal politics, and musical theatre itself. In a big city, a terrible water shortage leads to a government-enforced ban on private toilets. The citizens must use public amenities, regulated by a single malevolent company that profits by charging admission for one of humanity’s most basic needs. Amid the people, a hero decides that he’s had enough and plans a revolution to lead them all to freedom!

Content advisory: Urinetown: The Musical contains strong language, satirical humor, and themes of corruption, police brutality, class inequality, and social control. This production also contains references to bodily functions and moments of stylized violence.

PRODUCTION INFORMATION:

• Rehearsals begin: Monday, October 5, 2026.
• Performances: November 19-22 and December 3-6, 2026
  • Full Urinetown Production Calendar
• Venue: Mitchell Theatre
• Student actors cast in this production must register for 1-3 credits of THEATRE 360.
• Students cast in Urinetown and students enrolled in 262 backstage run crew for Urinetown will be required to participate in a 2-hour post-show strike after the closing performance on Sunday, December 6. 

OPEN ROLES (descriptions from script and/or director)

Roles may be cast by actors who identify as any age, gender, race, ethnicity, ability, or nationality, unless indicated below

• Officer Lockstock
  • The tongue-in-cheek narrator of our story, he is a corrupt policeman who secretly kills off the guilty offenders. Bold, brash, and larger than life in many ways.
  • Vocal range top: A4
  • Vocal range bottom: A2
• Penelope Pennywise
  • The tough, jaded warden of the poorest, filthiest town urinal. She is Cladwell’s one-time lover and mother to Hope who eventually softens her temper.
  • Vocal range top: C6
  • Vocal range bottom: A3
• Bobby Strong
  • The dashing, rebellious everyman who works for Miss Pennywise at the poorest, filthiest town urinal. He becomes an unsuspecting protagonist and romantic hero when he starts a revolution and falls in love with Hope Cladwell.
  • Vocal range top: C5
  • Vocal range bottom: A2
• Little Sally
  • A precocious and irreverent street urchin. She serves as a quasi-narrator who often questions Lockstock and the play’s logic.
  • Vocal range top: E5
  • Vocal range bottom: A3
• Dr. Billeaux
  • Head of Research and Development at UGC. Optional Doubling as TINY TOM.
  • Vocal range top: A3
  • Vocal range bottom: E3
• Mr. Mcqueen
  • Cladwell’s sycophantic lackey. A servile assistant.
  • Vocal range top: E4
  • Vocal range bottom: B2
• Senator Fipp
  • A greedy politician in Cladwell’s pocket. A bumbling coward.
  • Vocal range top: F4
  • Vocal range bottom: C#3
• Officer Barrel
  • Lockstock’s patrol partner. A thuggish and aggressive policeman.
  • Vocal range top: F4
  • Vocal range bottom: G2
• Hope Cladwell
  • Cladwell’s ravishingly beautiful daughter, torn between her father and her new love for Bobby. She begins as an innocent, naive angel but becomes vengeful and determined after being exposed to her father’s evil.
  • Vocal range top: A5
  • Vocal range bottom: A3
• Joseph “old Man” Strong
  • Bobby’s rebellious father. His refusal to pay the fee sends him to Urinetown, ultimately launching the revolution. Optional Doubling as HOT BLADES HARRY.
• Tiny Tom
  • One of the Poor, he is an idiotic man-child. Optional Doubling as DR. BILLEAUX.
  • Vocal range top: A3
  • Vocal range bottom: D3
• Soupy Sue
  • One of the Poor, she is excitable and easily panicked. Optional Doubling as CALDWELL’S SECRETARY.
  • Vocal range top: B4
  • Vocal range bottom: Bb3
• Little Becky Two-shoes
  • One of the Poor. She is foul-mouthed, impulsive, and accusatory. Optional Doubling as MRS. MILLENIUM.
  • Vocal range top: F5
  • Vocal range bottom: Bb3
• Caldwell B. Cladwell
  • The evil president and owner of the Urine Good Company. He is a miserly money-grubber who gleefully exploits the poor.
  • Vocal range top: G4
  • Vocal range bottom: A2
• Josephine “ma” Strong
  • Bobby’s mother and Joseph’s wife. A strong-willed woman with a bite, able to withstand the hard hand life has dealt her. Optional Doubling as OLD WOMAN.
  • Vocal range top: D5
  • Vocal range bottom: Bb3
• Hot Blades Harry
  • One of the Poor, he is a psychopathic and can become a violent loose cannon. Optional Doubling as JOSEPH “OLD MAN” STRONG.
  • Vocal range top: F4
  • Vocal range bottom: A2
• Ensemble

Note: Doubling may be different than listed.

Understudies

This production will also cast understudies. Understudies learn designated roles and attend specified rehearsals. Expectations will be clearly laid out in the syllabus in advance. 

Staged Intimacy: Any physical interaction that conveys or implies sexual, romantic, or sexually charged content will be led by the Intimacy Director. All instances of staged intimacy are noted below. There will be no staged intimacy during auditions or callbacks.

• Lockstock Kisses Hope Cladwell’s Hand- (libretto page 16)
• “Follow Your Heart” Song 7- Head to chest moments, hand holding, and closeness between Bobby Strong and Hope Cladwell (libretto pages 31-34)
• Bobby Strong and Hope Cladwell share a kiss (libretto page 34)

Staged Violence: Any physical interaction that involves real or simulated violence will be led by a trained Fight Director. All instances of staged violence are noted below. There will be no staged violence during auditions or callbacks.

• Police brutality throughout, including but not limited to these moments: 
  • Old Man Strong is seized by the cops (libretto page 12-13)
  • Bobby being seized by the police (libretto page 80)
  • Pennywise being dragged off by the police (libretto page 81)
  • Act I Finale (full company, song # 10 in libretto)
  • We’re Not Sorry/I’m Not Sorry (full company, songs #17 &18 in libretto)

Heightened Content: Scripted moments of an intense or provocative nature that may be concerning are noted below.

• Old Man Strong urinates on stage. Note that this will be abstracted with the actor turned away from the audience (libretto page 11)
• It is unclear what kind of relationship Lockstock has with Little Sally, it may be uncomfortable to some audience members.
• There are many moments of handholding throughout the play.

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Do you have questions?? Please don’t hesitate to reach out to Artistic Director Aly Amidei at aramidei@wisc.edu or Production Coordinator Jahana Azodi at jazodi@wisc.edu