FRAMINGHAM, MA — The Board of Advisors of the American High School Theatre Festival (AHSTF) has selected the Framingham High School Drama Company to perform in the world’s largest and most prestigious arts festival. The Board reviews applications and identifies top high schools based on their most recent bodies of work, awards, community involvement, philosophies, and recommendations.

“We are thrilled that AHSTF recognized our entertaining and innovative productions,” said FHS Drama Company Director Donna Wresinski. “The students, parents, and teachers will travel to Edinburgh,Scotland in August 2010 – when it becomes a most magical and exciting place – as performing artists from all over the Earth come to take part in the Fringe Festival.”

AHSTF selected FHS Drama Company for excellence in theater over the last three years. For example,FHS-DC earned the title of state champion for their production of “Tales of Trickery” at the 2006 Massachusetts theater competition and, on the regional level, the Moss Hart Award from the New England Theatre Conference. In 2008, FHS-DC’s production of “Once on This Island” earned seven Spotlight Awards from North Shore Music Theatre – including Best Musical.

“In order for us to participate in this prestigious honor,” Wresinski continued, “we are commencing fundraising activities to finance the two-week adventure to Scotland and England.” Contributions of services and monetary donations have already begun trickling in to FHS-DC. For example, TPI Solutions Ink of Waltham (www.tpisolutionsink.com) is donating printing services, Karen Strattner is helping with graphic design, and Catalyst & Co. Inc. of Framingham (www.cat-co.com) is leading marketing and publicity efforts.

However, much more help is needed, and the group will soon produce and distribute packets for interested sponsors. For more information, e-mail fhsdcscotland@gmail.com or call 508-620-4963 x1604.

FHS-DC also plans to create a web site for this event in the near future.

About the Edinburgh, Scotland Fringe Festival:

This Festival includes more than 1,800 different performances of music, theatre, dance, and comedy during its three-week run. The whole city of Edinburgh becomes a stage and visitors can view performances everywhere – from playgrounds to conference rooms to city parks to houses of worship.

FHS Drama Company’s performance will be showcased at the AHSTF venue. While in Scotland,AHSTF’s professional technical team will ensure that FHS-DC’s lighting, sound, and property needs are addressed. WorldStrides of Charlottesville, Virginia, the nation’s oldest and largest student travel company, plans travel arrangements for each high school group. For more information about the festival, go to www.ahstf.com.

About FHS Drama Company:

As part of FHS-DC, Framingham High students of all levels can watch, learn from, and participate with professionals as they work on dance, music, design, playwriting, and directing. Director Donna Wresinski fashions Drama Company after college programs, so that students learn from the best – far beyond the typical high school curriculum. This professional outreach and infusion – along with an open door policy to include every student in FHS-DC – separates Framingham from other high school programs.

The group produces several plays each year, and most recently won the following awards and honors:

• Five-time state finalist and 2006 winner of the Massachusetts High School Drama Guild (MHSDG ) award for “Tales of Trickery”

• Represented Massachusetts at the 2006 New England Drama Festival (along with Wellesley High School) and was honored by the State Legislature at the Massachusetts State House

• 2007 MHSDG State Finals, performing “Stories Gone Wilde,” a stage adaptation of 5 Oscar Wilde short stories

• In 2009, “Once on This Island” won seven (out of nine) awards – including Best Musical – at the North Shore Music Theatre Spotlight Awards, plus the MOSS HART Award

• In 2009, “¡Bocon!” – a Spanish folktale about a boy who loses his voice – garnered numerous awards, including those for excellence in acting, lighting, and set design

• In June 2009, selected to perform in Scotland as part of the prestigious 2010 American High School Theatre Festival (AHSTF) during the Edinburgh Fringe Festival

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