L.A. THEATRE INITIATIVE EMPOWERS STUDENTS TO PURSUE THE ARTS

At only sixteen years old, Los Angeles native Fiona McGrath made a daring proposal to her school administration — she asked to take a group of students from her high school to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland.

Months before that, she’d brought up the idea originally to a school head and was met with interest but little expectation to deliver. No one anticipated a high school teenager to go through the arduous process of planning an international trip to perform at one of the world’s largest performing arts festivals.

Lo and behold, twelve actors from her high school appeared in six performances at Edinburgh during her junior year. McGrath founded and now leads the Los Angeles Theatre Initiative (LATI), a touring company dedicated to providing students with the opportunity to write and perform original theatre works on an international stage.

The organization partners with colleges like UCLA, USC, LMU, and Northwestern to give students a chance to see their work performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

“It’s a global palette of artists. I grew up seeing shows from all over the world, and I wanted other students to experience that too,” says McGrath.

The program got its start during her junior year at Muhlenberg College when COVID hit. Two heads of the theatre department at her school announced their retirements, and the department was hesitant to announce new productions for when students would return to campus.

Fiona decided to start her theatre company by planning, producing, and performing a show with twenty actors from her college for a total of six performances that year. Through word-of-mouth, the program gained popularity, and she continued it for a second year at her college alongside students from Northwestern University.

“Our program is the same every year but different for every school. We make it tailored specifically for each program,” says McGrath.

LATI not only gives exposure to many young artists but also a real-world experience in theatre. For many students, attending and performing at the festival is their first time leaving the United States and also the first time seeing themselves as artistic professionals.

The program has expanded to other schools and has gained popularity since. The focus now is on developing new projects together with students.

Students with a script or a pitch can apply to work with producers and writers to flesh out their ideas into a fully-fledged production.

“We really want to create a space for community-building among our students. We have the freedom to select projects and talent from students directly, not based on the image of the school. We want to support the student’s vision,” says McGrath.

Fiona wants to make the experience of artistic exposure as accessible as possible. Last year, LATI offered twenty thousand dollars in scholarships for students who were attending Edinburgh. A large chunk of the scholarship funding came from donors and individuals who wanted to support the work of LATI, along with ticket sales from the productions running at Edinburgh. In addition, Fiona has sometimes dipped into her own pockets to cover expenses for students who could not otherwise afford the opportunity to go.

When asked about the future of LATI, McGrath says she and her team are currently focusing on deepening and improving the existing programs at the colleges they’re already partnered with. LATI is also looking to start a consulting arm of the company where her team of experts can offer guidance and production support for artists, schools, and organizations who are looking to bring their work to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in the future.

With the rise of new young creatives and talents in recent years, Fiona hopes to continue building stronger pathways to support the next generation of artists at LATI.

For more information about LATI, visit:https://www.losangelestheatreinitiative.com