It Was a Privilege to See: Gold Masque’s Urinetown

No one was running away from Gold Masque’s Urinetown. Performed on March 30, March 31, and April 1, Urinetown ’s cast consisted of Bryan Fortunato as protagonist Bobby Strong, Marissa Colangelo as Hope Cladwell, Mary Regan as Ms. Penelope Pennywise, Leo Fornasieri as Mr. Caldwell B. Cladwell, Kayla Kanefke as Little Sally, Sam Ornstein as Officer Lockstock, Tyler Breen as Officer Barrel, Constantine Rutigliano as Hot Blades Harry and Joseph “Old Man Strong,” Alexis Ulmer as Little Becky Two-Shoes, Gabrielle Tanen as Josephine “Ma” Strong, Valentina D’Angelo as Soupy Sue, Julia Drob as McQueen, Addison Palmer as Senator Fipp, Nicholas Gurba as Dr. Billeaux, Chloe Maurice as Tiny Tom, and Rebecca LeMoult, Ellison Grant, Jack Harris, Emily Olkowski, and Gabriella Almanza as the Ensemble. Directed by Mr. Nemeth, as well as Rebecca Corrado, this year’s spring musical was an undeniable hit, described as “surprising and moving” by senior Petra Welchans. Senior Ava Yu says, “It was beautiful. I got goosebumps, and almost cried.” With Juliana D’Andrea as Production Stage Manager, Nicolas Hendrickson as Assistant Stage Manager, Natasha Newman as Green Room Head, Alexandru Cozma, Elle Cicerchia, and Meredith Roughgarden as the Green Room crew, Rebecca Calderon as Lighting Assistant, Elizabeth Teplinskiy as Costume Assistant, and Hayden Tarr, Cozma, Allison Park, Jude Lamki, Roughgarden, Cicerchia, and Teplinskiy as Build Crew, Urinetown’s set, costumes, and effects were every bit as impressive as the performers themselves.

Regarding the performance, English teacher Mrs. Whaley says, “I loved the play! The subject of the drama is so metaphorical, and the actors all grasped the gravity of the subject matter.” A satirical comedy set in a dystopian future, Urinetown begins after a 20-year drought has allowed a tyrannical company to take control of all public amenities, forcing the lower class to  “pay a fee for the privilege to pee” (Urinetown, “It’s a Privilege to Pee”) until young Bobby Strong decides to stand up and “fight for what [he] know[s] is right” (Urinetown, “Tell Her I Love Her”). Having fallen in love, Bobby and Hope Cladwell, daughter of the man Bobby is fighting against, find themselves on opposite sides of the rebellion in a Romeo-and-Juliet-style parody on the American social and political system and musicals themselves.

Having been practicing for months, the cast and crew truly brought their best to each of the three showings. Senior Brianna Gugliemoni “really enjoyed watching Urinetown.” She “thought the actors did a really good job, and it was exciting to see everyone’s hard work pay off!” Mrs. Whaley stressed that “The musical performances were amazing – especially poignant were those by [her] graduating seniors, Bryan, Constantine, Gabby, and Rebecca.”

Mrs. Whaley went on to express her belief that “We have so much talent in this building and so much love for theater. These shows are hard work. We all appreciate the devotion of our actors, crew, and musicians. Gold Masque has riz, no cap!”

To the senior performers and crew of Urinetown, we at Ramapo will miss you and the stories you have brought into our lives deeply, yet we are excited to see what you do in the future. There is no doubt that Gold Masque’s Urinetown and its cast and crew are worthy of Broadway. Congratulations on a show that brought down the house!

Photos can be seen in the Google Drive below

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1-_IRPftQ5B1zLNNjsSXnNUnr9S9FMvq1?usp=sharing