Donna Reed Festival underway in Denison

So you wanna’ be a star? You may wanna’ head for the western Iowa community of Denison this week. The 18th annual Donna Reed Festival and Workshop is underway through Saturday for people who want to get involved in any aspects of acting and performing. Gwen Ecklund, the event’s executive director, says hundreds of aspiring actors from across Iowa and from across the country are making beelines for the hometown of the late actress and Oscar-winner Donna Reed. Ecklund says the classes are taught by professionals from Hollywood, New York and elsewhere in a wide variety of subjects.She says the workshops include: acting, musical theatre, vocal, behind the scenes like stage management, sound, tech, lighting — and students enrolled range in age from four to 84. Ecklund says taking a few acting courses can help build a child’s self-esteem, confidence and poise.Slots are still available for some of the workshops. For more information, call (712) 263-3334 or surf to “www.donnareed.org”.