Fringe Benefit: Los Angeles Theatre Initiative takes theater students to Edinburgh and beyond

The Los Angeles Theatre Initiative (LATI) is a touring company that gives students the chance to write, produce and perform their works in the United States and abroad. They’re headed to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland Aug. 1-25.

“I don’t think there’s any way for students to wrap their heads around the scale of what they’re getting into in Scotland,” McGrath joked. “Seeing that first moment where it really registers for them is always special.” 

McGrath attended the Edinburgh Fringe Festival with her family for many years as a child. Those trips inspired her to propose the idea of a student excursion to the festival to the faculty at her high school, but she said the reception was lukewarm.

“The response was essentially, ‘We were not expecting you to follow through, we’re not actually interested in doing that,’” McGrath said. “It was disheartening at first, but I felt confident in the research I’d done, and my vision for producing creative work in Scotland.”

McGrath’s idea evolved into LATI in 2017, the theater company’s first trip to Scotland to perform in Edinburgh Fringe. After a break to focus on higher education, McGrath said she started LATI again in 2022 in response to COVID-19. 

“Both of the heads of the theater department retired during the pandemic,” she said. “No one was sure if there would be any opportunities for performances on campus once the restrictions were lifted. It felt like a great opportunity to revisit LATI, and make space for art again.” 

Years later, McGrath and LATI continue to attend the international arts festival, alongside other performing arts events and opportunities, including Hollywood Fringe. This was the group’s first year participating at Hollywood Fringe, which ran during the month of June.

They performed their first show, “The C Word,” for Hollywood Fringe at Shirley Dawn Studio June 12-14. Additionally, McGrath performed a one-person show titled “A Geography of Rain” June 20-21. 

The annual trip to Edinburgh Fringe is an expensive undertaking. According to McGrath, the cost per student — which covers accommodations, recreational activities, venue rental and other production expenses — is almost $5,000, and many of the students require assistance to pay for it. She said that they have a fiscal scholarship, but that the students’ needs are increasing in light of recent actions from the U.S. government.

“Last season, we were able to award $20,000 in scholarships,” McGrath said. “The current administration has had a significant impact on students’ ability to secure grants and scholarships for their education, and so their financial needs have completely outweighed what we’ve been able to supply.

“Our greatest challenge has been trying to secure funding for the arts.”   

McGrath said the projected financial need for this season’s trip will be $50,000 — more than double the amount LATI awarded in scholarships last season. To alleviate the cost of the Edinburgh trip each year, the crew performs two rounds of each show in the spring, and the ticket revenue from those shows goes toward the Edinburgh trip in the summer. Additionally, ticket revenue from the shows in Scotland is used to support the trip the following season.

Beyond those efforts, LATI also receives external donations, connections to grants from some schools for student international experiences, and support from LATI students and families who are more financially able to contribute. McGrath has also paid some costs out of pocket. She said the area where they need the most support is funding, and that the experience of traveling is worth the cost. 

According to McGrath, the benefit of supporting the arts is contributing to the facilitation of connection and mutual understanding. She said she wants her students to know that art is for everyone, and she wants to continue providing the Edinburgh Festival Fringe experience for them.  

“My hope for LATI is that students leave knowing that there is space for them in the industry and that they can create the stories they’re passionate about,” McGrath said. “Art is a nexus for community, and when you lean into your passions, it attracts people to help build that robust community.”