David Faldet's book, "Oneota Flow," will come to life this August in a unique dramatic presentation aimed at incoming Luther College students.

Faldet's book has been chosen for this fall's Paideia classes at Luther College.  Luther College Wellness Program Director Greg Lonning was thinking of using Faldet's book as a way to get new Luther students off campus and raise awareness of their new home, the Decorah area.

That's when Lonning thought of Kristen Underwood, who earlier helped Nancy Barry turn her journals about cancer into a stage presentation and has also staged yearly cemetery walks to bring history to life. 

Underwood tells decorahnews.com the plan for Faldet's book is to have the 600 first year students walk a two-mile loop along the Upper Iowa River.  At six locations along the route various actors and actresses will be staging scenes suggested by the book.

"I'll try to find what's theatrical," she says.  We'll take what we know from history...and pick a moment to bring to life."

Performances will include a scene of early Decorah settlers fighting a prairie fire and a scene of modern day tubers interacting with a scientist.  Underwood says she'll need a cast of around 20 performers, with several Paideia professors already volunteering their services.

At this point, the performances will be for first year Luther students only.  That's not to say the general public might not have a chance at some point in the future to see a stage presentation of David Faldet's work--just like they saw the cemetery walks and Nancy Barry's journals brought to life.  "It's like my new career," laughs Underwood.