WORLAND – The Worland High School drama department was hit with a major setback in the spring when they were forced to cancel their spring musical, "Fiddler on the Roof" due to COVID-19 and the the cancellation of all school activities.

According to drama coach Rick Dorn, as a result of the setback the drama department lost their biggest fundraiser of the year and will be hosting multiple fundraisers this fall in order to help pay for a spring show. They also will hold their biggest fundraiser this upcoming spring.

The first fundraiser scheduled is a haunted house out at 413 Lawson Ave. this Friday and. Each night there will be times set for 5- to 10-year-old kids from 5 to 7 p.m. and then for ages 11 and up from 7:30 to 10 p.m.

There are admission fees for individuals or families.

Masks are required to attend this event and all of the proceeds go toward the drama department.

According to Dorn, drama club officers Raeth Tolman, Allison McIntosh, Michael Neufer, Alexis Sandoval, Aspen Greek and Jade Hefeneider have been working together with drama club members to put the haunted house together. He especially wanted to recognize drama club President Guendylan Byrd for her work in leading the way in planning and organizing the project.

Community members Shannon Byrd and Donna Hunter played key parts in helping build this project.

FUTURE EVENTS

The drama club will also be hosting a second fundraiser this year with a presentation of "A Tuna Christmas," a comedy, during the weekend of Nov. 19-21. Ads will be sold for local businesses this year in order to also help the production.

The three-time defending drama champions will be unable to officially defend their title this year as the state competition will not hold sweepstakes, but the state competition will be held virtually this year allowing kids to still compete in individual events.

With the fundraising events this semester, the drama department is planning at this time to perform a musical called "Into the Woods" in the spring.

According to Dorn any help would be appreciated to help the department as they lost a significant amount of money in the spring due to COVID-19 cancelling their spring performance.

Anyone interested in donating or purchasing an ad for the fall program may contact Dorn at the high school, 347-2412.