North Putnam to stage musical 'State Fair' this Friday, Saturday

The North Putnam High School Thespians will present "State Fair" for their spring musical Friday and Saturday, April 13-14.

Curtain is at 7 p.m. both nights. Tickets, priced at $7 for adults and $5 for students, will be available at the door.

Taking part in a scene from the musical "State Fair" are North Putnam High School thespians (outside, from left) Mason Allen, Grace Elmore, Kyle Young, Dylan Arnold and Kam Thornburg. In the window are Zach Koll and Haley Wilson. "State Fair" will be staged Friday and Saturday, April 13-14. Curtain is at 7 p.m. both nights. Tickets are priced at $7 for adults and $5 for students.

The story revolves around the small-town Frake family attending the Iowa State Fair, the annual highlight of their summer.

Son Wayne (Dylan Arnold) plots revenge on a midway barker who had embarrassed him the summer before and falls for the beautiful singer Emily (Kam Thornburg), while his melancholy sister Margie (Grace Elmore) becomes smitten with slick city-boy reporter Pat (Mason Allen).

Meanwhile, mother Melissa (Haley Wilson) and father Abel (Zach Koll) plot to win their respective competitions. Abel is confident that all will go well for the family at the fair, so much so he makes a $5 bet with his neighbor Dave Miller (Aiden Millican) that nothing bad will happen.

Supporting roles include Kyle Young as Harry, fiancé hopeful of Margie. Lexanne Fuchs as Eleanor, Wayne's girlfriend who is college-bound which through him for a loop. Jenna Spangler as Mrs. Edwin Metcalf, Melissa arch-nemesis in the food competition.

Other members of the cast include Josie Lyons, Kristy Krsulic, Mason Allen, Aaron Fritz, Elizabeth Graves, Mady Williams, Taryn Thornburg, Grace Timm, Caleb Duncan, Madison Trotter, Kylie Gilliam, Allison Ballato, Hannah Clodfelter, Alaina Fritz and Gracie Sumners.

Orchestration personnel are Kimberly Kippert, Gabrielle Carney, Mallori Sinnet, Annie Peabody, Brett Asher, Matthew Trotter, Alexi Sweet, Brandon Burgess, Madison McGuinness and Kaylie Hackleman.

The musical is directed by Dustin Bond with vocal direction by Jason Lafever and pit direction by Matthew Wargel. Set design is by Linda Gjesvold, with costumes/choreography by Sarah Bond with Morgan Asher the piano player and Craig Armitage as tech director. Thespian sponsor is Jessica Neild.