A 20-year drought. No private bathrooms. Corporate greed.
That’s the dystopian recipe for Urinetown. Not your average musical, the fast-paced dark comedy with over-the-top characters prompts real questions about the shortcomings of bureaucracy and how society manages precious resources.
It’s No. 1
Urinetown runs from May 15 to 31 on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Visit smct.org to purchase tickets. On May 9 from 10 a.m. to noon volunteers can help clean up the theater and receive a complimentary ticket to any performance of Urinetown. The theater is located at 1660 N. McClelland St. in Santa Maria.
Urinetown is the last show this season at the Santa Maria Civic Theatre (SMCT) before summer break. Performing arts veteran Lynda Mondragon directs the production, which will run from May 15 to 31 at the theater on North McClelland Street.
“The show definitely pokes fun [at] itself about its horrible title, its ridiculous content, and then it pays homage to so many other shows,” Mondragon told the Sun.
Many viewers will recognize dance and musical numbers reminiscent of other popular productions. When Mondragon first saw the Tony Award-winning musical performed at the Pacific Conservatory Theatre (PCPA), she knew she’d never experienced anything like it.
Under her direction, 20 actors have been working multiple times a week to perfect the show since February. One of Mondragon’s favorite parts of directing is seeing everyone’s progress from auditions to curtain call.
The team also includes a stage manager, a music director, and a choreographer. Mondragon is still searching for a technical assistant to run the lights.
“We’ve really built kind of this great camaraderie as a cast and crew,” Mondragon said. “We have some amazing singers in this show and some amazing actors. … I can’t wait for them to be able to show off all their hard work to their community.”
Self-described as a hands-on director, Mondragon believes leading a community theater project isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s up to her to problem solve if an actor drops out or if the set design requires a special feature. Then there’s managing musical numbers, choreography, blocking, and costumes.
“It’s a big production, so you’re making big magic with small budgets and small spaces,” the Urinetown director said.
She started at SMCT as a stage manager during the 1998-99 season. Since then, she’s done it all: acting, choreography, technical work, directing, and sitting on the board. The performer jokes that she’s been part of the theater longer than its chairs, which were replaced in the early 2000s.
Mondragon grew up in Santa Maria and was a “late bloomer” to the performing arts, but once she got “bit by the bug” in high school, it stuck. All it took was a little bit of singing in the church choir and one high school musical. The civic theater has been part of her life ever since.
“I went away for college and for work and things like that, but I always came back,” Mondragon said. “At least for the last 15 years I’ve been pretty consistently on the board in one capacity or another.”
It’s the second year of her current term as president of the SMCT board. Mondragon also held the title before the pandemic and went on to serve as the vice president, too. In leadership roles the performer’s priority is improving the theater’s legacy for future generations in the form of capital gains.
‘It’s a big production, so you’re making big magic with small budgets and small spaces.’
—Lynda Mondragon, Urinetown director
The small, “ancient” building that houses SMCT’s main stage isn’t getting any younger. In the past couple of years, Mondragon secured grants to upgrade the theater’s sound and lighting equipment.
Her current ambition to renovate the bathrooms was planned concurrently with the Urinetown production. When finished, SMCT will have a gender-neutral bathroom that is ADA accessible and up to code. The project helped her pitch the musical to the board, solidifying its spot this season.
“We’re trying to find a way to be more inclusive, both for nonbinary and trans performers and patrons, but also we have a lot of elderly that come to our shows,” the director said. “We want to make sure that our facilities can accommodate for all access and needs.”
Inclusivity has always been in the forefront of the actor’s mind. Making her way through theater school at PCPA, Mondragon noticed a lack of representation of people of color and size. She graduated in 2007, and said her own character type wasn’t getting cast often because of what she looks like.
“When I wasn’t getting the parts I wanted, I kind of fought back and flipped the narrative. I was like, ‘Well, if you’re not going to cast me, then I’m going to direct. I’m going to give that opportunity to folks not based entirely on conformity of what you think they should look like,’” Mondragon said.
For example, rather than casting a family with actors that look alike, Mondragon prioritizes the performers’ vocal range and acting skills. Diversity is what makes community theater go ’round.
Producing a hometown rendition takes a village. Mondragon said the theater makes use of all types of talent, from accounting and carpentry to sewing and graphic design. The crew invites community members to come in with whatever they’re good at.
“What’s amazing about the Santa Maria Civic Theatre—and what I think about community theater in general—is that we’re not professionals,” the president said. “We’re regular citizens. We’re teachers, plumbers, lawyers, students, and so we’re all just people with 9-to-5 jobs, and this is how we give back to our community.”
The theater is a place where like-minded people can explore the arts, Mondragon added. If the stage feels out of reach, helping with hospitality could be a good start, and it’s a great way to see shows for free.
“If you’re looking for somewhere to hang out with friendly folks, meet a diverse group, and have fun, the Santa Maria Civic Theatre is definitely a place you should check out.”
Staff Writer Madison White is excited for the zany dystopia that is Urinetown. Send your take to mwhite@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in April 23 – April 30, 2026.