On February 23-26 four short plays by contemporary playwright Christopher Durang will be presented in the Harriet Fulton Auditorium in the Vanguard Theatre’s production of Durang/Durang. The four comedies, “Mrs. Sorken”, “For Whom the Southern Belle Tolls”, “Medea” and “Beyond Therapy”, will range in their duration from a few minutes to one hour.

“Mrs. Sorken” will serve as an opening one-person introduction played by Melanie Hollis, an adjunct professor in the Department of Visual and Theatre Arts. In an unprepared, disorganized manner, she will attempt to inform the audience about some of the history of the theatre.

In addition, Ms. Hollis will serve as a director of the second play, “For Whom the Southern Belle Tolls”, which parodies the Tennessee Williams play The Glass Menagerie.

One example of the small changes is Amanda, played by Kim Gibson, a senior from Fayetteville. She is looking for a feminine suitor for her son Lawrence, played by Ron Peckham. Adrien Eubank, a senior from Crossville, is Lawrence’s caller, and Eric Danz, a senior from Martin, is Amanda’s son.

Following the first act of a play will be another; Durang’s parody of “Medea”, co-written with Wendy Wasserstein. In this tragedy turned comedy, Medea, played by Natalie Horbelt, a freshman from Memphis, learns about her husband Jason’s, played by Dusty Stringer, a sophmore from Martin, will to attempt to seek bloody revenge. Unlike the original version of the play where she succeeds in killing her husband’s family, including his uncle, his lover and even her own children, the angel, played by Stephanie Dowell, a senior from Nashville, will “bring the story to the happy ending.”

“This play is opening my eyes to new experiences,” says Horbelt. “It’s making me fall in love with acting and I’m learning a lot about myself.”

Finally, a lengthy wrap up to the remaining hour of the evening, will be “Beyond Therapy.” The satirical drama presents complex relationship problem that need to be treated by therapy. Ironically, the fruitless attempt in healing their lives results in a tangle of more complications and secret lovers are revealed.

The play’s main characters, Prudence and Bruce, are played by Jennifer Baumgardner, a senior from McKenzie, and Will Cook, a senior from Martin. The therapists will be played by Allyson Truly, a junior from Memphis, and Anderson Nichols. Bob, Bruce’s male lover will be played by Brandon Douglas, a freshman from Jackson. Tony Liberty, a sophomore from Millington, plays a waiter named Andrew. Ken Zimmerman is the director.

Plays will be performed at 8:00 Thursday through Saturday and at 3:00 on Sunday. The box office will open at noon from Feb. 20 and close daily at 5:00. Tickets for students are $5 and $10 for adults. For phone reservations call 881-7090.