Open Forum

I have taken my students to perform at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 3 times so far and am preparing for a fourth trip this summer. We have always traveled with AHSTF (The American High School Theatre Festival). The trips have been, hands down, the most wonderful Ed. Theatre Experiences I have been able to share with my students. There is a selection process for traveling with AHSTF, but the process in itself is a validation of your program and the work you do with your students. The AHSTF trips, have also been the best organized trips and the most worry free for me as a teacher traveling with students. It is an expensive endeavor to travel with AHSTF, but the service, organization, technical theatre back up, and safely and security plan for your group could not be better.The experience is wonderful for your tech students as well as your performers and your students will get to meet and bond with students from all over the Americas and performers from all over the world.  For the students, the experience of rehearsing and designing a show for a venue you travel to by plane and bus and where you will have exactly two hours, to load in, perform your play and load out is unique. That they do this all independently makes it something they can be very proud of. With AHSTF, the cast and crew have a two hour tech with trained staff to support them prior to their first show (they perform their show four times). The next time they come to the theatre to perform, the show is theirs. AHSTF representatives are truly just a phone call away from the time you commit to the trip and begin planning. You will get to know them on a first name basis beginning with your familiarization trip the summer before that is a part of your package. My students who have been on the trip, have found the experience to be life changing for them in the most positive ways. I would be happy to be in touch personally if you have more specific questions. 

We have taken Orson Welles', MOBY DICK REHEARSED (2005), Elizabeth Swados', ALICE IN CONCERT (2014). In 2017, we took a wonderful R&H Theatre for Young Audiences Musical called RAPUNZEL, RAPUNZEL A VERY HAIRY FAIRY TALE.'  It was so much fun doing Children's Theatre at the Fringe that this year we will be taking another Children's musical, THE THREE LITTLE WOLVES AND THE BIG BAD PIG. (TRW) Each time we have travelled we have learned to cut down on the set and props needed. One year we rented a keyboard for our on-stage student accompanist and we will do the same this year. I like that AHSTF organizes all of the rentals for you and helps with publicity and print materials.