Scotland is famous for bagpipes, castles, and now, a sold-out Milford High School murder mystery that made its mark at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Participating Milford High School drama students traded the familiar halls of their auditorium for the cobblestone streets of Scotland this summer, performing an original student-written play on one of the world’s most iconic stages.
Drama teacher David Derringer began planning the trip nearly two years ago to give students plenty of time to prepare. To make the trip more accessible, Milford partnered with Roger Bacon High School, creating what Derringer believes was the first-ever public and private school collaboration at the international festival. Together, the students spent months writing and rehearsing their own script, an original murder mystery called 140 at Vine’s Way.
The play told the story of objects inside a home that witnessed a crime, each piece brought to life onstage with its own perspective. For junior Aubree M., who played the lead role of a locket, stepping into a character she helped create was unlike anything she had done before.
“I’ve always acted, but this was my first time writing and building a show from scratch,” she said. “It gave me a whole new perspective on what it’s like to direct, to write, and to see a story come together from every side.”
Derringer, who previously performed at the Fringe as an actor, said he wanted his students to experience the same inspiration he once felt. With more than 3,000 productions each year ranging from comedy to acrobatics to experimental theater, the festival is known as a launching pad for new works.
“It’s about original ideas, and that’s what makes it so special,” Derringer said. “Our students weren’t just performing lines—they were performing something they created.”
The first performance sold out so quickly that parents never had a chance to buy tickets, so two more shows were added for them, and those sold out as well.
“I’m used to Broadway shows where you can’t really see mistakes,” Aubree said. “At the Fringe, you see people just like us who are still learning, and you get to learn from them too. That was inspiring.”
Beyond the stage, the group immersed themselves in Scottish history and culture, touring Edinburgh Castle, doing haunted tours, and even visiting Dolly the Sheep, the world’s first cloned mammal, at the National Museum of Scotland.
For many, including Aubree, it was their first time abroad. “I was so nervous, but I would’ve regretted it if I hadn’t gone,” she said. “It was such an incredible experience, and I’m grateful I had the chance.”
Derringer hopes to make the trip a tradition every four years, ensuring each student who passes through the Milford drama program has the opportunity to attend. “It’s more than just a performance,” he said. “It’s about growth, confidence, and showing our students the world of theater beyond Milford.”