Urinetown - Bobby Strong

Josephine: A busy day so far. Busiest on the record, if your books are right. How's the urinal holding out?

A little spillage, nothing to be concerned about. The people are happy, that's the main thing.

Hope: I can't fight against my father, Bobby.

And I can't not fight against him. So you can join us or you can stand aside.

Hope: Coming with you? I told you, Bobby, I won't fight against my father.

And I told you I won't not fight against him.

Hope: Good night, Bobby Strong.

And good night...

Lockstock: What he means is, you're a good boy, Bobby Strong. See that you don't end up like your father.

And how did my father end up?

All: Whaa-?

And maybe I made a promise up there. A promise that from this day forward, no man would be denied his essential humanity due to the condition of his pocketbook. That no man in need would be ignored by another with the means to help him. Here and now, from this day forward, because of you, and you, and you, we will look into the faces of our fellow men and see not only a brother, but a sister as well.

Penny: The fee is the law, Bobby Strong. She'll abide by it or she'll join her husband.

And what if there was a new law in town, Ms. Pennywise? A new law that didn't come from any voting process or elected body or process of judicial review, but a brand-new law that came from an organ. That's right, a muscular, blood-pumping organ. Like this one. Right here.

Hope: Oh dear, I'm late already. Thanks ever so much for the directions and such. Bye!

Anytime.

Hope: The gleaming tower on the hill? Couldn't miss it.

Beautiful.

Hope: Well, sure I did.

Because... Well, because mine feels awful cold just now.

Hope: Well, good night...

Bobby. Bobby Strong.

Hope: Stand aside?

Bobby: You heard me.

Penny: And I'm here to tell ya, ya is gonna pay!

But Ms. Penny-

Penny: IF YOU HAVE PAID THE PROPER PEE, FOR THE PRIVILEGE TO PEE

But Ms. Pennywise-

Hope: So it is.

But if you squint, you can just make out their headquarters rising above the skyline.

Penny: Like father, like son, that's what I say. Now let's get to work.

But it was about my father that I was thinking, Ms. Pennywise. About what happened to him yesterday. About what's happening to all of us.

Penny: He broke the law yesterday, Bobby, and that's the end of it.

But what if the law is wrong?

Cladwell: THINK OF TOMORROW, MISTER STRONG!

But what of today?!

Cladwell: WHAT OF TOMORROW, MISTER STRONG?

But what of today?!

LOWLY ME!

But, Ms. Pennywise-

Penny: A muscular organ?

Can't you see it, Ms. Pennywise? Well, if this one's too small for you, why not try this one on for size?!

Hope: That was me. I was rushing off to work, first day.

Find your way all right?

Hope: IT'S LEADING YOU FOLLOW YOUR HEART

Follow my heart? But to where?

Soupy Sue: But we're so afraid, Bobby. Killing her might make us feel powerful for a moment.

Friends, I know you're afraid. But this has got to be about more than just revenge and the vicarious thrill of stringing someone up who can't defend herself.

Hope: Hope.

Good night, Hope. I won't forget what you said, about the clouds and my heart.

Old Man Strong: And tell yer mother... Tell yer mother that I love her!

I will, Pa! I will!

Old Man Strong: Don't forget me, Bobby!

I won't, Pa!

Josephine: Your heart is like a stallion?

I'll explain along the way, Ma. C'mon, let's go.

Soupy Sue: Here's some cash, Bobby. Just for you.

Keep your cash, friend. And relieve yourself in happiness.

EVERYONE: SING TODAY!

Keep your men back, Cladwell! We've got your daughter and we're not letting her go!

Hope: So what'll it be, Bobby?

Looks like we're in a real tight spot, doesn't it?

Soupy Sue: We'll all pay, Bobby Strong! Always and forever, just so long as you keep lettin' us pay!

Oh, Pa! What's to become of you?

Old Man Strong: What if it is? I feel better now, and that's all I cares about.

Oh, Pa.

ACT 1 Scene 6

One at a time! One at a time! Everyone will get a turn!

Hope: Cold?

Or empty. One of the two.

Ghost of Tiny Tom: No shorter than yesterday. Unless I've grown.

Or, rather, something I didn't do.

Lockstock: Out a bit late, don't you think?

Out late taking care of another late-night rush is all. There's talk of more fee hikes, people are getting edgy.

Old Man Strong: Bobby!

Pa!

Old Man Strong pees

Pa! Pa, what ya doin'?! Have ya lost your mind?!

Lockstock: It'll take a lot of explaining to keep us calm, Bobby Strong.

We've taken control of this amenity, Officers. The people here pee for free.

Hope: You see there? Even your heart knows you should follow your heart.

"Peace and joy." "Plenty of water." I guess I do want those things.

Lockstock: OFF TO THE DOCKERY! DON'T BE LIKE HIM.

"What became of him"? What do you mean by that?

Hope: It's rather shiny, that's true enough.

Did you mean what you said to those policemen? About everyone having a heart?

Hope: Usually.

Didn't I see you down by the amenity this morning?

Hope: Policemen protect the peace.

Do they?

Hope: You have to listen carefully. Here, let me try.

Do you-

Penny: Let the girl go, Bobby, she's done nothing wrong!

Don't let go of the girl. And follow me!

Little Becky Two-Shoes: Kill her!

Enough!

Hope: Even criminals.

Even policemen?

Hope: To wherever your heart tells you to go.

Even... There?

Cladwell: Officer Lockstock! Prepare your... man.

Everybody into the amenity! We'll be... relatively safer in there!

Josephine: Do you think they'll join us?

Hard to say. They're scared like we used to be scared, but if it's true what they say about everyone having a heart, they'll have to join us.

Tiny Tom: No shorter than yesterday. Unless I've grown.

He's my pa, Ms. Pennywise. Can't he come in for free? Just this once?

Hope: Bobby?!

Hope?!

Hope: What are you doing, Bobby?! I told you to follow your heart, not seize an amenity!

I did follow my heart, Hope. Thanks to you.

Hope: A vacuum? In your chest? It sounds so implausible.

I did something wrong this morning is all I'm trying to say. I can't seem to get it out of my head.

Hope: Sure it was. "Hopes and joys." "Squalor and noise." It was telling me about all those things.

I didn't know two hearts could speak as one.

Hope: You were rather brave with them.

I don't care for policemen. Not those two, anyway.

Hope: Even to the clouds, if that's what your heart commands. What's it saying now?

I don't know. I don't know how to listen to my heart.

Hope: Sure. Do you think you'd be feeling as bad as you do if you didn't have a heart?

I don't know. I suppose not.

Lockstock: Are they? Well, I'm glad to hear you were otherwise engaged. Wouldn't want to put you under suspicion for taking a late-night-behind-the-bushes-

I don't need to do that anymore, Officers. Not while I work for Penny, I don't.

Penny: Don't do this, Bobby. You'll regret it.

I don't think so. C'mon, Ma. This one's on the house. For everyone. Forever!

Penny: What did you say?

I said, what if the law is wrong, Ms. Pennywise?! What if all this is wrong?!

Hope: Your fellow revolutionaries seem to think so.

I suppose we should leave.

Penny: Up all night thinking, is it?! You work here now, Bobby, you don't need to go in the bushes anymore.

I wasn't-

Hope: And I won't forget what you said, about the laughter and the gladness. Wait a minute, when can I see you again?

In this darkness I'm afraid you can't see me at all. But a bright shining world is waiting to start, I can feel it. Come to Amenity Number Nine tomorrow. I'll show it to you.

Penny: You hear the news? They carried Old So-and-So off to Urinetown the other day.

Is that so? What he do?

Hope: Pardon?

It most certainly is.

Hope: "Someone is waiting there"? Why, my heart was saying those exact words just the other day.

It was?

Lockstock: You'll meet the guy who runs Urine Good Company later. That there's his daughter.

It's quite a ways from here, ma'am. This here's the bad part of town.

Josepine Strong: I am!

Ma!

Little Sally: I think he's just in love with her, that's what I think.

Maybe I am.

Hope: Oh, Bobby, why didn't you tell me you were going to start a revolution?

Maybe for the same reason you didn't tell me you were a Cladwell.

Penny: And it'll be off to Urinetown for me if I don't. Now get in line and have your money ready - the new fee-hike money that is!

Ms. Pennywise!

Hope: The vacuum?

My action. I let someone down that I love dearly. I feel real bad about it.

Little Sally: Bobby Strong.

No one's going to be killing anyone around here.

Ghost of Old Man Strong: Remember me, boys! Oh God, what have I done?! Remember me!!!

Not without you, they won't. Which is why you're coming with us.

Penny: Help her!

Now run, everybody! Run for your lives! RUN!!

Hope: Not because of me, I hope?

Oh no. Because of something I did.

Hope: Well, maybe that's nature's way of telling you that now's the time to lift someone up?

Really?

Cladwell: Now release the girl. It's time you faced your punishment like a man.

Release?! No one's holding-

Penny: Bobby Strong! Where the hell have you been?!

Sorry I'm late, Ms. Pennywise. I was up all night thinking, is all.

Poor: Ooooo!

Sure, Mister Cladwell, that's what you've been saying for twenty years. And for twenty years we've waited for the long-term solutions that never came. Well, we're done waiting, you see, for a new day has dawned today. A day of hope and happiness when the idea of human dignity is more than just a forgotten notion but a living breathing reality. A day- this day- when the people pee for free, because the people are free!

WHERE THE PEOPLE'S ALLEGIANCE MUST GO!

Tell me where!

Hope: The gleaming tower on the hill?

That's the one.

Penny: The amenity won't take much more of this uprising, Caldwell. Bobby's a sweet boy, but not sweet enough to sweeten that spillage, not by a long shot.

The amenity will take as much as it has to, Ms. Pennywise. The days of deprivation are over for these people.

Hope: I'm the same girl I was last night.

The girl last night would have joined us by now, Hope.

Hope: There's something else your heart was saying. Maybe something I shouldn't have heard.

There was?

Hope: If it feels cold, then it must still be there, don't you think?

Unless there's a vacuum where it used to be.

Robby the Stockfish: Run!

Wait! Wait! Please, everyone, remain calm!

Josephine: That was a close one, Bobby. I thought Barrel saw us there for sure.

We'll have to keep on our toes, Ma. At least until we've distributed the rest of these memos to the other assistant custodians around the city.

Josephine: In the name of the sky, you're coming with us!

We're walking out of here, Mister Cladwell, and you're going to let us! That is, if you care about your daughter.

Little Becky Two-Shoes: All I remember him saying was "Run! Run for your lives! Run!"

Well, that was in the heat of battle. And in the heat- the actual hotness of battle- the cry of freedom sounds something like...

Oh, such-and-such, I hear.

Well, what do you know. Old So-and-So.

Hope: I think so. It was barely audible, but I definitely heard something.

Well? What was it?

Barrel: But you still need to keep your head out of the clouds now, don't you?

What do you mean by that?

Josephine: Here's all I have, Bobby. Is it enough?

You hold on to that money, Ma.

Hope: Excuse me, sir, but can you tell me the way to the private company that controls these public bathrooms?

You mean Urine Good Company?

Hope: Gosh, it's beautiful.

You most certainly are.

Penny: Uh, perhaps best to stay back here with your father, Hope dear. The police will want to charge soon.

Your father?