SCHOOLING WITH PURPOSE
Adventures in Edinburgh:
A Story of Transformation
L
ast summer, nearly 400 years after Cinderella first charmed audiences, Isabella Kolenberg ’25 stepped into the heroine’s glass slippers and joined 11 fellow King School thespians to stage a musical version of the fairy tale at the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland. Like Cinderella’s night at the ball, the two-week trip was a transformative experience for the students. After each show, children wishing to meet the fairy tale characters surrounded the cast members. “Every day we performed, the audience was filled with little kids dressed up as Cinderella,” Isabella said. “To see that we had inspired these kids and that we were such a positive influence was amazing. This is exactly why I love theater.” This is the Performing Arts program’s third appearance in the festival, and the trip fulfills a dual purpose: to deepen students’ practice as theater artists by performing in a new venue in front of an unfamiliar audience and to broaden their understanding of themselves as citizens of an international creative community. Every production of “Cinderella” was sold out, and the close interaction students had with the audience deepened the entire experience. “Language itself is a gateway into the culture,” performing arts teacher Mark Silence said. “Just hearing the accents will enhance future productions.” He added, “The festival is a challenging but rewarding experience for students. It is a chance for them to learn and grow as artists and individuals.”
26 Quest 2023-24
Students are responsible for more than the performance at the festival. They must promote and sustain their show while navigating a different culture. They network with other students from around the world and watch them perform, adding another dimension to the adventure. “Being able to immerse myself in these new forms of performance was extremely eye-opening,” Hathaway Liparidis ’26 said. “We were able to relate to other high school actors who were as passionate about the performing arts as we were. Watching their performances helped us to understand and compare our own acting choices and performances.” “We came across different people with different backgrounds. It changed my perspective.” —Bruno Reinhoefer Ribeiro ’26 Though theater is the soul of what draws the students to Edinburgh, they take advantage of the city and its proximity to London. “The students are constantly learning and experiencing so much,” Silence said. “There’s the art, music, culture, and the environment. Just being in Europe would be worthy of a trip, but when you add all of the theater events and cultural discoveries, you can’t avoid having a unique and enriching time.” The trip fosters responsibility and independence as well.
