Drama Dock opens ‘Urinetown’

Drama Dock will present “Urinetown,” a Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, from July 9 to 12 and 16 to 19 at Vashon High School.

Drama Dock will present “Urinetown,” a Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, from July 9 to 12 and 16 to 19 at Vashon High School.

The second weekend of performances of the musical will coincide with Strawberry Festival, and show organizers said they hope Islanders will take a break during the weekend’s lineup of activities to relax and enjoy what they describe as a hilarious show that is both a celebration and send-up of the musical theater genre.

Stephen Floyd, who is directing the play, said the show had “an absurdly funny premise with sort of a serious undertone. But the core of the play is just pure silliness.”

Critics nationwide have raved about “Urinetown.”

The New York Times called it “a sensational piece of performance art, one that acknowledges theater tradition and pushes it forward as well.”

A critic for The Washington Post wrote that the show was “a joyously cynical musical about musicals, whose barbed, knowing wit made me laugh so long and hard that my cheeks were sore all the way home.”

Drama Dock’s cast includes Rich Wiley, Louie Mangione, Shannon Flora, David Katz, Coriel O’Reilly Silkett, Megan Hackett, Lizzie Schoen, Gretchen Neffenger and a host of other Island thespians.

Tickets

“Urinetown” plays July 9 to 12 and 16 to 19 at Vashon High School. All shows start at 7:30 p.m., except for a 4 p.m. matinee on July 12. Tickets ($10/$15) are on sale at Books by the Way, Vashon Bookshop and www.brownpapertickets.org.