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Trip pending final approval by the Travel Policy Committee

The Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland began in 1947 as a post-war initiative to re-unite Europe

through culture, with a number of distinguished musicians from the

war-ravaged countries of the continent invited to perform. Aware

there would be a good crowd and focused press interest; six Scottish and two English theatre companies decided to turn up uninvited and

fend for themselves. The next year a critic dubbed this gatecrashers'

enterprise "the fringe of the official festival drama", and the name and the spirit of the Fringe was born.

Denver School of the Arts Theatre Department hopes to travel to Edinburgh, Scotland in August 2013. Students currently in 7th-10th grade will be eligible to join the trip and represent the department on stage in Scotland for four performances. The cost of the trip is roughly $4000 per person and students interested would have a year and a half to raise this money to attend. The show type (original/musical/comedy/drama) and size would be determined by the students committing to this once-in-a-lifetime experience.

A Letter from Julie Winger, Parent Chair of Fund-Raising, Fringe 2008Jan. 15, 2010

Dear DSA Theatre: How exciting, and what a huge honor and testament to the Theatre Dept. and your hard work, to go to the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh again! Congratulations! That is so cool and amazing! As I had the experience and experiment of being the Fringe Committee Chair last time, it seems that I may be in a unique position to comment to those who are contemplating embarking on this journey of fundraising and teamwork. First and Foremost, in answer to the question, "Is it worth the work and effort that it takes to get the students to the Fringe," from my heart, without a shred of doubt I say a pure and resounding "YES!" In my opinion, going to the Fringe Festival was a "once in a lifetime," truly magical, and valuable experience.

Over two years later, Billy still brings up memories of things he saw and experienced in Scotland. It was an absolute highlight of his years at DSA. It also was for me as a chaperone, and I encourage anyone who can, to think seriously about going along on the trip.

- 1 - Denver School of the Arts, Theatre Department, Fringe 2013


I'm so grateful that my son had the gift of not only the trip itself, but also the entire process. From helping to write the show, being required to be part of the efforts to raise money, learning to stick through the ups and downs of working on a challenging and somewhat long term goal with a large group/team of people, he (and I) learned and experienced so much. That was all leading up to the great thrill of performing for international audiences, as well as having the opportunity to see performances from all over the world, some of which were completely unforgettable and inspiring. Not to mention being in beautiful, mystical Scotland, as well as our amazing time in London. Of course, the topper was the rare 4-star review given to the DSA kids in The Scotsman! Back to the fundraising efforts, I would do it all again in a heartbeat. I don't say that lightly and without a great deal of thought, because it was a tremendous amount of work and required sacrifice from all who participated.

To me though, the experience of all the families working together for an extended time to accomplish the goal, while very challenging at times, in the end was extremely satisfying and many new friendships were forged.

All that being said, a lot is learned every time this worthwhile exercise is undertaken. Some of the things we discovered last time will, I think, make it easier on this go 'round if the families decide to go the group fundraising route again. Here are some preliminary thoughts: 1. I suggest a leadership team of two co-chairs and a treasurer. It's too much work for one chair.2. It's fantastic that you have 6 more months to fundraise than we had last time. Start immediately!3. Monthly mandatory meetings and weekly e-mail updates to keep everyone on track and working together are SO important.4. I saved all the meeting minutes, notes, etc. and am happy to hand them over to the next team leaders and also be a sounding board and offer whatever I can from experience. With all the earnestness and enthusiasm I can muster, I encourage the families to undertake this adventure again. These rare and special opportunities only come around so often. You have to grab them while you can. Before you know it, years have gone by. With so much gratitude as you know



~ Julie Winger (Mother of Billy Winger, Class of 2010, Fringe 2008) Letters from DSA Theatre Students who attended the Fringe The Fringe Festival experience was a first in many aspects. It was the first time I was part of a process in which I helped create an entire show. It was quite valuable to know about all aspects of this exercise, especially with the time and physical constraints we had. All of us in the "writers group" learned a lot about working creatively within deadlines and restrictions.

The trip itself was a whole different beast. By that time, we had the show down pat. We were at a point where we had the liberty to explore and enjoy the festival for what it is: a beautiful hodge-podge of theatre and its lovers. It was the first time I had seen experimental theatre and it gave me vast new vistas of what was possible within the realms of a stage. It also was an opportunity for us as young people to explore a city independently and decide for ourselves what kind of experience we would have.

Being one of the youngest in the group, it gave me an inroad to interacting with and connecting to many of the older students. While we had our rough patches, we ended the trip feeling nearly unanimously joined by the adventure. My involvement in the trip taught me countless things about teamwork, creativity, and learning to embrace whatever obstacles are encountered. ~ Sam Van Wetter, Class of 2012, Fringe 2008

Dear Scotland and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2008,I went to you before my sophomore year of high school. I was 15. I remember it was hard for me because I had never been away from my family for a few days and I realized I loved them and needed them a lot more than I thought when I was away from them for two weeks. It was a bit of culture shock going across the seas with only my peers and teachers. I found a new sense of independence I didn't know had existed. I had to find stability in an unstable situation. This experience forced me to face myself; discovering my own strengths and weaknesses so that I could rely on myself and care for myself. Since then I have grown mountains in self-confidence and maturity.

Scotland and London were beautiful. I'm anxious to go back and explore again, unburdened by underage (groups of 3 :)). However, my memories of it are plenty vibrant and awakening to last a lifetime. It's very good for you to realize that there is a whole world out there, full of diverse and fascinating culture. It's even better to find the unity in diversity- which is the beauty of going to an International Theatre Festival in a foreign country. Kids from a college in Ireland love theatre and so do we. We may be very different in background, environment, etc., but we all are using the art of theatre to speak our voices to the world. Inconvenient Truths was so phenomenal for me because I really felt like it was OUR message. Some of the other high school shows blew me away but I always held special pride in ours because it was our story. I think it's good for young theatre artists to begin by telling their stories first. Once they learn to communicate their voices on stage through their personnel life experiences, it will become easier for them to find their voices in the life experiences of other characters.



I got to be Global Warming Girl, I really liked that. I loved the imaginary world I entered with that monologue. The cow, I can't remember his name, but that Scottish cow, he was cool. I liked the rain, wetness, and green of Scotland. Of course, I am amazed by the amount of theatre in this world- good and bad and good good good! We saw this show that was experimental theatre, it was unlike anything I've ever seen. I still remember some of the quotes and images clearly, and it's message about society's disease in materialism screamed at me and has remained imprinted on my heart. Life is beyond things. Was it worth it? Absolutely. Love, Mei Mei Pollitt, Class of 2011, Fringe 2008

Scotland is the largest commitment I have made in the last four years. This is a full, challenging, total commitment of time, money, and effort for almost one full year. It's incredibly expensive, difficult, and it can't work unless everyone involved is in it 100%. That said, it was also the single greatest learning experience I've ever had. I learned more during that year about theatre, myself, and how the two fit together, than I could have possibly imagined. The trip itself was life changing. In a completely literal sense. This was my first time writing a show (there was a head writing team of twelve students), and now I am a writer for my class' Senior Project. In the fall, I plan on going to college to study experimental theatre. This truly WOULD NOT have happened, were it not for performances I saw in Scotland, as well as our own process. The exposure to international theatre is something every student should get to experience, as it is simply eye-opening. Not to mention, of course, the amazing bonding opportunity this project offered our major. To this day, I still tell stories about the trip on an all-too frequent basis. Some of my greatest memories of people I see every day were from these two weeks, and if you want to hear them sometime, find me, I'd love to share.

This project was the most difficult thing I've ever undertaken. And I wouldn't trade the experience for anything in the world. ~ Zach Cantor, Class of 2011, Fringe 2008I attended the Fringe Fest in Edinburgh, Scotland back in August 2008, during my sophomore year. However, the majority of the previous school year was dedicated to intense fund raising and putting together a show. Even though this was an incredible amount of hard work and dedication, the experience I've gained from it was incredible and I highly recommend this amazing opportunity.

For our show, the ensemble decided to write an original script in which, we created a writing team who met a few times a week to brainstorm and write multiple rough drafts. They brought their work to the rest of the giant cast for feedback and to put their work up on its feet. We continuously edited and cut the script until we knew what we wanted to communicate with our show. We wanted to represent, as an American school, our truths about growing up in our community and a glimpse into the mind of this generation.

What I loved most about our show was working with people in this major outside of my grade. Our 40 pupil cast grew incredibly close that year. And once we headed to Scotland, I grew even



closer with people I've hardly spoken to before and gained a new best friend from it who was not in my grade.

The fact that you get to travel out of the country and tour the beautiful London as your first stop, a Harry Potter train ride into Scotland, then have the rest of your 2 week stay to enjoy a wide range of amazing and diverse theatre, is indescribable. I am incredibly grateful that I went on this trip. Till this day, I remember every weird, absurd, abstract, funny, terrible, and brilliant piece of theatre I saw there. There is no other place to do so. It is WORTH IT. So...GO!!!!

If you want any more inside on this awesome awesome experience, please feel free to chat with me and ask any questions. ~ Sarah Harmon, Class of 2011, Fringe 2008

For me, going to the Fringe Festival was like the Cookie Monster going on an interactive tour of the Nestle Tollhouse factory. Except Nestle Tollhouse is neither as bizarre nor innovative as the countless productions that make their way to Fringe each year. It's the one place I've been to where I've simultaneously experienced theatre as it once was, theatre as it is now, theatre as it will be in the future, and theatre as it can potentially be when placed in the hands of brilliant, imaginative vagabonds. You've never truly felt the pain and sorrow of the monster Dracula until you've watched his vampiric horrors on an inflatable, moon-bounce stage. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

If you have even the slightest interest in theatre, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival will be an inspiring, delightful, unforgettable affair. ~ Josh Brown, Class of 2010, Fringe 2008

Two summers ago we took an original show to the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland. The entire experience, from the writing to the rehearsals, and from what felt like endless fundraising to the life changing trip, it was something that I will remember forever. The list of things that I learned through the process is endless. I came out of that trip with a new understanding and appreciation for not only the creative process and the work that goes into creating a show, but also a deep respect for those I was fortunate to work with in the cast.

On the month long trip one event in particular sticks out in my mind, when we had to advertise our show on the Royal Mile at the center of the city. Being that our show was experimental we decided to be original in our approach. The cast of forty-five walked in a triangle formation in slow motion up the entire royal mile, with neutral masks on our faces and flyers in our hands. I have never felt so connected to my purpose and the idea of what being an actor truly is. The feeling of forcing myself to slowdown and think about every move I made, every muscle I was using to walk down that mile and stay in time with the ensemble.

I was given the opportunity to reach outside of what was familiar to me (new country, new cast, new style of expression) and I am sure that my involvement in the Inconvenient Truths is a huge and wonderful part of who I am today. I am so thankful and fully believe that any one and every one would benefit in ways that they cant even imagine from being involved in a show that goes to the Fringe! ~ Chloe Armao, Class of 2010, Fringe 2008

Theatre review: The Inconvenient Truths



http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/features/Theatre-review-The-Inconvenient-Truths.4383507.jp

Published Date: 13 August 2008 By Joyce McMillanTHE INCONVENIENT TRUTHS ****ROCKET @ ROXBURGHE HOTEL (VENUE 211)THERE'S plenty of theatre made by young people at the Fringe; most of it receives less attention than it deserves, and some of it obviously aims to educate the performers as much as delight the audience. Here's a school show, though – from the Denver School of the Arts in Colorado – that pulls off the rare achievement of bringing 40 young people aged 14-17 on stage, showing off some impressive performing skills, and offering the audience a truly substantial and moving glimpse into the mind of the generation now trembling on the cusp of adulthood.

Over a brisk 70 minutes, director Shawn Hann's young cast move through sketches based on "inconvenient truths", drawing their title from Al Gore's documentary, but using the concept to explore personal as well as planetary unease. They are, they remind us, the generation in third grade when the planes slammed into the World Trade Center; since mid-childhood, they have lived in a world which they describe as being shaped by a new and all-encompassing fear, first of nameless terrorism, then of catastrophic climate change.

On top of that, they have to deal with all the normal pains of adolescence, from broken friendships to unrequited love; their three-minute Puberty – The Musical is a joy. And the girls have to live with a culture in which body-image and physical perfection have become a lethal obsession; they handle it brilliantly, by ripping off the cling-film in which they've wrapped themselves, and screaming their heads off in a shriek of anger and liberation.

The content is terrific, the staging excellent, and the quality of performance truly moving; and if these magnificent, funny, angry, humble, self-aware kids speak for the whole of their generation, then there's some hope for the future, after all.

http://www.denverpost.com/entertainment/ci_10207432?source=emailIn order for you to plan ahead—here are our plans for annual and special trips in the next seven years.

Our trip is planned for July 29, 2013 to Aug. 13, 2013.

The trip is based on 40 participants. We are attempting to get 60 participants (students and chaperones) to justify two buses. Would like to get 65.

There are TWO prices to think about – the travel/tour price through EF Tours which is $3705 per person. (adults are approx. $500 more)

And the cost of the performances at the Fringe – which comes to $15,000. The goal of the parent fund-raising committee is to raise that $15,000 first so no one pays


http://www.denverpost.com/entertainment/ci_10207432?source=email


more than $3705. However if it is not raised, it will be an additional $375 (for 40 participants), or $250 (based on 60 participants).

Fringe Costs$800 registration with Fringe officeVenue $10, 000 per weekProduction costs = $4000Publicity materials = $200

$15,000 divided by 40 = $375 by 60 = $250

Parent ChairsCo-Chairs: Chris Scott, Mandianne Berg, Lew Lerner, Mallory CapraroTreasurer: Donna LawsonFundraising Coordinator: Allison Shah

Treasurer would create a spreadsheet and at each fund-raising event, students would need to sign in, sign out logging how long they worked each event. Treasurer will create a spreadsheet of individual “accounts.”

Fundraising coordinator will create a schedule of all the events we have, who is in charge/contact person for it, and where this event will take place. This calendar/schedule will be part of the Yahoo group so all will know.

Parent committee Contacts:Chris [email protected] 303-862-7718

Mandianne [email protected] 303-502-7259

Lew [email protected]

Mallory Capraro 303.992.8928 [email protected]: 303-257-9027

Donna [email protected]

Allison [email protected]

Kris Davis [email protected]



ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE (Reprinted courtesy of Stage Directions Magazine, October 2005)

For 11 years, American teens have flexed their budding theater muscles in an international festival. by Lisa Mulcahy

Imagine this: you've been dropped into the thick of the world-famous Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland. Upwards of 100,000 artists presenting 1,500 shows pack the fest's pro-scores of eager audience members cram the streets, for just the right show to see. Your job is to attract a to your production's venue, put on the best perform-of your life - and soak up as much fantastic work as possible from terrific theater companies spanning every corner of the world. All this—and you're just 17 years old!

This opportunity of a lifetime is offered to young people all over the country through the American High School Theatre Festival. In just 11 years, AHSTF has earned a stellar reputation among both theater insiders and educators for introducing secondary school students to dramatic expression on a global scale. Working in conjunction with the Edinburgh Fringe, AHSTF selects approximately 35-40 schools each year to perform a full production at the festival. Students are exposed to eye-opening art and culture they never knew existed, and rack up a host of new dramatic skills.

"The AHSTF program is the best theater trip in the world," enthuses Chuck Manthe, theater program director at Lincoln High School in San Jose, California. "No one can match the excitement, grandeur or professional performance environment of the Edinburgh Theatre Festival Fringe." Manthe's students presented Grease in 2002 and Seussical in 2005; he feels the creative scope the Fringe affords his students was priceless: "The benefit is that students get to see how far and wide the arts reach around the world. As a director, you never forget the looks on their faces as they step off the bus for the first time on the festival's main street and see the amazing crowd of people and street performers. Their love of theater shines brighter than ever when they're surrounded by 100,000 other people who feel the same way!"

A Bit of Background History demonstrates that AHSTF began life modestly, but that its impact quickly grew in leaps and bounds. "Back in 1994, our parent company, which is a student travel organization, was approached by a theater teacher, who asked whether we'd ever considered taking theater students over to perform at the festival," explains Alex Leik, AHSTF's program director. "That's basically how everything got started. We sat down with a bunch of college professors and community theater directors—people we thought could help us determine who could go to this festival. We didn't want to just pick people at random. We wanted to send people over whom we thought could put on a quality performance. In that sense, it became an adjudicated festival. Our first year, we took over five schools, probably made up of 150 to 200 kids. It went very well. We came back and were able to get the nomination/application process down a little more pat the second year. As word spread, we had a lot more participation from college professors, community theater directors and so forth, who wanted to nominate schools in their area whom they knew might be worthy of going over there and performing. The festival really picked up steam and snowballed, going from five schools in 1994 to now, where we're up to 1,100 kids representing 38 schools for 2005."



The actual application process is quite rigorous. Once a school has been nominated by a state, regional or national theater entity, it receives an application form from AHSTF, which requires potential directors to outline their curricular and creative points of view in great detail. Eight different board members evaluate the applicants. "The big question that they seem to all really jump to when looking at an application is the philosophy of the director in terms of education and the philosophy of their program," notes Leik. "We do also permit schools to send in either DVD or VHS clips, kept to a five-minute maximum, which can showcase things that they've done throughout the season. Schools aren't getting judged on one show - t's the program that's getting judged. You're looking at public schools, private schools, in small towns, in inner cities - you've got to judge each question differently."

If a school is lucky enough to be selected, here's the itinerary: spanning approximately two weeks every August, the AHSTF tour schedule starts with two days in London spent sightseeing and attending a West End show. Next, participants are spirited to Edinburgh via chartered train, where they spend the next 10 days rehearsing, teching, marketing and performing their show (with a four-performance run) at the Fringe. Sightseeing time is factored in, as is a celebratory awards ceremony post-strike and a viewing of the world-famous Military Tattoo at Edinburgh Castle, the country's largest outdoor spectacle, attracting an annual audience of 217,000. Students are also encouraged to attend as much live theater at the Fringe as possible. Professional tech support and guidance is guaranteed during every show's prep and run; round-trip airfare, accommodations and most meals are covered.

Needless to say, many schools want to bring performance after performance. Alas, return engagements aren't a lock. "Just because you've gone, you still have to get nominated and apply again," explains Leik. "We've had schools that have gone, but maybe get a new director over a span of three or four years, then apply and don't make it again. You've got to start from point A just like everybody else does, no matter how many times you've done it." The bottom line: consistent quality standards must be met, no matter who you are.



Facts About the Fringe The Edinburgh Festival Fringe itself could not provide a more vivid—and vast—professional training environment for AHSTF students. Founded in 1947, the Fringe's intent has always been to showcase boundless creativity - allowing its performers the freedom to put on any material they like at a wide variety of traditional theater spaces all over the city, as well as in a huge assortment of unconventional spots (from street corners to public bathrooms). Theater companies and artists are encouraged to stake out their own venues, as well as promote their own productions by soliciting audience members and talking to the press. Nicknamed the "Queen Mother" due to the fact that it's the world's biggest arts festival, the Fringe has given opportuni-ties to the most anonymous solo performers - as well as to major international celebrities like Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson and the Monty Python gang.

Fringe director Paul Gudgin has a terrific reputation when it comes to artist support, something Leik is eternally grateful for. "I can't say enough good things about Paul Gudgin," he raves. "If we ever had trouble finding a venue, Paul would not hesitate to help us. He knows every year we're coming over with over 30 to 40 shows, and over 1,000 kids, and comes every year to our closing ceremony, where we present the kids with certificates and the directors with awards. Every year without fail, Paul takes the time to talk to these kids about theater."

AHSTF staffers implicitly understand the inner workings of the Fringe, and therefore strive to address the questions and concerns of its participating schools' personnel. Leik personally scouts per-formance spaces by going over to Scotland in January of each year. "The biggest issue is venue space," he admits. "We were comfortable at Churchill Theatre - we've been there for a long time, and we'll continue to use it as long as they allow us to - but we've got three venues this year, a little more Fringe-like. I like the alternative venues, because they allow our groups to be more than your standard American musical, which we still get, but we've also got groups doing improv shows. It's totally transformed from your typical American theater piece or musical. I like that, and it's offering a lot more variety."

Another preparatory step AHSTF makes: "We take the directors [of next year's productions] over in August for a week to show them what they're getting into, and what it's all about. It's so hard for them to go back and convey that to the kids - I think when the kids get over there, there's about a 24-hour period where they just don't know what's going on. But that's a good thing—they're just taking it all in," says Leik.

Kathy Mulay, drama instructor at Portage Central High School in Portage, Michigan, directed a crowd-pleasing production of Honk!, a musical based on The Ugly Duckling, at the 2002 Fringe. She appreciates AHSTF's meticulous care. "The organizational staff really keeps in touch with you during the entire year," she says. "When you receive the honor of participation, the tech staff is in contact with you all through the year to aid you in your planning and preparations. You also get a chance to meet with current directors so they can assist you by sharing what their experiences have been. If you listen to the AHSTF staff and prepare your thespians carefully, this will be one of your most rewarding experiences as an educator!"

The Edinburgh Experience Once AHSTF participants arrive in Scotland, the challenges begin - but are just as eagerly met. The hardest work to be done? "Putting people in the seats," says Leik. "The average audience at the Fringe is seven people. When directors hear that, you can see the color drop out of their faces. Their high school auditoriums hold 1,500 people, and they sell them out every night. But you just have to con-vey to them, hey, this is the Fringe—this is the way it is!"

Leik helps promote shows by sending reams of press materials to Scotland before the Fringe begins. Once in Scotland, students also enthusiastically pursue audiences grassroots style, as is



traditional for all Fringe participants-talking up shows to passersby on Edinburgh's Royal Mile and handing out flyers. "These kids support one another— it's a huge deal for them," says Leik. Cast members from one show are happy to fill in seats at another show's performance, and vice versa. John Reese, director of the theater program at Deerfield Academy in Deerfield, Massachusetts, staged A Thurber Carnival in 2002 and A Midsummer Night's Dream in 2005. He feels that AHSTF allows his students to master the importance of theatrical subtlety. "A major challenge is that simplicity of production is foremost," he explains. "You must rely on the script and the quality of the acting, directing and lighting, because you can't take lots of scenery with you. Your scenic and costume choices must be carefully considered and support your artistic vision." "One thing I love about AHSTF is that our students get to see great theater from high schools all around the country," says Terry Guerin, a teacher at Friends Central School in Pennsylvania and president of the board of directors for Philadelphia's Pig Iron Theatre Company. "It is so exciting to be in this international setting with other American schools." Guerin's students wowed Fringe audiences in 2000 with a production of Anna Deavere Smith's Fires in the Mirror, and again in 2005 with a revue called Funny Shorts.

Indeed, AHSTF inspires students to do their best dramatic work - and just as significantly, provides them with indelible impressions that will influence their lives for years to come. Gregg Sawyer, director of theater at the Academy of Holy Angels in Minneapolis, recalls a defining moment: "One of my students looked at me at the end of the Edinburgh Military Tattoo's performance, which all the schools attend as part of the trip. As the lone bagpiper was playing the national theme of Scotland from the top of a castle, this young man, with tears streaming down his face, said, The perfect ending to a life-changing experience.' As a 25-year veteran of theater education, I can't think of a more rewarding and affirming experience for me than to have that to give to a student." ffh

For information on the American High School Theatre Festival you can write to them at 590 Peter Jeferson Place, Suite 300, Charlottesville, VA 22911; call 1-S88-882-47S3 or visit the website at www.ahstf.com.

Lisa Mulcahy is the author of Theater Festivals and Building the Successful Theater Company (Allworth Press). October 2005 • www.stage-directions.com lot


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