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N.D. (AP) — Six North Dakota natives are in the cast and band at this year’s annual musical in Medora, the largest number in recent years.

Taylor Leet of Bismarck, Alyssa Scott of Fargo, Misti Koop of Grand Forks and Damon Fichter of Dickinson are four of the 12 singers in this year’s Medora Musical. Former Bismarck mayor and longtime Medora performer Bill Sorensen is co-hosting the show, and Bismarck native Zach Schmidt is the band’s drummer.

“It shows off our proud history and the talent that we have in North Dakota,” Schmidt said.

More than 1,000 people audition for the musical each year regionally and nationally, with cast members coming from around the country.

“The fact that there are so many North Dakotans in the show, it makes me even more proud to be where I’m from,” Leet said. “When they introduce everybody in the cast, hearing applause for the Bismarck or North Dakota people, it’s always so fun.”

Koop was the only North Dakota native on stage when she began performing in 2012.

“It’s fun to have new North Dakotans with us,” Koop said.

Scott, who had been working as a musician in the Twin Cities, said the musical is a chance to challenge herself in new ways.

“The musical is something very different for me,” Scott said. “I knew it was going to push me in different ways that I haven’t been pushed.”

The musical runs every night through Sept. 9. Many of the musicians also perform for free at Medora’s Town Square on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons.