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www.oakvillebeaver.com Artscene Oakville Beaver · FRIDAY, APRIL 11, 2008 41 LIESA KORTMANN / OAKVILLE BEAVER NOW PLAYING: Caleb Cosman (standing in the centre) as Bobby and Alicia Toner (left, sitting in the chair) as Hope stand out in Theatre Sheridan's production of Urinetown, a groundbreaking satirical musical spoof now playing at the Oakville Campus. Bleak Urinetown is flush with entertainment By Mark Andrew Lawrence SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER "The title's awful!" comments the street urchin known as Little Sally in Urinetown. She's right, but don't let that that deter you from seeing this subversive musical comedy being given a first-rate staging by the students at Sheridan. The Tony Award-winning book for this show began when author Greg Kotis found himself in Paris so broke that he did not have the required fee to use the city's pay facilities. He turned that experience into a play set in the not-too-distant future where a water shortage has made pay toilets a necessity. They are all under the control of the Urine Good Company, who keeps raising the fees. Anyone who refuses to pay is immediately arrested by Officers Lockstock and Barrel and sent to Urinetown. It is all very Brechtian. Even the Overture mimics the one from The Threepenny Opera and that is not the only musical that Urinetown spoofs. There are parodies of West Side Story and Les Misreables among others. Acting as the show's narrator, Officer Lockstock -- played with superb seriousness by Mark Nivet -- frequently reminds us that we are watching a musical. The musical values are well taken care of thanks to the team of five musicians under the expert direction of Michael Barber. This provides excellent support to the cast. Caleb Cosman demonstrates his mastery of all musical theatre disciplines playing the idealistic Bobby Strong, who leads the citizens in revolt. His powerful voice and his flawless diction make every number land. He is paired with Alicia Toner as Hope, who balances a sweet voice with the ability to make the character believable even in the See Urinetown page 42 Call 1-877-510-510-2 and talk to a Registered Dietitian for free. EatRight Ontario ontario.ca/eatright Paid for by the Government of Ontario