Open Forum

Hello, has anyone taken students to Edinburgh with a company other than AHSTF?  I'm looking for something more cost effective and individualized.  Hopefully I can find a tour guide or student trip company that can work with me to build a specific trip, so I don't have to do all the legwork myself.  Any leads are much appreciated!

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Abra Chusid
Theatre Director
Buffalo Grove IL
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If you can do the legwork yourself, it would be significantly cheaper than doing it through a tour company. You can find out all the interesting points of um, interest on your own and lead your own tour. To be honest, you can just walk through Edinburgh and do nothing but point at buildings, and you'll be fine, because it's gorgeous. And there's so much to do....! Just a thought. I understand that a tour company does take the time and effort required, since we have two full time jobs already! But yes, much cheaper if you arrange yourself. :)

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Phillip Goodchild
Theatre Arts Instructor/Assistant Department Head of English
Hillsborough County Schools
Ruskin FL
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Hello,

The problem with leading your own tour group is liability. In this day of litigation, you don't want to be caught up by one accident or problem that could put you personally in jeopardy for the rest of your career.

You can certainly take a tour other than AHSTF, but they offer such a wonderful experience. It is well organized and covers all of the aspects of doing theatre abroad and learning about culture of Scotland that your students will love. I am not sure you can do it for any cheaper. 

I only took a group once, but it was the best experience. I understand that flights are very expensive now so I am guessing the trips are pricey. They also have to secure a venue for performances, sound, lights, and set pieces. That adds up. 

Maybe doing a tour only is the way you should go. Edinburgh is very approachable for kids. The fringe is a smorgasbord of theatre. You can't go wrong seeing it.

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Susan Cortesi
Director of Theatre
District 87
Bloomington IL
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Securing insurance is certainly an issue, however, with a supportive district and a helpful Risk Management department, you can get a rider through your district's insurance - it's how I did it. 

The rest is VERY doable. I've taken my own group twice. In 2005, we preformed 11 times over two weeks, in 2010, 2 different shows, 22 performances. We did tours in London and Scotland as well as stayed amongst Festival performers, not encamped with other high schoolers. We were part of the Fringe. 

And for about HALF of what AHSTF charged. Remember: they are a business - out to make a profit. They offer a fine experience, but I would suggest that it really is less about being part of Fringe and more about just visiting it. 

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Michael Fisher
School Director
Springfield OR
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Hi there,

Just to say - Edinburgh is my home and I have been living, teaching and directing in schools and at the Fringe for the last 10 years. If I can help in anyway with information 'on the ground' - do let me know. :O)

Thanks,

Adrienne 

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Adrienne Ferguson
Creative Director
TreePress
London. United Kingdom
adrienne@treepress.org

www.treepress.org
Making theatre easily accessible for everyone, everywhere.
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Hello,

We actually just got back from a trip with AHSTF and it was honestly the best-organized trip I've taken with students in 12 years of teaching!  Everything was planned out for us, meals were great, the accommodations were above expectations, and there was so much help along the way that I never felt like I was on my own or left to my own devices.  That said, there was PLENTY of free time to explore and experience not only Edinburgh but London on our own.  AHSTF does have incredible tour guides to take you on both bus and walking tours, which was a GREAT introduction to places most of my students have never seen before.  Our tour guide also was really flexible and took our group to see some Dr. Who and Harry Potter sites because that's something the kids were interested in.  

AHSTF really did take care of every detail making sure everyone was fed, had a good place to stay, had reliable transportation to wherever it was we were going, and they were super-accessible not only before but also during our trip.  

Yes, the trip is SUPER-PRICEY!  I teach at a school where nearly 1/2 the kids are on free or reduced lunch, but we spread out payments, fund raised like crazy, and the kids (and I) TOTALLY had the time of our lives!  It's worth the extra $1,000/person to know that the planes, trains, buses, meals, entertainment, fees, and so many other incidentals are taken care of. 

I do suggest taking a group of no more than 30...and bring lots of chaperons.  It's easier to tour around and keep track of everyone and everything if you don't have to count to 56 every time you get on a bus :)

I so highly recommend this experience.  Feel free to email me if you want to hear more:  lldyer@henrico.k12.va.us  Best of luck!

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Lisa Dyer
Henrico VA
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Again, there' snow denying AHSTF offers a fine experience, but it is not for $1000.00 more last time I checked.... From the West Coast AHSTF was getting around $7,000 per person, with one free per 15 paid. That sound pretty close? 

In 2010 it was around $6,500 from AHSTF. We did it, with 15 total participants, for only $3,200 with only 12 fully paid participants. I went at no charge and we only charged air & accommodations for 2 other adult chaperones. In 2005, we took 25 fully paid participants and two comp directors and three half price chaperones for still $2,800 LESS than what AHSTF was charging- less than half the full AHSTF price.

As a comparison, I did learn a bit from my "Fam" trip with AHSTF in 2004. We stayed with the University of Edinburgh dorms, just as AHSTF does, except we stayed closer to the Royal Mile rather than out at Pollack Halls. We were in walking distance of our venue and the heart of the festival. Rather than provide two meals per day in the cafeteria as AHSTF did, our participant fee covered a $35-$40 per day per diem that the participants got every couple of days, managed by the chaperones. The dorms we had were "quad" style where each participant had their own private room in a space that housed 4 to 6 people, two full bathrooms, a fully furnished kitchen and a sitting room. Often our group would make breakfast than do lunch and dinner out at the festival restaurants.

We performed at C Venue, the festivals largest producer, chose a performance hall appropriate for our shows, and our Venue ID cards let us see whatever C Venue show we wanted for FREE. C Venue runs several spaces all over the festival so we had dozens of shows to pick from. In all, I would guess that most of us saw two shows a day that we didn't pay a dime extra for. C Venue is great to work with: they help promote your show, they even built and arranged scenery for us before we got there. On top of that, We kept all our box office, which we got as a check in December. One word of caution though: you do have to bring a worthy show. I did see a good portion of AHSTF productions that were enthusiastic, but not the best examples of HS theatre work. C Venue will want to know that they have a marketable production from you before they will take you. Screening typically starts in January, I believe. 

There are trade offs for sure. We chose different tours and cultural experiences then AHSTF provides. For example we skipped the day long train ride from London to Scotland and flew. And, speaking of flying, we arranged travel through a travel agent: one stop over both ways as compared to some stories I hear of AHSTF travel from the west coast that takes people through multiple hubs, taking hours extra and, my fear, risking students who may get lost in transition and miss flights. 

I do a workshop on DIY: the Fringe at EdTA conferences occasionally along with fellow DIY-er from WA, Ruben VanKempen and would be happy to send you information on how to do the trip yourself. Happy to chat on the phone as well. The Fringe is the BEST theatre experience I have ever taken students to and regardless of how you do it, you should. That said, go into it fully informed about your options. As a VERY LOW SES school myself, there is no way we could have done it through AHSTF. 

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Michael Fisher
School Director
Springfield OR
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