New wave inspires cast

Lisa Bornstein, Rocky Mountain News

Published August 3, 2007 at midnight

Text size

More Theater

In his years with PHAMALy, the Physically Handicapped Actors and Musical Artists League, Steve Wilson has proved himself particularly able. The director treats performers and material with respect, and as the current production of Urinetown: The Musical demonstrates, he has cultivated a talented younger corps to join the company's founders.

The cast shines in Urinetown, despite being dressed by Mallory Kay Nelson in the filthiest costumes I've seen for this show. It's a level of Brechtian grit that well serves the satirical musical about a town in the grips of a corporate fiend, Caldwell B. Cladwell, who fights a drought by charging a fee for urination.

A fine cast fills the lead roles, with PHAMALy veterans Don Mauck spouting a rich Texas accent as the nasty Cladwell and Kathleen Traylor as the rough Miss Pennywise. Her voice, which moves from an alto to a pseudo-operatic soprano, is all the more impressive in that it comes from a diaphragm seated in a wheelchair. Leonard Barrett Jr., who has made himself the pinup of PHAMALy, applies dry humor to Officer Lockstock (joined by sidekicks Matt MacCarthy as Officer Barrel and the newly added Donna Gunnison as Officer &). More surprising, though, is the lascivious edge he gives the character, thrusting his pelvis at regular intervals and leading a funky rap on Cop Song.

Those actors can be expected to please, though. The delight comes in discoveries of recent arrivals like Andrew Caldwell, who proves himself a romantic lead as Bobby Strong, pure-hearted with a clean-edged tenor. High school sophomore Jenna Bainbridge has a winning voice and perky presence as the pigtailed Little Sally.

Last summer's discovery, Juliet Villa, returns as the ingenue Hope. She lacks the character's gullibility at play's start but comes to life with her elegant soprano and comic phrasing on Follow Your Heart.

Choreographers Debbie Stark and Cindy Bray top themselves by turning performers' disabilities into assets, culminating in a comic moment during the church-revival number Run, Freedom, Run. They're aided by Donna Debreceni's band, entertaining in its own right, and a set full of its own jokes by Charles Packard and Jennifer Orf.

Among the details: A constantly running water fountain in Cladwell's office. It's a sign of waste . . . but also, it makes you move just a bit faster to the restrooms at intermission.

• Special performances: Audio description and sign language interpretation Sunday; audio description Aug. 19; talk-backs Aug. 3, 10 and 17.

Next up for PHAMALy

In January, the company will open One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, directed by Nick Sugar, at the Aurora Fox. Next summer, PHAMALy reprises Side Show, the story of conjoined twins and perhaps the most talked-about musical in its history.

Subscribe to the Rocky Mountain News