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Twenty students and three faculty members embarked on the trip of a lifetime when they traveled to Scotland this August to perform at the world’s largest international arts festival, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The festival typically showcases more than 3,000 performances from 49 different countries. The University was at the festival for two weeks in August and performances during that time took place throughout Edinburgh. To participate in the festival a university or college must be invited by a selection committee. Rockford University is one of eight U.S. colleges that received an invitation. Among those colleges, only four are small schools. Students not only performed during the trip, but were able to view a variety of art. Sophomore Owen Thomas shared before leaving he was excited to experience something unique, “I’m really excited about experiencing something completely different and completely new and to see myriad types of art, such as puppetry, bagpipes, circus, comedy, drama. Just a variety of things we don’t always get the chance to see.” The chance to serve as ambassadors for Rockford, to network and gain experience is also an important part of the trip.
Students and faculty practice for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
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Senior Courtney Foschi said, “As an actor, I think it’s going to be a really great experience to learn about different cultures and different theatrical techniques. As a person, I think it’s important to experience all walks of life, from all sorts of places, and to just learn everything I can while I’m there and bring a brand new experience to the work I do here.”
Students performed Kander and Ebb’s “2 By 5,” a dark and classy sung-through revue of songs from one of Broadway’s most prolific and celebrated composing teams of the late 20th century. The revue, hailed as stylish and fresh, includes songs from such smash hits as “Chicago” and “Cabaret” as well as some of the duo’s lesser-known but no less-loved work. Money and sex, love and loneliness, gritty yet fragile, with a wink for the man at the bar, the world of Kander and Ebb comes to life with edgy new stage direction and choreography for the Fringe. The new performance was previewed throughout the summer at several fundraisers to help offset the $80,000 cost of the trip. RU’s Student Opportunity Fund committed $47,500 to help defray expenses of the trip. Students also set up a GoFundMe.com page with additional information about their trip and to solicit donations. Students and faculty attending the Edinburgh Festival Fringe: Taylor Barnes – Venutra, Calif. Elisha Beston - Singapore Mary Bridgeland – Freeport, Ill. Addison Clearwood – Madison, Wis. Sarah Cleeland – St. Louis, Mo. Courtney Foschi – Frankfort, Ill. Janelle Good – East Highland, Calif. Samantha Hodson – Flower Mound, Texas Maya Hopkins – Rockford, Ill. Kyle McCaffrey – Niles, Ill. Brandon Michaud – Saint Peters, Mo. Tien Misler – Winterport, Maine Ilea Pearce – Rockford, Ill. Joi Pierre – Houston, Texas Zachary Pletcher – Highland Village, Texas Kyle Rainey – The Colony, Texas Alex Smith – Rockford, Ill. Owen Thomas – Portsmouth, N.H. Emily Todt – Jackson, Mo. Sarah Vallacchi – Shreveport, La. Ana Weickert – Rockford, Ill. Deborah Mogford - Performing Arts Department Chair and Professor of Performing Arts Amy Wright – Assistant Professor of Dance Timm Adams – Associate Professor of Music