A University-wide production of the classic Pulitzer-Prize winning play by Thornton Wilder, Our Town tells the universal story of small town America. Though taking place in the first decade of the 20th century and written in 1938, Our Town has consistently been hailed as a theatrical masterpiece. A New York production won the Tony Award for best revival in 1989 and an off-Broadway presentation in 2009 won accolades from critics and audiences alike and ran for nearly 3 years. Performed with little scenery and having the character of Stage Manager directly address the audience, Our Town asks us to consider what is important in life. When Emily wants to relive a day in her life, she is told “Choose the least important day of your life; it will be important enough.”

From an American town in the early 20th century, we flash forward to a future dystopia where a severe water shortage has made public pay-per-use toilets a legal necessity. Urinetown was a hit Broadway musical in the early 21st century, running for two and a half years. It won Tony Awards for its composer and lyricists Mark Hollman and Greg Kotis and Mr. Kotis also won for the book of the musical. The show is a satirical take on social change (the police are represented by Officers Lockstock and Barrel), corporate greed (the pay toilets are run by “Urine Good Company”), and Broadway musicals themselves. One of the show’s characters – its hero Bobby Strong – was included as one of the 100 Greatest Roles in Musical Theatre.