West Linn High School Performing Arts Dept.

Urinetown (The Musical)

Set and Lighting Design (and Direction) by Jon Ares.

February/March 2009.

Directed by Jon Ares, Choreography by Jessica Middleton Murray, Costume Design by Annie Kaiser.

I wanted to place “Urinetown” in an environment reminiscent of Gotham City, or another “graphic novel” type metropolis, where shadows are everywhere, and one is never sure of the full identity of another. Visually, I wanted a certain industrial, menacing look, but not a gratuitous, plumbing-themed set like so many other designs. (What’s with all the sets with pipes and valves? We get it – it’s about potties. Enough already.)

I had two large trusses that floated in and out in various configurations, depending on what part of town we were in – creating hiding places, as well as a visual ‘obstacle course’ for the eyes. Noir lighting completed the look.