After defying odds, Battle Ground Drama Club heads to Scotland

Last year, the Battle Ground High School Drama Club was nominated and selected to perform at the 23rd American High School Theatre Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland. 

The club will fly from Portland to London this Saturday.

The nomination was an accomplishment, but being selected will prove to be an honor of a lifetime.

Of the 3,000 high schools nominated, only 40 were chosen. 

The 14 young performers and four chaperones will spend their first couple of days in London to watch a West End Theatre performance, sharpen their skills at a Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre workshop and do a little sight seeing. 

Then they head by bus to Edinburgh where, for 10 days, they will take part in workshops, run through rehearsals and of course perform. The festival includes 315 venues featuring 40,000 performers in 3,500 performances.

Much went into getting the group to this point. Less than a year ago, as planning began, a lot of money needed to be raised. As it would turn out, that was a significant accomplishment in its own right. 

The fundraising started in September of last year. Much of the money was raised through donations from individuals and businesses, at their shows and online. 

Through the fall and into the winter, they slowly progressed toward their goal. But too slowly, said Drama Club coach Stephan “Cash” Henry.  

There were certain deadlines for each payment and just before winter break, things looked bleak. 

Henry gathered the students, their parents and others involved and told them that over the next two-and-a-half weeks, they needed to raise $50,000. 

“We were struggling,” he said. 

Then, on Christmas Day, something happened that Henry described as a “Christmas Miracle.” 

A family friend of Henry’s, who asked to remain anonymous, donated $30,000. Later that day, another group donated $17,000. Two days later, another donation of $11,000 came in. They were back on track. 

Now, as they pack their bags, they’ve raised $112,000. 

Henry said one of the most important aspects of this whole process was teaching the students the value of working hard and believing in something they care about. 

“Even in those moments, because we never gave up hope, the kids saw that it can get done,” he said. “If you believe in something and work hard enough at something and if you never give up, you can accomplish anything.”

Work on stage 

The club is scheduled to perform John Cariani’s “Almost Maine” in Scotland, which was also its winter production. 

In February, the club switched focus and began working on its spring production, “The Addams Family.” When that wrapped up, the club took a short break before reconvening on July 10 to begin prepping for its international performances. 

They had to make a few adjustments given that a number of performers aren’t able to go on the trip. They did so by double or triple casting some roles to one performer. 

Henry said they’ve spent roughly four to five hours a day preparing. 

“It’s been incredible; it’s been exhausting,” Henry said of the overall experience.

“I wouldn’t trade it for the world but I wouldn’t do it every year,” he later added with a laugh.  

“All the members are so different, a lot of different personalities,” club president Skyler Dunfeld, 16, told The Reflector last fall. “It’s phenomenal that we are able to come together and accept each other exactly as we are.”