November 9, 2020

If you missed celebrating Nordic Fest this year, be sure to tune into the 2020 Decorah High School Variety Show. Titled “Escape to Nordic Fest,” the show tells the story of a family traveling to Decorah’s Nordic Fest during the COVID-19 pandemic. There, amid colorful local characters and familiar traditions, they find a featured selection of music, dance, and visual performances that they need to get through in just two hours.

The story is honest about the pandemic’s many challenges, but it also emphasizes hope, resilience, and drawing support from family and friends. The script was written entirely by the show’s emcees.

“Escape to Nordic Fest” will be performed for a reduced, distanced, and masked audience of family members of the performers and is also available via live stream. To watch the production, you can find a unique link for each night on the DHS school website, the DHS Activities Facebook page, or by using these direct links:

Thursday:  https://youtu.be/eKfYPMuPQnY

Friday:  https://youtu.be/i_8_sOxxN0U

Saturday: https://youtu.be/KjoZM3apFA8

Performance times are 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 12; Friday, November 13; and Saturday, November 14.

The emcee cast and show writers include Ally Bouska, Ella Grouws, Amber Hussain, Tyler Irwin, Lelia Johnson, Noah Lovelace, Jake Magner, Cooper McElree, Dylan Muhlbauer, and Peter Wilson.

Students presenting variety show acts include Kendra Bigler, Baylor Bohr, Noah Breitenbach-Dirks, Fiona Buresh, Drew Chamberlain, Briggs Duwe, Ella Grouws, James Groux, Jenna Hartz, Maria Hendrickson, Gabriel Hiner, Elayna Hook, Amber Hussain, Isabel Ihde, Lydia Ihde, Tyler Irwin, Nolan Jacobsen, Emma Johnson, Leila Johnson, Nadia Johnson, Nolan Jostand, Alex Kane, Maggie Kane, Ella Kittelson, Jensen Korsness, Mikiah Krieg, Sierra Kruger, Paige Lange, Sally Laybourn, Ada Lovelace, Noah Lovelace, Jenna Lundtvedt, Cael Luzum, Anja Madsen, Rose Martinsen-Burrell, Cooper McElree, Abby Milburn, Miranda Miller, Morgan Moen, AJ Morrow, Dylan Muhlbauer, Kaia Neal, Emma Nierengarten, Michael Njus, Mya Numedahl, Mason O’Hara, David Olson, Thomas Ostlie, Sarah Pedlar, Brian Phillips, Charlie Robinson, Clara Rooney, Tate Schissel, Avery Shelton, Daniel Skrade, Hope Stahl, Hayley Stowe, Haywood Stowe, Noah Tapscott, Luke Walter, Rorie Wiedow, Max Wilson, Peter Wilson, Riley Wilson, and Cassie Wyatt.

Anya Lovstuen is the Stage Manager, and the rest of the Crew members are Junior Battle, Hallie Busta, Sophia Christman, Isaac Cooper, Max DeVore, Izaak Eichinger, Landan Folkedahl, Emma Humpal, Libby Phillips, Ellen Rooney, Chloe Sabin, Sylvia Sandhorst, Julia Schwarz, Hogan Smith, Kassidy Steines, Ruby Sullivan, Kiah Tweten, and Riley Wilson.

Directors for “Escape to Nordic Fest” are Chris Hadley, Jason Rausch, Karen Trewin, and Kristen Underwood.

DHS’s Drama Program is funded in part through annual production ticket sales. In lieu of tickets for streaming, freewill donations will be accepted to support this student production. Interested viewers can send a check to Decorah High School with “Drama Department” in the memo.