What Is AHSTF?

In 1994, the American High School Theatre Festival was developed with the help of high school and college drama professionals. Our festival is designed to complement high school drama programs and allow our nation's drama students to showcase their skills within an international forum.

The American High School Theatre Festival runs in conjunction with the world-renowned Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the world's largest performing arts festival- held each August in Edinburgh, Scotland. Top high school theatre programs are nominated by state, regional, and national theatre organizations, as well as university theatre professors, to participate in AHSTF.

Each nominated school receives an application, and all completed applications are reviewed by the AHSTF Board of Advisors, made up of college theatre professors. Top high school programs are identified based on their most recent bodies of work, awards, community involvement, philosophies, and recommendations. To promote diverse participation, AHSTF does not allow schools to participate in consecutive years. Schools selected will have more than a full year to plan for their once-in-a-lifetime performance on AHSTF's world stage.

"AHSTF was an eye-opening experience showing just how big the theatre world is. It’s a beautiful, beautiful thing. There were over three hundred kids there for AHSTF…. It still blows my mind that all us were there solely for theatre. I had never made so many bonds so quickly. Two weeks was enough time to make lifetime friendships and I truly think it was because we were "theatre kids". Scotland was the best experience of my life because it was two weeks spent with kids that loved the same thing I did."
— AHSTF Participant, Savannah, GA