Traveling to Scotland two summers in a row was nowhere on the mind of Nipomo High School drama teacher Robyn Metchik, until one day when she opened her mailbox and suddenly her summer plans changed.
She received a letter informing her that the Nipomo High School Drama Department had been nominated by PCPA for the American High School Theatre Festival, part of the world-renowned Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland—the world’s largest performing arts festival. Professional theater groups from all over the world come to the Fringe Festival to showcase new productions before moving on to larger theaters. Metchik learned the school was one of 3,000 programs nominated from the United States and Canada. To help narrow that list down—hopefully in Nipomo High’s favor—she had to fill out paperwork and send in a video of their work.
“I thought, ‘I’ll send it back—why not? Might as well find out,’” Metchik said.
She recruited her son to put together a DVD.
“I have to admit our DVD is fantastic,” Metchik said. “If we didn’t get chosen, it wasn’t because we didn’t do our best.”
But they did get chosen. Of the 3,000 originally nominated programs, Nipomo High School was one of 100 invited to participate. The 100 supervising teachers were called to Edinburgh’s Fringe Festival this summer to find out what it’s all about before traveling with their respective drama programs next summer. After her trip, Metchik said she knew it was an opportunity her students couldn’t pass up.
“It was wonderful. I was addicted,” she said. “They literally take up every alleyway, every church, every room for 24 hours a day. It becomes a theater.”
To get to the famous Fringe, students of the Nipomo High School drama department have to raise some serious cash. Each student will have to put up $6,000 for the 12-day adventure. The cost covers a short stopover in England for some sightseeing, a visit to Shakespeare’s home, and taking in a show at the famous Globe Theater, as well as all expenses while they’re in Edinburgh.
Metchik said the fundraising effort is a big one because they still have to continue raising funds for their regular season, which can cost around $100,000. Metchik said the school’s shows performed at the Clark Center cost an average of $20,000 to $30,000, which includes paying music directors and choreographers, buying the royalties to the play, and renting the Clark Center.
To kick off their fundraising efforts, the students are presenting the very play they plan to perform in Edinburgh: Nunsense. The musical comedy, appropriately enough, is about a group of nuns who are putting on a variety show as a fundraiser at Mount St. Helen’s School to support the Order of the Little Sisters of Hoboken. Led by the Reverend Mother, Sister Mary Regina (played by Nolan Pugh), the cast of characters sings and dances their way through an evening of mishaps and
nun-humor.
The students’ fundraising performance will also be a trial run for their Edinburgh performance next summer. At the festival, the students will have to set up their entire production in a matter of hours, including sets, costumes, and lighting. They’ll perform the play four times over the two-week period they’re there.
“I am totally honored. I was thrilled that PCPA thought enough of us to nominate us,” Metchik said. “And I thought, even if we can’t get the money to go, it’s still an honor to be chosen.”
Arts Editor Shelly Cone enjoys sightseeing. Contact her at scone@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Sep 30 – Oct 7, 2010.