Durango High School Troupe 1096 Presents Comedy Musical Urinetown

DHS Troupe 1096 presents the satirical comedy musical "Urinetown" from February 29th through March 9th at Durango High School. "Urinetown" envisions a dystopian future where water shortages have led to corporate control of bathroom use and the divide between the rich and the poor comes down to the right to pee freely. You're watching the "Local News Network" brought to you by Kroegers Ace Hardware and Tafoya Barrett and Associates. I'm Connor Shreve.

"Urinetown" is about a place that is suffering a massive drought. And so in order to combat the lack of water that you have to pay to pee to discourage people from drinking water, it's become kind of corrupt, like the measures that they've put into place. And it's kind of just social commentary. It's a satirical voice on our current society and what might happen with future environmental crises.

We've gotten to this point where, like, this big corporation run by Caldwell B. Cladwell has figured out a way of regulating water. However, this means that people are not able to use the, there's no private restrooms, and any restroom that you have to use, you have to pay for, which becomes a struggle when everybody's very poor. If you aren't able to pay this fee or if you break the law by any means, you are sent to Urinetown, which is this kind of infamous, mysterious place that's, like, you don't want to go there.

"Urinetown" is directed by teachers Benjamin Mattson and Jenny Fitts-Reynolds, who have been co-directing Troupe 1096 productions for the past three years.

It's a big topic, but it's told in such a silly, fun way. Part of the premise of the show is that the actors are making fun of themselves even as they're performing for the audience, so there's that part of it, but it kind of ends with this deep message. I think ultimately it's about humanity and the decisions that we make regarding resources, regarding how we treat people, regarding social classes. So it is a deep show with a lot of humor.

Despite its unusual name and premise, "Urinetown" is a critically acclaimed Broadway hit that won three Tonys, among other awards. It's known for its clever, irreverent storytelling and its catchy musical score.

I think the name kind of throws you off. You're like, "What?" But then it's actually an incredibly well-written show, kind of the topics and what it hits, and the way that it looks at things, like, kind of just blind idealism and how that can hurt more than it can help. And also, the music's really nice. I mean, we have really great harmonies in there, and they sound good too. Like, for a high school, we do very well with this show.

This cast has worked really hard. We have an amazing group of singers this year, and we always kind of push our kids to take choir as well. People are going to be blown away by the singing.

I think it's one of the best shows we've done in a really long time, 'cause I think everyone has found something where they feel, they feel important, 'cause the ensemble's important, the leads are important. Every single character in the show has an important place.

Troupe 1096 provides robust opportunities for high school students to explore theater art, technical design, and theater management. Students are empowered to create and lead in all aspects of production.

Troupe 1096 here at DHS is, honestly, a great theater program. We have a very supporting community and very supportive directors, and we work so hard in what we do and we don't accept anything less. It's really a great community to be a part of.

In addition to fostering a supportive community and putting on high-quality theatrical productions, season after season, Troupe 1096 seeks opportunities for their young thespians and technicians to expand their craft, often traveling for immersive experiences and theater conventions. They are currently raising funds for the International Thespian Convention this summer.

Come out and support Troupe 1096. We have a bunch of kids that, all of our juniors are going to be going to the International Thespian Convention this summer, and it's a huge event for them. They get to audition for colleges, they get to see tons and tons of shows from schools all over the country. It's a really bonding experience, and it's expensive. So anytime you come and support our shows, some of that money goes towards that, so we always appreciate having you here to support our kids.

For more information on how to donate, or volunteer, or to purchase tickets online for "Urinetown," visit Troupe 1096 website. For more information about this and other stories, visit durangolocal.news. Thanks for watching this edition of the "Local News Network." I'm Connor Shreve.