This summer, thirteen OLSH students took their talents across the Atlantic, performing in Edinburgh, Scotland, as part of the American High School Theatre Festival (AHSTF), a subsection of the world-renowned Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The students traveled as part of a 20-person OLSH group that also included the adult production team and family members. OLSH was honored to be one of 24 schools selected to perform as part of AHSTF this year.
The troupe presented four performances of “The Insanity of Mary Girard” at theSpace at Venue 45, one of the Fringe’s longstanding and sought-after performance venues. After rehearsing throughout the summer, the students — ranging from rising sophomores to recent graduates preparing to begin college — had the rare opportunity to perform on foreign soil for an audience that had no preconceptions of them.
Before taking the stage in Edinburgh, however, the trip began with two whirlwind days in London. Students toured Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and participated in an acting workshop led by a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company. They explored the Tower of London and capped off their stay by seeing the record-breaking “Les Misérables” in the West End.
From there, the group traveled north to Edinburgh, where their days quickly filled with performances, sightseeing, and Scottish culture. Students visited Stirling Castle, fed Highland cows, took part in a traditional ceilidh dance, and attended Mass at St. Columba’s Catholic Church, where they were warmly welcomed by members of the congregation. They also experienced the spectacular Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, climbed Arthur’s Seat (a hill notable for its sweeping views of the city), and enjoyed dinner at the Sheep Heid Inn, a nearly 700-year-old historic pub believed to be the oldest public building in Scotland.
And, of course, they saw plenty of theatre.
The troupe attended four other AHSTF productions, including “Anne of Green Gables” and “A Volume of Smoke,” while also taking advantage of the enormous variety of professional and amateur work presented throughout the Fringe. Their selections ranged from improv comedy and farce, to a reimagining of Dracula and a bluegrass-infused Macbeth. The performances gave the students a firsthand look at the wide range of possibilities theatre and the arts can offer.
For its own Fringe production, the OLSH troupe performed “The Insanity of Mary Girard,” a haunting drama inspired by the true story of a Philadelphia woman committed to an asylum by her husband in 1790. Inside the institution, Mary is confronted by ghostly figures from her past as memory and reality begin to blur. The play explores the cruelty of early mental institutions and the ways women could be silenced or labeled “mad” for defying the expectations placed upon them.
The challenging material gave the student performers an opportunity to showcase their dramatic abilities — and audiences took notice.
One audience member called the production “a truly stunning piece of theater,” praising the cast’s “incredible raw energy” and “phenomenal performances from start to finish.”
Another reviewer wrote: “Walked in not knowing this was a high school group, and walked out very impressed with their craftsmanship.” They particularly praised Kayleigh Scialabba-Meehan ‘26, who played the title role, for her “confident and grounded performance.”
A third called the production “a brilliant show, delivered by a talented cast,” adding that the leading actress was “outstanding.”
For the thirteen OLSH students who made the journey, the experience went far beyond four performances. They spent two weeks immersed in theatre, history and culture; they encountered artists and audiences from around the world; and they had the opportunity to represent OLSH on an international stage.
From Shakespeare’s Globe to Arthur’s Seat — and, most importantly, to their own stage in Edinburgh — it was a summer of theatre they will never forget.
The 2026 AHSTF OLSH Theatre Troupe:
Lily Baker ‘28
Cooper Belculfine ‘28
Eliana Cornetti ‘29
Adelaide Delaney ‘28
Jonathan Fantone ‘28
Titus Hill ‘27
Jude Leddy ‘28
Sidney McLaughlin ‘28
Marena Miller ‘26
Clark Murray-Marcum ‘27
Tyler Randal ‘28
Kayleigh Scialabba-Meehan ‘26
Alice Schollaert ‘28