# Was this really a musical **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 25, 2004, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-really-a-musical/231183 "2004-02-25T23:05:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2004, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-really-a-musical/231183/21 "2004-02-29T04:44:30Z")
A couple of years ago, Mrs. Nott and I were in NYC on a public radio trip. We saw Garrison Keillor’s _Prairie Home Companion_ at Town Hall. _Urinetown_ was playing right across the street. Keillor mentioned it, saying the marquee across the street says _Urinetown,_ “and of course, we are in town.” ---
**Author:** ![scott\_evil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@scott\_evil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scott_evil)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2004, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-really-a-musical/231183/22 "2004-02-29T18:26:56Z")
Lyrics like > [@](#): > > This is Urinetown > Your ticket should say Urinetown > No refunds, this is Urinetown … are the kind of joke lyrics I’ll write on occasion just for fun (and sometimes send to **CC** for kicks) before hitting backspace and writing something worthwhile with integrity and clever wit. There’s a method and an art to writing self-referential, parody-of-a-parody material without resorting to the over-the-top cop-outs completely lacking in subtlety, intelligence, and wit. The authors of “Urinetown” have mastered neither; they rarely even come close. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2004, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-really-a-musical/231183/23 "2004-02-29T19:06:34Z")
YMMV. I thought it was witty, charming and fun. And the music was catchy and memorable. Fenris [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-really-a-musical/231183.md?page=1)