Members of Durango High School Troupe 1096 are gearing up for their upcoming theater season. Their annual patron drive is currently underway. (Courtesy)
Members of Durango High School Troupe 1096 are gearing up for their upcoming theater season. Their annual patron drive is currently underway. (Courtesy)

It’s that time of year, fans of Durango High School Troupe 1096: The student actors are getting ready for their upcoming season. And one facet of that is opening up their annual patron drive.

The drive, which runs through Oct. 1 or until packages sell out, is a chance for theater-lovers to get their season tickets, be able to choose their seats and be able to buy additional tickets at a discounted price.

Patrons are also helping the troupe with expenditures such as technical upgrades and providing students with greater opportunities, such as travel to competitions and events that allow them to audition for colleges, said Director Ben Mattson.

Become a patron

To become a patron of Durango High School Troupe 1096, visit https://troupe1096.weebly.com.

“By getting their patron packages, it’s not just their ability to access ticket sales, or secure their tickets for the season and get first pick of seating – those are all great perks, but that really sets us up for these experiences for the students as well, which gets them in front of colleges and gets them in front of industry professionals,” he said. “We always need a big cash flow at the beginning of the year. That sets us up and then we can budget out the rest of the year. And our ticket sales not only go into improving our technology and adding to the production value of the shows that we do, but we use ticket sales to help fund students going to a convention in December, where they get to compete, and meet with colleges and industry professionals at a state level that’s really exciting.”

The troupe also travels to a national festival in the summer, Mattson said: “That’s a weeklong festival, and with airfare it can cost upwards of $2,000 per student. We really try to take all of the juniors that we can because they do they get to audition for colleges at nationals, which is amazing. And they get to meet industry professionals and take workshops with really amazing people and connect with other peers that are interested in theater. It’s a really exciting and worthwhile.”

Durango High School Troupe 1096 season

Durango High School Troupe 1096’s 2023-24 season

The Hobbit, Nov. 3-11: The Hobbit is set in Middle-earth and follows Bilbo Baggins, the titular hobbit, who joins the wizard Gandalf and 13 dwarves that make up Thorin Oakenshield’s Company, on a quest to reclaim the dwarves’ home and treasure from the dragon Smaug.

Underclassmen Showcase, Jan 4: A collection of student-directed work that showcases freshmen and sophomore actors, while giving juniors and seniors experience producing and directing shows.

Urinetown, Feb. 29-March 9: A terrible water shortage has crippled the Gotham-like town that serves as the setting for “Urinetown.” In a mad attempt to regulate water consumption, the government has outlawed the use of private toilets. The citizenry must use public, pay-for-use amenities owned and operated by the corrupt and iron-fisted Caldwell B. Cladwell.

You Can’t Take it With You, April 19-27: The family of Martin Vanderhof lives “just around the corner from Columbia University – but don’t go looking for it.” Grandpa, as Martin is more commonly known, is the paterfamilias of a large and extended family of charming eccentrics. His granddaughter, Alice, is an attractive and loving girl who is still embarrassed by her family’s idiosyncrasies. When Alice falls for her boss, a handsome scion of Wall Street, she fears that their two families will never come together.

And this year’s theater season is going to be a doozy, Mattson said.

Up first is the troupe’s production of “The Hobbit,” which open Nov. 3 and runs through Nov. 11. Then in January, it’s the Underclassmen Showcase, which gives the underclassmen in the troupe the limelight to show off their acting chops, as well as offering juniors and seniors the chance to produce and direct. The spring will feature two shows: “Urinetown,” which will run Feb. 29 to March 9, and the season-closer “You Can’t Take it With You,” slated for April 19 to 27.

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