The Department of Theatre and Dance at the University of Southern Mississippi will present the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical "Urinetown" April 16-19 and 23-26 at the Martha R. Tatum Theatre on the Hattiesburg campus.

The show, which has been produced at professional theatres and universities across the United States, follows a community suffering from a drought so severe that everyone must pay to use public restrooms in order to control the consumption of water.

"[Urinetown] is a comedy, but it's still rather dark in nature," said cast member Adam Sechelski of Conyers, Ga. "It deals with a lot of current political issues in a humorous way but also parodies classic musical styles as well."

Sechelski, who is a Southern Miss graduate student studying acting performance, describes the show as a "musical theatre extravaganza," complete with singing, dancing, laughter and a lesson to be learned.

The production is a collaborative effort of more than 30 people, including actors, a choreographer, stage directors, designers, crew members and musicians.

"It takes the entire theatre department to put on a show this large," said cast member Brooke Aiello, a graduate student from Visalia, Ca. who is studying performance acting. "[There are] students and faculty that work behind the scenes plus the students you see onstage and the people coming from other departments. Every time I think about the time and efforts being put into this production, it is humbling."

In addition to a two-storied set with a moving staircase, "Urinetown" also will feature a band comprised of members from the university's School of Music.

Dr. Jennifer Shank, the production's music director and assistant professor of music, said the show has a wide range of musical styles.  "The music is a wonderful mix of styles of musicals from ‘West Side Story’ to ‘Les Miserables,’" Shank said.

Aiello describes the production as a "splashy musical" that makes fun of other musicals, while maintaining its serious intent of pointing out a flawed culture.

Cast member and Southern Miss junior performance major Chris Marroy plays Officer Lockstock in the show and describes his portrayal as a combination of John Wayne, Jim Carrey and a 1950's police officer.

"Everything had to be big," said the Slidell, La. native. "Hopefully, we can leave the audience with that 'Hey that was funny! Wait - what just happened?' type of feeling."

Stage manager Jillian Etheridge of Ridgeland said "Urinetown" will appeal to even the harshest critics of musical theatre.

"[This production] incorporates a lot of elements from popular shows while keeping its originality in context and ideology," said Etheridge, a sophomore majoring in theatre. "It's got a little something for everyone. Oh, and bathroom jokes."

"Audiences should be prepared for an interesting evening of theatre," said Marroy. "If you can look past the title of the show, you will find a story that is funny, charming and yet highly powerful."

"Urinetown" will be presented April 16-18 and 23-25 at 7:30 p.m. and April 19 and 26 at 2 p.m. in the Martha R. Tatum Theatre. Individual show tickets are: $12 for adults; $10 for senior citizens, Southern Miss faculty and staff, and military; and $6 for students.

For tickets, call the Southern Miss Ticket Office at 601.266.5418 or 800.844.8425.  Order online at www.southernmisstickets.com.   Tickets also may be purchased at the theater box office one hour prior to curtain time for each performance on a space available basis.

For more information, visit the Web at www.usm.edu/theatre or contact Angela Kilcrease at 601.266.4988. 

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About The University of Southern Mississippi
The University of Southern Mississippi, founded in 1910, is a comprehensive doctoral and research-extensive university fulfilling its mission of being a leading university in engaging and empowering individuals to transform lives and communities.  In a tradition of leadership for student development, Southern Miss is educating a 21st century work force providing intellectual capital, cultural enrichment and innovation to Mississippi and the world.  Southern Miss is located in Hattiesburg, Miss., with an additional campus and teaching and research sites on the Mississippi Gulf Coast; further information is found at www.usm.edu.