By Kathy L. Collins
To celebrate the long career of Durant High School’s drama teacher Edward Mason, Theatre Durant will present the musical, Urinetown on Wednesday, July 22; Thursday, July 23 and Saturday, July 25 at 7 p.m. in the auditorium at Durant High School located at 4748 Cougar Path in Plant City.
Mason, who helped create and develop the Drama Department at Durant High School when it opened in 1995, is retiring at the end of the 2015-2016 school year. The production of Urinetown is a special one because it includes an all alumni cast.
“Urinetown will be the first of his final shows at Durant. Ed Mason has taught many a student over the years, some of whom have been quite successful in the discipline of theatre. Showcasing an all alumni show has been a long-time dream of Ed Mason’s, and we are hoping that you will help him realize his dream before he retires,” said Gina Harber, a volunteer with Theatre Durant.
Urinetown is a musical satire of the legal system, corporate mismanagement and musical theatre itself. Urinetown, is about how one company, The Urine Good Company, has monopolized the water distribution in the town. In an attempt to regulate water consumption, Urinetown has outlawed the use of private toilets. The citzenry must use public, pay-per-use amenities owned and operated by Urine Good Company, a malevolent corporation owned by the corrupt Caldwell B. Cladwell.
The story takes place at the dirtiest and cheapest public facility, Amenity No. 9, which is manned by Miss Pennywise with her assistant, Bobby Strong. The trouble begins when Bobby’s father, old man Strong (played by Mason) does not have the money to pee and bravely relieves himself on the street.
The show is full of wit, good music and symbolism. Urinetown provides the audience with a whimsical story with great music and a different kind of ending. Tickets to the show are $10. Sponsors are needed to help offset the cost of the production.
“We believe that local community support is extremely important, and we encourage you to support Theatre Durant for this very special performance,” said Harber. For more information, contact Harber at basktbiz@msn.com or 546-2539 or Mason at edward.mason@ sdhc.k12.fl.us or 757-9075, ext. 291.
