Laughs, Lyrics and Love: Fort Dodge Senior High — ‘Cactus Pass’
Romance, family feud come together in ‘Cactus Pass’
-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla <br> Parker Gale plays Sheriff Sam Starr while acting out a scene for Fort Dodge Senior High’s fall play, “Cactus Pass,” on Tuesday.
-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla <br>From left, Piper Sheda as Tina Barrington, Miah Heath as Taylor Barrington, Teagan Loots as Tiffany Barrington, and Harper Sandahl as Miranda Barrington act out a scene during Fort Dodge Senior High’s fall play practice for “Cactus Pass” on Tuesday.
-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla <br>Harper Sandhal as Miranda Barrington, center left, and Kyle Pederson as Trevor Barrington, III, rehearse for Fort Dodge Senior High’s fall play, “Cactus Pass,” on Tuesday.
-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla <br>Grayson Chance as Luke Ludlow, right, of Fort Dodge, and Sadie Shields, playing the part of Cassie Putnam, rehearse a scene from Senior High’s fall play, “Cactus Pass” Tuesday.
-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla <br>Joely Gilbert, right, as Nora Ludlow, and Kemauri Martin, as Granny Putnam, rehearse a scene from Fort Dodge Senior High’s fall play, “Cactus Pass,” on Tuesday.
-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla <br>Greyson Chance carries Jolie Waldschmidt across the stage during a chaotic scene in Fort Dodge Senior High’s fall play, “Cactus Pass,” on Tuesday.
-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla <br> Parker Gale plays Sheriff Sam Starr while acting out a scene for Fort Dodge Senior High’s fall play, “Cactus Pass,” on Tuesday.
-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla <br>From left, Piper Sheda as Tina Barrington, Miah Heath as Taylor Barrington, Teagan Loots as Tiffany Barrington, and Harper Sandahl as Miranda Barrington act out a scene during Fort Dodge Senior High’s fall play practice for “Cactus Pass” on Tuesday.
-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla <br>Harper Sandhal as Miranda Barrington, center left, and Kyle Pederson as Trevor Barrington, III, rehearse for Fort Dodge Senior High’s fall play, “Cactus Pass,” on Tuesday.
-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla <br>Grayson Chance as Luke Ludlow, right, of Fort Dodge, and Sadie Shields, playing the part of Cassie Putnam, rehearse a scene from Senior High’s fall play, “Cactus Pass” Tuesday.
-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla <br>Joely Gilbert, right, as Nora Ludlow, and Kemauri Martin, as Granny Putnam, rehearse a scene from Fort Dodge Senior High’s fall play, “Cactus Pass,” on Tuesday.
-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla <br>Greyson Chance carries Jolie Waldschmidt across the stage during a chaotic scene in Fort Dodge Senior High’s fall play, “Cactus Pass,” on Tuesday.
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Combine elements of a Shakespearean romance with an old time Appalachian family feud then load it with laughs and you'll have the basic outline of the fall play to be performed next month by students at Fort Dodge Senior High School.
It's called "Cactus Pass" and will be performed at 7 p.m. Nov. 5-7 in the Gail Niceswanger Little Theatre at the school, 819 N. 25th St.
Tickets are $8.
"I selected this particular show because it is the polar opposite of what we did last year," said director Lindy Krug. "I try to give my students a variety of experiences over their four years of high school."
The 2025 FDSH fall play was a modernized version of Shakespeare's "MacBeth."
"Last year, our show was dark and dramatic," Krug said. "This one is light-hearted, fun and just plain silly. This show can be described as Romeo and Juliet meets the Hatfields and McCoys."
The play, written by Karen Woodford, is set in the fictional town of Cactus Pass, Arizona. There, the wealthy Barrington family gets stuck after their elaborate motor home breaks down. They find that the town is split between the feuding Putnams and Ludlows. Despite the animosity, one member of the Putnam family and one member of the Ludlow family are in love with each other. When the patriarch of the Barrington family convinces the townspeople to once again have their annual jamboree, all kinds of hilarity ensues.
Cast list
The Barringtons
Trevor Barrington, III -- Kyle Pederson
Miranda Barrington -- Harper Sandahl
Taylor Barrington -- Miah Heath
Tiffany Barrington -- Teagan Loots
Tina Barrington -- Piper Sheda
Fifi -- Leah Myer
The Putnams
Emmett Putnam -- Izzam Mejia
Granny Putnam -- Kemauri Martin
Cassie Putnam -- Sadie Shields
Maddie Putnam -- Jolie Waldschmidt
Clay Putnam -- Lunden Lowrey-Jones
Put Putnam -- Jalynne Gore
The Ludlows
Nora Ludlow -- Joely Gilbert
Luke Ludlow -- Grayson Chance
Lanette Ludlow -- Kaylee King
Lucinda Ludlow -- Iris McAtee
Laureen Ludlow -- Claire Simpson
Lanelle Ludlow -- Abby Newman
The Citizens of Cactus Pass
Sheriff Sam Starr -- Parker Gale
Deputy Lester -- Elias Powers
Miss Halstead -- Leah Fisher
Miss Martha Fogerty -- Amelia Stephan
Miss Elsie Fogerty -- Anna Fritts
Orval Scroggs -- Rhett Strandberg
Ernestine Scroggs -- Kyrie Schwering
Townspeople/Swings: Chloe Harrison, Lainey Shields, Allisyn Parker, Callista Gilbert