Anton Lipovetsky is a busy fellow – when he’s not saving the good people of Urinetown from the corrupt Urine Good Corporation, he’s composing music for shows like the award-winning Broken Sex Doll (winner Jessie Award for Outstanding Composition) and donning Shakespearean garb for Bard on the Beach (Colin Thomas from the Georgia Straight called him ‘bloody well on fire’ in his role in Cymbeline this year) . Firehall audiences may recognise him from My Funny Valentine, Zee Zee Theatre’s show in our 2013/2014 season. We took a moment to talk to him about Urinetown and well, peeing.
What is Urinetown?
A funny musical!
Tell us about your character
He’s a young man with his head in the clouds who hears in his heart the yearning of universal freedom. He takes action and inspires the oppressed poor to revolt! Then… He kinda makes it up as he goes along. A naive James Dean meets eager man-boy Jean Val Jean meets sometimes-gospel-belting-Evangelist.
What is your secret superpower?
Screwing up clearly written recipes… The secret is out.. We’re ordering in when you come over for dinner.
When I’m rich and famous I’ll….
I’ll give wads of money to strangers and tip 300 percent at brunch. Then I’ll produce little theatrical ventures but spend hundreds of 1000s on publicity so there’s always a line around the street for a little play in a black box theatre. And once in a while I’ll buy a whole night’s worth of seats so I can sit alone in the audience and eat caramel corn.
What is your favourite expression for going to the toilet?
I like when people from the UK say “have a wee.”
“Oy! I’m gonna have a wee”
Capitalism, socialism, totalitarianism, activism, realism, postmodernism. Choose an –ism and tell us why.
I really ding-dong Absurdism because potted plant.
What is the biggest environmental challenge we as Canadians face?
I’m not qualified to answer this! Ask the experts!
You can find Anton on twitter @antonlipovetsky and on stage at the Firehall from November 1 – 29 in Urinetown: The Musical. Click here for more info and details on half price previews Nov 1 – 4.