Willow Canyon theater students land trip to Edinburgh Fringe Festival

The Willow Canyon High School theater department was selected to perform in the largest and most prestigious arts festival in the world as part of the American High School Theatre Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Willow Canyon Theatre was selected by the AHSTF board of advisers to represent the United States as part of the 2010 AHSTF program. The board reviews all completed applications and recommendations and chose Willow Canyon for its continuous dedication to excellence, service to its school, community and state and the scope and vision of the theater program.

The two-week tour includes a visit to London, train travel to Edinburgh, four performances at the Fringe Festival and a special awards ceremony at Edinburgh Castle.

Willow Canyon theater students have staged 34 productions in the four years since the program began in 2005, including six full-length musicals, 22 full-length comedies and dramas, four competitive one-acts and two original, student-written productions. In the four years since the inception of the program, WCHS's four one-acts each won "Superior with Distinction" honors at the Arizona State AIA One Act competition, while two student-directed and written one-acts won "Superior" honors at the Arizona State Thespian Conferences.

In addition, four student performance groups received "Superior" ratings at the state level and advanced to national competition.

Students have honored National and International Holocaust Remembrance Day with productions written and directed by theater students.

To serve their school, the district and the community, WCHS Theatre organized Street Theatre, which performs music, scenes and dances at public venues, and Teen Drama, which tours elementary schools using performance to advocate tolerance, diversity and good decision-making.

Each August, performing artists from all over the world travel to Edinburgh, Scotland, for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Visitors view performances everywhere from playgrounds and conference rooms to city parks and churches.

The Fringe Festival, in existence since 1947, includes more than 1,800 artists.

For information about the Fringe Festival, Willow Canyon Theatre or the trip, contact CBSwinney at 623-523-8028 or cswinney@dysart.org.