The Vidal M. Trevino School of Communications and Fine Arts theater students spent their last few weeks of summer abroad. The theater students hit the global stage as they traveled to Edinburgh, Scotland, to perform at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the world’s largest theater festival.
VMT was one of only 35 U.S. high school to be invited to perform at Fringe featuring over 3,000 shows. For two weeks, 13 VMT students, including actors and technicians, along with five Laredo ISD sponsors, represented VMT and Laredo with pride and passion while presenting their production of “Lord of the Flies,” directed by Marco Gonzalez and Joe Flores. The students were also under the guidance of Celia Hernandez and Stephanie Solis.
For the first time in school history, a group of talented students from Vidal M. Trevino School of Communications and Fine Arts (VMT) were invited to perform at the prestigious Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The group was selected as part of the 2025 American High School Theater Festival, a highly competitive honor that recognizes excellence in student theater.
Gonzalez and Flores, who have already taken another group of LISD students to Fringe, had creditability with the organization and decided to apply with their VMT theater students. “We put in our application at the start of last year and we were one of 35 school from the US that was accepted,” said Gonzalez.
VMT student Max Torres, who has never been outside the United States, said it was terrifying, scary, and energizing all at the same time to perform at Fringe. “To get the opportunity to participate at one of the biggest theater festivals in the world is insane. Half the time I thought I was going to wake up and I was going to be back in my bed. It was all just a dream. But no, we were there,” said Torres. “I got to be a part of myself that I don’t get to be that often especially here at school. I have always loved doing voices and acting if even to myself in my room playing games So getting to do that on a stage where people can actually see it and appreciate it was like wow that is pretty neat!”
The group did not start working on the play until about May as they got closer to the date. But they had to audition for the play last September so they could know who was going to be included on the trip. “We took a play that featured all the students equally. I wanted something that was very ensemble driven,” said Gonzalez. “Something that you can have kids from any background. For example, Max, this is his first time in a play. He is a trumpet player at VMT. We even had a couple of students from choir and dance.”
According to Gonzalez the students’ participation in One Act Play prepared them for Fringe. “If you’re in One Act Play you are very familiar with that rehearsal process. One of the challenges of doing Fringe is having to figure everything in a limited time and space,” said Gonzalez.
The student’s performing area was very reduced. They performed in a space that was 10X15 feet with the audience on three side of you. “It’s very immersive. It’s a very different way of looking at theater,” added Gonzalez. “We are used to big sets. This is about being raw and it’s about the acting more than anything. There really is no separation between the audience and performers. You are right there in the action.”
The theater students were also honored with the Beast of the Fringe award recognizing their powerful performance. The award was given to the VMT students citing the students’ professionalism and preparation.
“We got a lot of great feedback for the other students. They said our tech was one of the best they had ever seen and our general acting was mind-blowing because they weren’t use to that,” said Torres. “We even invited some students to our play. A few days later we got a voice message from them and their friend freaking out on the way back from the play. It was mostly positive.”
During their free time the sponsors really enjoyed watching the students experience and take in the festival. “We would go watch a play together and It’s like wow, you can see their minds beginning to be blown,” said Gonzalez. “That kind of makes the trip for the sponsors. To see the world open up for these kids is beautiful. What a thrill and honor to see that happen to the students.”
Torres who loves talking to different people got to see all these different people and their different views and their cultures and languages. “I got to hear Italian spoken for the first time like in person, and German and a little Scottish, which is insane,” said Torres. “To me that there are all these different cultures and foods and dances and religion that we just don’t see and hear in Laredo. So, getting to see that for two short weeks was phenomenal. It was just amazing.”
“I was super proud of all the students which included two technicians and the rest were actors. They are going to be able to put international performers on their resume,” added Gonzalez. “More than that, not all are going to go into theater or acting, but just having this experience I think really helps shape who they are as people and what their interests are. To be a part of that journey with them is very special.”
The cast and crew included Valentina Bernal, Maya Lopez, Oscar Jimenez, Christine Vasquez, Josue Ramos, Isabella Gomez, Adan Villarreal, Max Torres, Melinda Lopez, Alyssa Cabriales, Brandon Rojas, Natalia Sierra, and Allyson Tellez.