Theatre students to study abroad in London (EDIT)

A group of Washburn theatre students will be spending their spring break exploring the streets of London, England for a study abroad trip.

This will be the second time within the past year that Washburn has sponsored this study abroad opportunity for theatre department students. The last trip to London was in May and lasted 10 days.

Paul Prece, chair of the theatre department, travels with the group of students as the faculty mentor. Prece works with a touring agency based out of New York and spends months planning the trip.

"London is a mecca for theatre and other arts," said Prece. "The city is widely diverse in its neighborhoods and population and draws visitors internationally and year-round."

Theatre majors Abbey Geiss, senior, and Jamie Schartz, junior, were two of the students who attended the London trip in May.

"I decided to take the trip because I had never been out of the country before, and the thought of travel has always been exciting to me," said Geiss.

During the last trip to London, students attended five theatrical productions. Two of the shows included "War Horse” at the New London Theatre and "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time" at the National Theatre.

"I read the novel [Curious Incident] before we left and fell in love with it," said Schartz. "Everything about the show was pristine. The cast was brilliant, the set was magical and the acting was phenomenal."

In addition to the required activities, students were also given the opportunity to tour the city independently. Prece recommended that students visit the Tate Modern Museum and Shakespeare's Globe Theatre.

For the upcoming trip in March there will be several new students attending including Alex Laughlin, junior theatre major.

"When I was younger my family took a trip to London and I was too young to really appreciate the history and the trip itself," said Laughlin. "So I want to go back and relive the experience."

According to Prece, the upcoming spring break trip will mirror the May trip. Students will attend professional productions, experience an overnight trip to Stratford and witness the "changing of the guard" at Buckingham Palace.

"There is always much to see and do in London. This time will be no different," said Prece. "My hope is that this trip will make students realize how wide the world is and begin to understand their place and possibility."