The gala opening night for All the Great Books, Abridged at Cyrano’s Playhouse will host a special benefit to help fund West High School’s theatre students trip to the famed Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland next summer.

Since I am down in Seward, slaving over a hot movie set (more to follow), I communicated with West High Theatre Artistic Director, David Block via email, who had this to say:

“West must raise over $80,000 to attend this coming August. We have used a variety of fundraising methods, including a raffle with a $1,000.00 first prize (contact Angela Mazur at West High at 742-2500 for tickets). The West High Alumni Association has graciously contributed to the cause. Cyrano’s Playhouse will contribute proceeds from the opening night performance of All The Great Books on March 28 to West High. We hope to pack the theatre that night to raise money for our trip.”

West High will be taking its own self-written production of Monster School Goes West to Edinburgh. This children’s play is one in a series of productions written entirely, or, in part, by West High staff and students. The Monster School shows all focus around the History Class of Ms. Bagatha, the kooky instructor who teaches her class by bringing grade school-aged monsters into great historical events with the help of The

 Time Tunnel. Characters they meet along the way and Mr. Splunk, the school custodian and time tunnel engineer ably assist the monster kids, all portrayed by student-animated puppets. They learn about history; they also learn other important life lessons.