Lakewood Ranch High student actors take on The Fringe in Scotland

Students in Roxane Caravan's Lakewood Ranch High theater department might not be superheroes, but they will be doing some flying.

The program has been nominated by the American High School Theater Festival to present its "Adventures of a Comic Book Artist" at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland.

The Fringe is the world's largest arts festival and it runs Aug. 2-26. Last year, the 25-day festival featured 3,548 shows in 317 venues. 

"The Fringe is so much fun," said Caravan, who visited last year's festival to see what her students would be experiencing. "It's in the streets, in the churches, in basements, in cafes."

Caravan said her students' four performance of "Adventures of a Comic Book Artist" will take place at Central Studios, which is a converted space for the festival. It would hold an audience of 80 for the shows. She said Central Studios will build a stage for their show.

"Adventures of a Comic Book Artist" is about Stanley Leonardo Sappovitz, who wants to become a comic book artist so he can create heroes and villains.  A janitor at Wonder Comics, he hopes his boss sees his drawings and gives him the chance to have his superheroes come to life in books. But his drawings do come to life, real life, after he uses his boss's magical pens. Unfortunately, Sappovitz has created a villain, and the fun begins. Sappovitz has to create superheroes to save the day.

The Lakewood Ranch High students, along with a few who graduated this past May, are leaving July 27 and will head home on Aug. 9. The trip will include the first three days in London before they go to Edinburgh. Besides experiencing all types of theater, the students also will do some sightseeing on the trip.

Caravan began the nomination process with the American High School Theater Festival 18 months ago.

"It was a lot of paperwork," she said.

Caravan was one of about 20 high school theater department heads who were chosen and sent to Edinburgh last year to prepare for this year's The Fringe.

She said she invited more than 20 students to go on the trip in May and 15 students have signed up. She said she invited students who showed great work ethic and those who were deserving.

"We have this very cool opportunity," she said. "Aside from a great theatrical experience, it will be the experience of a lifetime. They are going to meet people from all over the world."

Included in the trip will be a visit to the famous Globe Theatre in London and working with professional artists in Scotland. 

"It's amazing to be able to take a show to a stage on a different side of the world," said Jordan Cangro, who is going into 11th grade next semester and who will go on the trip.

Cangro said she was a very shy student her freshman year until she became involved in the theater department. "I am now more of a leader now," she said. "I have more confidence."

She said the fast pace of "Adventures of a Comic Book Artist will be a new experience for the students. "I have to play five roles," she said. "I have to be able to completely change who I am."

Ty Dearing, who graduated in May and is headed to the University of South Florida, said he sees the trip as the opportunity of a lifetime and he said the students' mantra is "It's not acting, it's reacting."

The fast pace of their show makes for some challenges and the actors have to react.

"You really learn to work with your co-actors, and knowing what they will do," said Marissa Boback, who graduated in May and is headed for the Vancouver (Canada) Film School. There she will study sound design.

Unfortunately, the trip is expensive, about $6,200 per student, so Caravan has been fundraising to defray some of the costs. Her      Acting Up Performing Arts Summer Camp is the department's main fundraiser.

Anyone who would like to help can call Caravan at 727-6100, Ext. 2024.