URINETOWN does have its serious side. “It does talk about how we are using our natural resources, and who controls those resources,” Robison said. “It talks about privilege, but also about human nature.”

But even in this, expectations are undercut by some non-formulaic developments. “Not many musicals kill people on stage,” Robison said. “We do—although in a theatrical, non-bloody way.”

As for the music, “It really spans the spectrum in musical style—gospel, a classical sound in the love story, a soft shoe, lots of upbeat music,” Elisabeth Harrington comments. “The range for the singers is amazing—vocally, emotionally, dynamically, stylistically. There’s so much manic back and forth throughout the course of the evening across a broad spectrum of music, from jazz to opera. It’s impossible to be a passive listener.”