Performing at the storied Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland was a magical time for 10 students who participated in the first of what many hope is a continuing study abroad program.

“Taking part in the Fringe, both as patrons of theater and performers, was life changing for the students,” said Jennifer Engler, associate theater professor. “They learned as much by seeing the wide variety of productions as they did from performing.”

During their two-week stay, the budding thespians presented an original performance art piece by Seth Rickard of Chicago, “The Girl of 10,000 Smiles,” performing the 50-minute show eight times in a 110-seat theater at Edinburgh College of Arts.

The Fringe is a four-week celebration of performance, with 20,000 theatrical productions staged all over the city.

“Everything becomes a theater,” Engler said. “Our students, whose performances were scheduled for mid-afternoon, also got to see 25-30 other performances.”

Students, who stayed at the University of Edinburgh, earned three credit hours for the trip, which included a week of educational tours and sightseeing.