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Schools

A Little Bit Of Vegas To Support A Trip To Scotland

Theater fundraiser Friday will help defray cost of students' trip to Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

"All the world’s a stage"  every August at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, where thousands of performers take over every theater, church hall, and even buses across the Scottish city.

This summer, 14 students from the High School theater department, under the direction of Maria Harris, will be part of the festival. The Reston group will perform Neil Simon’s play, Rumors.

“It is an a invaluable experience for a young performer, ” said Harris.  “The opportunity to take their talents internationally and to experience such an event is life changing.”

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The group has held a number of fundraisers to defray costs of the trip. One of its biggest ones will be Friday, when the  South Lakes Theatre Arts Boosters host  “Las Vegas Night” at the Reston Community Center.

The event runs from 7:30 to 11 p.m. Tickets include food, drink, and games of chance.   This event is open to the public.  For ticket info, click here.

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The festival was formed in 1947 as a platform to promote peace and unity after World War II.  In 2010, Fringe had 21,000 performers and drew two million visitors.

 The American High School Theatre Festival holds an annual a competition to invite Canadian and U.S. high schools to represent them in Scotland. Students are nominated by theater colleagues familiar with their work.

The groups are then judged by college theater professors from across the country. Application's require recommendations and extensive recent theater productions, community involvement, awards, teaching methods and philosophies.

“It was an honor to be chosen,” said Harris. 

But it is an expensive trip. Harris estimates it will cost students about $6,000 each.  The students have been fundraising for more than a year, and they are hoping for a large turnout for Las Vegas Night. 

Students going on the trip: Robert Bouwmeester, Kemi Akinbileje, Kenzy Forman, Kyle Norfleet, Nikhil Delahaye, Michelle Slivinski, Kirrolas Guirguis, Cara Howley, Jenny Rubin, Phil Vollman, Jacob Savage, Eric O’Brien, Tyler DosSantos, Mitchell Parker.  

 “I’m really looking forward to seeing so many performers all in one place,” student Kemi Akinbileje said. 

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