Cast and crew of St. Ursula Academy's A Piece of My Heart have had quite a week.

Last weekend they had a group dinner at Nicholson's and put on a benefit performance. Starting Monday, there were brush-up rehearsals and a dress rehearsal for family and friends. Friday, the troupe presented an exerpt from Heart to the national conference of the Educational Theatre Association, convening in Covington through today. Today, they gather for Mass and a church breakfast.

There's hardly been time for the kids, who come to St. Ursula from throughout Greater Cincinnati, to be nervous about boarding a plane Tuesday, with director Dianna Davis, for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

The Fringe performances at the Churchill Theatre are a culmination of a year of planning. "We started raising money last September," says Davis. Even so, they did come up short of the $50,000 goal.

Most of the kids had to apply for passports for the first time. Davis has supplied them with lists of what to pack - everyone is responsible for their own costume pieces.

Along with full-length performances, the troupe has three excerpts scheduled on an outdoor stage downtown in what will be the theatrical adventure of a lifetime for the young performers and crew.

— Jackie Demaline