Theatre/Dance students, alumni, faculty return from Fringe Festival, UK travels

CSUEB students and alumni in the garden outside Shakespeare's Birthplace, from left, Cheryle Honerlah, Roger Robinson, Sara Prince, Jan Brown, Dawn Williams, Chelia LaTour, Nancy Hird, Mary Ann Mackey, Sarah Vincent, Joe Loper, Jennifer Montes, and Don Kemp. (Photo: Tom Hird)

September 15, 2010 5:30am

Fifteen Theatre and Dance students, alumni and faculty have returned from Scotland where they performed Shakespeare’s, “The Tempest,” at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe for the two weeks of Aug. 9-21.

This year the Fringe offered competition among more than 2,400 companies from around the world.

No one among the CSUEBers wasted the opportunity to see shows themselves, including drama, musicals, dance, children’s shows, comedy and music concerts. In all, the group probably attended a minimum of 90 separate shows.

The tour was produced by Tom Hird, professor and chair of department, under the company banner, “Aces Wild Theatre” This was Hird’s ninth Fringe tour and 15th show produced internationally since 1991.

While in the United Kingdom, the group visited Stratford-upon-Avon to learn about William Shakespeare’s early life and to attend the Royal Shakespeare Company’s productions of, “As You Like It,” and, “Julius Caesar.”

The group also stopped in York to immerse themselves in Viking, Roman, Medieval and Victorian history. The tour concluded with four nights' in London where they attended shows at Shakespeare’s Globe, the Royal National Theatre, and on the West End.

Days were filled with tours, museums, shopping, the Underground, Leichester Square, Covent Garden, and trips as far afield as Bath.

Approximately half of the trip costs for students were covered by donations and grants. Alumni pay their full fare.

Plans are already underway for the next Cal State East Bay trip to The Fringe in 2012.