LET’S face it, “Urinetown” has to be the worst title ever dreamt up for a stage musical – but at least you won’t forget it.

“The title’s AWFUL,” says one of the characters, Little Sally, and even the Canberra Theatre, which is hosting the debut production by the semi-professional HeartStrings Theatre Co, has given it an honorary Canberra Theatre Centre Award for Worst Title, but there’s a good reason. 

When I catch up with the director, Ylaria Rogers, I find that her familiarity with the show goes back many years.

A busy actor last seen playing Celia in Lakespeare’s “As You Like It”, she was in “Urinetown” in 2010 at the ANU Arts Centre and staged it years earlier at Narrabundah College.

Last time around, she played Little Becky, but this time she’s assembled an impressive list of actors, all of whom will receive a fee for their involvement under a profit-share arrangement.

“I think it’s such a great musical for the covid time,” she says of the post-apocalyptic show, which has heavy subject matter through happy music.

And the subject matter?

Briefly, (this is explained in the first five minutes so there’s no spoiler) the water supply in the fictional city of Urinetown – hence the title – becomes so bad that private toilets are outlawed, so public toilets are where everyone goes.

Mr Cladwell (Max Gambale) has built a business empire by running toilets and personifies a grim picture of society.

The 2001 satirical musical was written by Mark Hollmann and Greg Kotis to stimulate discussions about the tensions between environmentalism and capitalism, but is nonetheless a funny show.

“It’s so uplifting and great fun,” Rogers says. 

“We need that lightness, that element of entertainment, because we are asking the question as to whether the bad are truly bad and whether the good are truly good… we have to listen to each other before we can move forward.” 

The 2002 Tony Awards judges praised it for its joyous music and gave it awards for Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score, she notes, so she can’t be going too far wrong. 

“People go along thinking it’s going to be toilet humour written by uni students, but it isn’t like that at all,” she stresses, adding that she knows the title is awful and they have The Courtyard Studio to fill.

She sees it as a platform for HeartStrings Theatre, which she formed in 2021 in keeping with her belief that artists can be ethical.

She’s not been funded by the Canberra Theatre Centre, but is very much supported by them and the Courtyard Studio has the benefit of intimacy. 

Enter Gambale, who played the sort-of antagonist, Gladwell, in the SUPA production and will reprise the role here.

“When I found out Ylaria was directing ‘Urinetown’ I wanted to be part of it, and she’s always wanted to direct it,” he says.

Gambale, who stole the show in “As You Like It” for several cameo parts, is usually seen in musical theatres and says: “It’s very unusual for me to have two straight plays together in a row.” 

But then again, “Urinetown: The Musical” is not exactly a straight play and he’s enjoying playing a smooth-talking CEO who’s lobbying the government to get his way, while seeing himself as a saviour of the people.

“Ylaria has a clear vision…the show raises issues that our society is not discussing, but does it in a way that is hilarious and self-deprecating — and it has songs.” 

With Leisa Keen as musical director, he says, you can be sure that side of it is in good hands.

Gambale is especially pleased that Rogers is working hard to create a conversation where Gladwell is a real character and not a caricature.

“Because there is no simple solution to complex problems,” he says.

Except, that is, to stage what Rogers calls “a big Broadway musical in a small environment.” 

“Urinetown: The Musical”, Courtyard Studio, Canberra Theatre, July 14-24.