Promotional art for POOP: The Musical.

Tony Award-nominated Bill Russell (Side Show) is attached to a new musical in the works by newcomers Joe Major and Catherine Serbousek titled POOP: The Musical. A reading — directed by Russell and starring David McDonald (Les Miserables), Barrett Foa (Mamma Mia!) and Danny Burstein (A Class Act) — will be held at BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop, Oct. 10. The work from the two Oklahoma natives, which has been in the works since 1999 (a demo was recorded in 2000), is subtitled "The Life and Times of Thomas Crapper" and based on the true story surrounding the disputed invention of the flush toilet. Major provides music and Serbousek handles the book while both share credit for lyrics.

Composer Major explained his take on the "ridiculous, screwball comedy" to Playbill On-Line "Despite the euphemistic song titles and character names, it's a very tasteful show."

Among the tongue-in-cheek song titles are "Why I’m Not a Floater," "Number Two," "I’m Regular!" "The Obligatory Prostitute Song," "Old Man Peedov's Lament," "Brown," "Toilet Paper," "The Hard One That Hurts," "Midnight Grunts (Nightmare Sequence)," "I Can’t Hold It In" and "Finale/ Requiem for Poop."

The cast of characters include the title role of Thomas Crapper (McDonald), his apprentice/nephew George Crapper (Foa), Albert Giblin, Urina Giblin, Prunella, the paperboy Pip, Sister Mary Turdelia, the obligatory prostitute Fecia, Constable Judass Thompson, Queen Victoria, Old Man Peedov and Ass Raisin.

The reading will also feature Jay Rogers, Tari Kelly, Leslie Henstock, Ryan Binder, Kim Cea, Andre Ward and Jennifer Jordan Rhoads — who Major pointed out is "the only cast member who has been with the show since its initial conception."

The touchy subject matter-focused musical calls to mind Urinetown. The Fringe show-cum-Broadway favorite is set in a fictional town crippled by a terrible water shortage, causing the government to outlawed the use of private toilets. The similarly titled tuner, POOP, is set in 1888's London, which is crippled by inefficient plumbing and sewer systems, solved only by the invention of the toilet.

For more information on POOP: The Musical and to sign up for The POOP Hits The Fans mailing list, visit www.poopthemusical.com.

— by Ernio Hernandez