Elizabeth Mason was born in 1974 in Columbus, Ohio, but grew up in Athens. She earned a BA of English Literature and Language and Creative Writing in 1996 and a BA of Education in 2000, both from Ohio University, and a MA of Education in Reading and Literacy in 2005 from the University of Dayton. She began teaching at Paint Valley High School in 2004, and established a drama program during the 2005-2006 school year. Since establishing the program, Mason has produced and directed thirteen plays:
- A Midsummer Night's Dream 2006
- Much Ado About Nothing 2007
- Fraction of Fear 2007-2008
- Grease 2008
- The Wizard of Oz 2009
- The Crucible 2010
- Pride and Prejudice 2010
- Beauty and the Beast 2011
- Footloose 2012
- Fame 2013
- Help! I'm Trapped in a High School! 2014
- Cyrano de Burgershack 2015
- The Little Mermaid 2016
On a personal note, just two weeks prior to the 2015 production of Cyrano de Burgershack, Mason was diagnosed with breast cancer. Two years and thirteen productions later - with chemotherapy and surgery far behind her - she is cancer free and two months away from her fourteenth play at Paint Valley - The Great Gatsby. Mason says of her journey with cancer: "I would not trade my experience for anything...it has truly changed my attitude and perspective - what is important and what is unworthy of worry. Bottom line, God is in control - with that knowledge, everything else just falls into place. I am stronger and happier." Mason's family - her husband, Jeremy, and daughter, Sasha - are a tremendous support to her endeavors as a teacher and director, and celebrate her love of her students in the classroom and on the stage. When she is not teaching or directing, Mason enjoys gardening, thrift store shopping, and playing with her furchildren, Sawyer (a nine-year-old Border Collie, Sadye (a four-year-old Golden Retriever), and the newest edition, Sullivan - "Sullie" (a four-and-a-half-month-old Border Collie adopted from the Ross County Human Society).
Mason has applied for grants to acquire a new lighting system for the high school stage and is currently working with students and parents on raising money for their May trip to New York - a huge endeavor in and of itself, as well as a chance of a lifetime for the students.
"Dream big," Mason says, "for there is nothing unattainable with faith."
Mason has applied for grants to acquire a new lighting system for the high school stage and is currently working with students and parents on raising money for their May trip to New York - a huge endeavor in and of itself, as well as a chance of a lifetime for the students.
"Dream big," Mason says, "for there is nothing unattainable with faith."