ABOVE: Students Landon Traetow as King Candybar, Megan Wheeler as Princess SnoCap and Carys Gudahl as Queen Candybar perform the final scene of “Welcome to Candy Kingdom” during dress rehearsal of the Spring play on Tuesday evening in the Performing Arts Center at Fairmont High School. The story follows the Candy Apple Family searching for a place to belong in Candy Kingdom. Performances will be at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, March 28, and Saturday, March 29.

FAIRMONT — Showtimes are approaching and new hands are on deck. Approximately 30 Fairmont High School students will perform their adaptation of “Welcome to Candy Kingdom” at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, March 28, and Saturday, March 29, in the Performing Arts Center at Fairmont High School. This year, the FHS theater department put around 10 children in grades 6 to 8 in leadership roles, having them produce the school’s upcoming play under the guidance of Sara Gudahl.

This year Gudahl and students in grades 9 to 12 agreed to perform a duplicate of the junior high’s winter performance.

“The schedule got really tight,” Gudahl explained. “We usually have six weeks to prepare for a show. This year, it was only three weeks.”

In previous theater productions, Gudahl held the audition process, and oversaw rehearsal, technicalities and performances. The new producers make a difference for the theater department, but a welcome one, as it allows the students to experience hands-on oversight of the show. The experience provides confidence and leadership that the students can take with them wherever they go in the future.

Since the show was initially performed by the underclassmen, Gudahl believed it was appropriate to allow them to take the reins on producing it for the high school students. Following the decision, the junior high students were properly trained and seized duties of executing the play that matched the strategies of their instructor.

“I enjoyed watching someone else problem-solve and watch their learning curve. Their confidence is really growing,” Gudahl said.

Gudahl concurred that the junior high students have made notable, impressive progress within the short three weeks. With auditions, read-throughs, rehearsals and performances just

around the corner, the children have exhibited complete dedication and enthusiasm with their newfound obligations in the theater department with the help of Gudahl.

“[The junior high students producing the show] gave the kids a responsibility they might not normally experience. It teaches what kids are capable of,” Gudahl stated.

While Gudahl invited the junior high students to manage alongside her and express their visions of the show, she has continued offering both the performers feedback and junior high students ideas to get their gears turning in the right direction.

“Sometimes, if they need help, I’ll drop an idea, ‘What did you think about that scene?’ and they’ll find what needs to be changed. [The junior high students] don’t recognize an obstacle. They’re enthusiastic. Rather than a challenge, they see it as something to do. They kept coming up to a crewmember, Cadence Montgomery, and they were asking for more things to do,” Gudahl recalled with laughter.

In addition to the readiness from the producing junior high students, the senior high and crew members have returned the excitement upon receiving additional guidance from the younger producers and have welcomes Gudahl’s partnership with the younger students.

“The senior high students have been great. I love my high school kids. It’s become a tight little family. They accepted junior high’s notes, suggestions and performed auditions as if they were auditioning for me. They had a lot of respect for the process,” Gudahl said.

According to Gudahl, a common theme among the FHS 2025 senior high is mentorship. She noted many of her students are involved in class tutoring, peer support and express the common traits of a leader. Therefore, respect for the junior high’s production has come naturally, she said.

“We’re ready and excited,” Gudahl said.

The experience is new, and Gudahl shared that she’s excited to speak about both the junior high and senior high’s distinguished performances in producing and acting, respectively, before the attending audience on Friday and Saturday evening.

“I wouldn’t hesitate to try this again if the opportunity was right,” she said.

The “Welcome to Candy Kingdom” performances follow the story of the Candy Apple family searching for a place to belong, meeting allies and avoiding Baron Von Licorice’s schemes on their journey to meet the King and Queen of Candyland. Audiences can see the production through the eyes of both Sara Gudahl and the junior high students at both performances. For additional information about the production, contact Fairmont High School at (507) 238-4411.