Video above from the Spring 2012 production at WCSU's Berkshire Theater

War, a disco ball, a tap battle and an original score will take you on a journey to Ancient Greece - where one woman's plan for peace will create quite a stir with the men.

Short Summary

"Lysistrata: The Disco, Vaudeville, Rock and Roll Musical" is a fully adapted and musicalized version of Aristophones' "Lysistrata". The Western Connecticut State University Theater Arts Department is bringing this production to the 2013 Edinburgh Fringe Festival with 25 students working as both cast and crew, along with 4 professors overseeing technical aspects of the production.

Students ranging from freshman to graduating seniors will take part in this as a learning experience and to acquire an international theater credit. Traveling out of the country during a vital growth period in a college students life can shape who they become once they are no longer a part of academia. Working with the university as part of a production team fosters a sense of community and allows students to take responsibility for both themselves and their peers.

At Western Connecticut State University, students are encouraged to find a sense of self through theater and its many artistic elements. Degrees and classes are offered in not only Theater Performance and Musical Theater, but also Management and Design Tech (lighting, directing, set design, scenic art, costume construction, etc.).

By contributing to this fund, you are providing the opportunity for students to discover, grow, learn and create. Theater is an invaluable art form in our world; one which moves its viewers in its ability to speak to souls in thunderous volumes with the simplicity of truthful human interaction. In contributing to this fund, you are equipping young students with the tools necessary for them to become the next generation of great artists.

What We Need & What You Get

• The current cost for students to attend this trip is $2,250, out of pocket, not including their personal food expenses during the two-week stay in Edinburgh.
• With 25 students, costumes, makeup, props, advertising material and an entire set, merely making the trip from Connecticut to Scotland will be pricey. An estimated $1,200 per plane ticket will come out of the above figure.
• Renting flats in Edinburgh with functional washer/dryer and kitchens to offset further expenses will result in the use of the rest of the trip fee.
• If you contribute to this fund, your money will go to aiding the students in paying for this trip. Since it is out of pocket, many students are struggling to afford the pricey fee. Thankfully, the SGA has granted us some funds for travel expenses.
• If you contribute to this fund, we will keep you updated with our trip and the process of bringing "Lysistrata" international! Depending on the amount of your donation, we will send you various things such as a cast picture and thank you certificate, a DVD of the original production at Western Connecticut State University in 2012, a signed poster from the cast, a postcard from Scotland and other personalized gifts!

The Impact

• We believe in the message that "Lysistrata: The Disco, Vaudeville, Rock Musical" sends: we are all brothers and sisters. The possiblity for harmony in our varying political and social views is achievable (and ocassionally musical). Everyone is equal.
• This production gives students the opportunity to be a part of original work where they can create their own characters and understanding of the text and music, therefore establishing artistic values in their work.
• Some growth and discovery cannot happen in a classroom. Travel and the cultures and sights of our world are some of the greatest teachers, yet not everyone gets a chance to take advantage of these lessons.

Other Ways You Can Help

If you love our cause but want to help in other ways:

• Spread the word! In theater, we never underestimate the power of voice, so scream it from the rooftops or whisper it to the guy in the cubicle next to you. You never know, you might just bond over classic Greek plays turned disco, vaudeville, rock musicals. 
• Have any other ideas for us? We love creativity and are not afraid to try new ideas!