Welcome—to Urinetown! Not the place, of course. The Costume Plot.
Urinetown is a hilariously sharp and satirical musical that takes you to a grim future where water is so scarce that the government bans private toilets. Imagine a world where you have to pay to pee, and if you can’t or won’t? Off to Urinetown with you – a mysterious place from which no one returns.
The story kicks off when a hero, Bobby Strong, decides he’s had enough of the oppressive regime of the Urine Good Company, which controls all the pay-per-use public amenities. He sparks a revolution among the downtrodden masses, leading them in a fight for the right to pee for free. Along the way, Bobby falls for Hope Cladwell, the daughter of the tyrannical toilet company’s boss, adding a twisted romantic layer to the rebellion.
Urinetown combines its dark, dystopian setting with uproarious humor, catchy tunes, and a hefty dose of irony to critique capitalism, social irresponsibility, and corporate greed. It’s a wild ride that promises not just laughs, but a thought-provoking look at what happens when basic human rights are flushed away.
Costume Design Guide
THE LOOK
The vision for this production is to show a true delineation between the classes (rich vs poor) and groups of characters. This will be achieved through the use of color, fit, and style.
The “Rich” Character Group
- styled with the vision of 1940s upper class- think old Hollywood elite.
- The color palate for the rich will be navy blue, dusty blue, golden rod yellow/gold, and white/light beige.
- The officers will fall into this group but clothed in black.
- Each character will have at least one golden rod/gold item.
The “Poor” Character Group
- Styled with the vision of sewer punk- think 1990s grunge meets steampunk with a little angsty goth thrown in for good measure.
- The color palate for the poor will be black, gray, and tan.
- Lots of the items will need to have some distressing done after purchase.
- Thrifting will be an awesome resource for this group!
- Each character will have a golden rod/gold item to give a nod to the rich.
Thrifting will be an awesome resource for the “Poor” characters!
THE FIT
The “Rich” Character Group
- Items will need to Fit Well and appear tailored
- Hence, portraying more “expensive” in their appearance
The “Poor” Character Group
- Will have some items that are More Baggy or ill fitting. BUT not huge on you
- We still want you to be able to move safely in your items
LOTS of the items have been selected as suggestions or inspiration for you, however we are open to lots of these items being thrifted especially for the “poor” characters/ensemble. (Feel free to leave a comment if you have something in mind that isn’t shared here) We want you to feel great in your costume and truly portray the essence of the character so if you have any issues or alternatives please just reach out! ENJOY, BE CREATIVE and HAVE FUN 🥰
COLOR RULES!
We have been very intentional with the colors chosen to differentiate between the character groups. The correct shade of color DOES matter which is why certain items were chosen.
RICH COLOR PALETTE
POOR COLOR PALETTE
