Kasson-Mantorville repurposes last Dodge County traffic light for school play
Apr. 26—KASSON, Minn. — Hanging above the stage in Kasson-Mantorville High School's auditorium is a traffic light that flashes from green to yellow to red. Even if they haven't seen the performance before, anyone coming to see the school's play this weekend has probably spent some time sitting in front of that same light in a different setting.
Although it now plays a prominent role in the KM Production of "One Stoplight Town" it used to be the the last traffic light in Dodge County before Kasson replaced them with roundabouts. The play's director, Mel Ferris, is on the Kasson City Council and realized she could find a way to repurpose the light.
"That is actually one of the stoplights from the intersection in Kasson," said Ferris, who asked a representative from the Minnesota Department of Transportation what would happen with the lights. "He said, normally we just send them to be recycled, but if you want one, sure.'"
While roughly four feet tall, the traffic light is relatively light and basically hollow. KM Tech Director Cody Rysavy said it was a fun way to combine civil engineering and theater.
The play shows characters dealing with change in their small-town community. Ferris describes it as a slice of life, following the town and the characters in it over 20 years.
Although the play isn't specifically about Kasson, it describes an environment not unlike the small town west of Rochester. While growing, Kasson has fewer than 7,000 residents.
"This is basically an ode to small-town America," Ferris said. "It is a show about any time that is so small you might drive through it and not give it a second look."
The Kasson-Mantorville play will be at 7 p.m. April 26-27 and 2 p.m. on April 28 at the Minnesota Wifi Performing Arts Center in Kasson.
Other area school spring plays include the following:
Byron High School
What: Cinderella
When: 7 p.m. May 3-4, 2 p.m. May 5
Century High School
What: The Great Gatsby
When: 7 p.m. April 25-27, 2 p.m. April 27
Co-Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist
What: James and the Giant Peach
When: March 21-23
John Marshall High School
What: Spy School
When: 7 p.m. April 25-27
Kasson-Mantorville
What: One Stoplight Town
When: 7 p.m. April 26-27, 2 p.m. April 28
Mayo High School
What: "I Hate Shakespeare"
When: 7 p.m. April 26-27, 1 p.m. April 28
Plainview-Elgin-Millville
What: Beauty and the Beast
When: March 4-10
Stewartville High School
What: Urinetown the Musical
When: 7 p.m. May 10-11, 2 p.m. May 12
