Overpopulation. Sustainability. Capitalism. Urinetown tells the story of revolution and corporatocracy starring Oliver Demers ’14 as the young and charismatic Bobby Strong. As he tries to win the affections of Hope Cladwell (Maddy Stern ’14), he starts a revolution against her father, Caldwell B. Cladwell (Ben Sarat ’14), CEO of the controlling megacorporation Urine Good Company.

The play is easily on par with Williston’s previous musicals, though its audience numbers fall behind 2012’s Fiddler on the Roof. True to form, Tech Director Charles Raffetto and Costume Designer Kate Mellitz create a muted but stylish aesthetic indicative of Urinetown’s dystopian setting. While the lack of color starts to blend characters together through the show’s 2 hour, 15 minute runtime, the strength of the chorus and numbers such as “Snuff That Girl” exhibit the cast’s functional diversity.

SPOILER ALERT: Urinetown’slasting message lies in its realistic resolution. When Bobby’s proletarian revolution inevitably fails and everybody dies, cries of “Hail Malthus!” arise from the cast. Their message is clear: if we do not live sustainably, eventually the population will correct itself through pain and suffering on a global scale.

Urinetown draws its greatest strengths from its nontraditional approach and message. Officer Lockstock frequently breaks the fourth wall, serving as blatant exposition with a fresh sense of boldness, while the musical’s titular theme proclaims, “You’re at Urinetown!/Your ticket should say Urinetown!/No refunds, this is Urinetown!/We’ll keep that dough!”

In Urinetown, there is no solace in overthrowing an oppressive regime without a well-thought-out plan or appreciation for the raison d’etre for the status quo. This is the territory of pragmatism and realism over cautionary morality; the cautionary aspects relate primarily to sustainable resource management. In order to avoid this worst-case scenario, the move towards sustainable living must begin now. Resource conservation is a necessary sacrifice in the 21st century as mortality rates decline and the global population continues to grow.

Of course, this universal problem lies more in a lack of conscientiousness than in living on Peter Singer-esque levels of subsistence. Frequent are the offenders who drive Priuses so excessively that their emissions equal those of the typical driver and the supporter of local farms that use more pesticides and less-efficient methods. These general methods of thinking are beneficial, but their execution fails from a lack of thorough premeditation.

Adding to the show’s authenticity, the strongly suggested audience participation in the “Pay to Pee” policy extended to the theater bathrooms. Collection buckets were placed in several places for A Drop in the Bucket, a prominent NGO dedicated to creating clean drinking water sources in developing nations. The drive raised $225 over Urinetown’s six-show run.

Overall, Urinetown serves as a comedic, entertaining backdrop for discussion on the merits of future planning and survival in the era of modern resource management and alternative energy. Just as the worst actions begin with the best intentions, so too do plague and famine result from ample resource consumption for all. Survival stems from sacrifice on a minor scale; we can easily plan for our societal future by merely living mindfully in our daily lives. A simple bike ride, shorter shower, and turned off light switch all contribute to avoiding future catastrophe.

Urinetown opened on Thursday, April 17, 2014 and ran through April 26, 2014.