On February 16 St. Mark will be hosting a Youth Choir from First Presbyterian Church in Caldwell, NJ at 5:00, presenting a version of the Broadway play, “Urinetown.” First Presbyterian in Caldwell is a church of 850 members, with an incredible music program – 3 Bell Choirs, 5 Singing Choirs, a series of special performances each year, including “Broadway comes to Caldwell” and a “Messiah sing-a-long.” And they have over 30 Jr. High and Sr. High students who put on a musical every year and tour the U.S. or overseas. Back in December we received a packet of letters written by the children in their Youth Choir, each of whom had gone to St. Mark’s web site and read about us. Many of them found our commitment to inclusion and justice to be very similar to their experience of their own congregation.
I want to say this about hosting the play “Urinetown.” The topic is important - one premise is that there is a crisis over water. About the title: I am a big fan of puns, plays on words, and clever uses of language. I’m not a big fan of talking about bodily fluids. So, the double entendre of this play’s title is both a little admired and a little off-putting to me. And there are versions of this play that would be inappropriate for a church choir to perform or a church to host. Our Program Staff has inquired with the Associate Pastor of First Presbyterian whether the show is appropriate for us to host and for children to attend. Here is the main part of her response:
“URINETOWN is the most clever show I have become acquainted with. It is funny, clever and spoofs various well-known Broadway shows. There are no "potty jokes," bad language or sexual innuendos. The clothing is all modest. Now, I am sure that there are some productions that may go in an off-color direction, but I can assure you that our production does not do that. I would be in deep trouble with my session if I even tried to do something like that! … For young children? The show moves fast and has lots of fun dance numbers. That would keep them amused. The clever dialogue would definitely go over their heads. (My 4-year old granddaughter will come to see the production with her parents when we perform it at home.) Teens and adults will enjoy the silliness and yet, the message of caring for one another and our earth. One of the reasons we wanted to perform in California was so that we could understand better the water shortage in your state as well as the recent fires.”
Of course, you get to use your own judgment about attending the performance. I support hosting this event because I am willing to trust the judgment of the staff of First Presbyterian and because of my own understanding of art. I believe art can be an effective way of disrupting complacency. When that is the goal, art is necessarily edgy, provocative in one direction or another, whether evoking wonder at the ordinary, anger at the system, or hope when all seems lost. (I think I could take those last two sentences, substitute the word “parable” for “art,” and get a room full of biblical scholars to nod in agreement.) It seems to me that a serious issue like the scarcity of water can be addressed fruitfully through word-play, drama, and music. Besides, I’m anxious to see what a thriving youth music program can look like.
So, here’s a fun idea: Find someone who is under 21 and ask, “Did you know that once upon a time you had to pay a dime to use a public toilet?” An interesting conversation is sure to ensue. It will cause us to ask: What is more ridiculous (absurd, offensive, edgy) – a fictitious Broadway play or a way of life that was largely accepted for a long time?
Mark of St. Mark
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