ABOVE: Fairmont junior high students and actors, Scott Allen, Gavin Hartwig, Jonah Wurster, Trent Luhmann, Garrett Meier and Asher Oskerson, in their roles of “Cowboys,” perform during dress rehearsal on Tuesday evening in the Performing Arts Center at Fairmont High School.

FAIRMONT — Whether or not there’s a doctor in the house, there are show-ready actors at Fairmont High School (FHS) who will perform the junior high production, “Is There A Doctor in the House?” at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, March 6 and Saturday, March 7, at the school’s Performing Arts Center.

“I’m excited for the community to see how big our program is,” said Director Sara Gudahl.

“Is There A Doctor in the House?” is a melodramatic piece by Tim Kelly. The play follows a mayor’s daughter, Lucy Canary, who is in love with a cowboy, Lester Goodbe, and feigns illness to stall a marriage to another arranged by her father, as other characters search for a reliable doctor to cure her, along with many other farce storylines in a wild western setting.

“It is a somewhat larger and more difficult production than this group has had in the past. I chose it because it contains a wide variety of theater skills and gives me a chance to showcase each person’s individual development,” Gudahl said.

ABOVE: Maxden Ingvoldstad as “Dr. Pillpurge”, Leander Nelson as “Preacher”, Lucy Malo as “Lucy Canary” and Melody Cordova as “Hepzibah Canary” perform during dress rehearsal on Tuesday evening in the Performing Arts Center at FHS.

During the school year, three productions are held. The fall musical and spring play include students in grades 7 to 12. In winter, the spotlight is all on the grades 6 to 8 students.

“The large cast is giving us an opportunity to showcase where the students are in their theater journey. For them to have their own show, it prepares them for the fall productions at the high school,” Gudahl explained.

She shared that significant growth has been made by the 54 students involved. Since rehearsal began on Jan. 10, skills and facial expressions, projection, staging, timing, delivery and more have been tackled. Students with more theater experience have also been able to step into guidance and leadership roles for their peers.

Gudahl said when it comes to choosing shows for Cardinal Theater, she always looks for shows that encourage growth, like this one.

“The biggest things we look for in a show are a crowd pleaser, a show the students enjoy and the depth of the shows,” she said.

As for preparations for the show, Gudahl reported that despite the broad storyline, students have been engaged and immersed in it during their time in the theater.

She added that FHS performed the piece years ago, and it’s intriguing to see how much time has elapsed. Both she and the cast hope audiences will find the production humorous this weekend.

Tickets will be sold at the door at FHS. For additional information regarding the show, contact FHS at (507) 238-4411.