Monarch Theatre Department to Present Urinetown Musical

by David Volz October 3, 2026

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Monarch High School Theatre Department {David Volz}

Imagine a community where the leadership decides to charge a fee for people to use the bathroom.

This is the setting for the musical satire Urinetown that the Monarch High School Theatre Department will perform on October 15-17. The musical shows a future where a drought has caused a water shortage in a large city and all private toilets have been banned. People must use public pay toilets managed by a large company that controls all bathrooms or face severe consequences. Poor residents struggle to pay large toilet fees and eventually there is a rebellion, according to Tatiana Ahlbum, director.

“This is a satire of a society in the future where a company has a monopoly on the water and there is a conflict between the rich and poor. It is a high-energy musical, and it pokes fun at capitalism, bureaucracy, and social irresponsibility,” said Ahlbum.

The Monarch Theatre students are running the entire show. Team members have designed and built the complete set, programmed all the stage lighting, made all the costumes, directed the musical score, created original choreography, designed the sound and props, conducted research on the musical, and developed a marketing campaign, according to Ahlbum.

The theatre will submit their presentation of Urinetown for consideration to perform on the Mainstage at the Florida State Thespian Festival. Earning a Mainstage slot at the state festival represents the highest level of high school theatre achievement in Florida, like winning a state sports championship.

If the musical is selected, the students will be the first in Monarch’s history to perform at the state festival, according to Ahlbum.

“The kids have really been working hard, and they feel really passionate about the opportunity to perform at the state level. I think there is a chance their hard work will pay off. They will be evaluated by judges who are theatre professionals in areas such as innovation, overall quality, and appropriateness to the festival,” said Ahlbum.

The theatre students are in rehearsal and looking forward to performing. Matteo Galindo, who plays Mr. Cladwell, the owner of the bathroom monopoly, said, “Preparing to perform this musical is really fun, and I love the process.”

Moriah Wilkes, who plays Hope Cladwell, the daughter of Mr. Cladwell, said, “I really enjoy being a part of the theatre and we are having fun rehearsing for this musical.”

Urinetown will be performed on October 15 and 16 at 6:30 p.m. and October 17 at 1:00 p.m. at the Monarch High School Auditorium at 5050 Wiles Road, Coconut Creek. General admission tickets are $10 and can be purchased online at monarchtheatredept.ludus.com. Seating is limited and community members are encouraged to purchase their tickets early, according to Ahlbum.

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Author Profile

David Volz

David Volz has worked as a writer in South Florida for 35 years. He has written for the Sun-Sentinel, Hollywood Gazette, School Transportation News, South Dade News Leaders, Observer among others. He has an MA in Communications from Florida Atlantic University and a BA in Communications from Valparaiso University. Volz teaches Communications at Miami Dade College and Palm Beach State College. He lives in Coral Springs and enjoys running and participating in 5Ks and half-marathons.