By NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Not Worth Your Salt is a melodrama being put on this Friday on Hutch Post by the Family Community Theatre.
"Melodramas generally have a downtrodden family, or a person who is having an extreme lot of bad luck," said director Craig Williams. "That bad luck is being intensified by a villain. The villain can be any number of people or whatever, but they are after whatever the hero's assets are and they are trying to make it worse for them."
In Not Worth Your Salt, the Salts, a family with a long and proud history, live in Salt City. The town was founded by I.Scream Salt. However, the obsession of I.Scream Salt’s to create a salt shaker, led to financial woes resulting in the loss of the salt mine that is under Salt City. Through tenacity and will-power the Salts were able to remain in control of one, very important tunnel in the mine.
The rest of the salt mine now belongs to the villainous family who have schemed and cheated the citizens of Salt City, the Rosions. Since the founding of Salt City the Salts and Rosions have been pitted against one another. Corr Rosion is the head of the Rosions and he is a cruel, black-hearted villain intent of gaining complete control of the salt mine and all the money in Salt City.
Our story tells the events of the final showdown between the Salts and Rosions. The Rosions are intent on destroying the Salts and becoming the wealthiest family in Salt City. The poor, but trustworthy Salts only want to protect their reputation, their heritage and the citizens of Salt City.
"We have modified this stage play so that it would be given as a radio show as you might have heard back in the 1930s and 1940s," Williams said. "Though it will be streamed live over Hutch Post, we will be doing it as a radio show."
The melodrama uses Hutchinson as its basis. You will find references to the Salt Shakers, the Hutchinson High School dance team, Allagaroo, the name of the annual and a cheer as well as Salt City, a named used frequently in referring to Hutchinson.
"We'll be utilizing a number of sound effects," Williams said. "We'll do it by actually doing those sound effects live, such as the steps, where shoes will be used on tables or wood to give the sound effects. Aaron Parker will be doing all of the sound effects for us. That's another fun aspect of doing this particular type of show."
The cast will be performing in the Flag Theatre. The stream will begin at 7 p.m. Friday on Hutch Post.