2010 Shakespeare Monologue & Scene Contest
Micah Carleton from Beaver County Christian
16th Annual Shakespeare Contest Winners
Congratulations to the following winners of this year's Shakespeare Monologue and Scene Contest!
Above Right: Ted Pappas, Christopher
Rawson, Emily Bassett and Joshua Brelsford
Lower Division
Emily Bassett & Joshua Brelsford Helena & Demetrius
Winchester Thurston A Midsummer Night's Dream
Lena Skeele Joan of Arc-Henry VI Part I
Slippery Rock Middle School
Upper Division
Simon Brown King Lear-King Lear
Seneca Valley Senior High
Micah Carleton, Joshua Bostanic, Dumaine, Longaville,
Jason Michalenko, Andy Guthrie Berowne, King
& Marty Verrett & Costard
Beaver County Christian High School Love's Labors Lost
Molly Jones & Rocky Paterra Lady Macbeth & Macbeth
Upper St. Clair High School Macbeth
Above Left: Simon Brown as King Lear
Above Right: Upper Division Scene Winners from Beaver County Christian and Upper St. Clair High School
This popular annual event is open to students in grades 4-12. Students may
enter the monologue contest, scene contest, or both. Students compete in the
upper division (8-12) or lower division (4-7).
"This [contest] is invaluable--memorization, understanding literature in a language that they are not used to reading, hearing, and speaking-- great public speaking experience."
-Parent, Blackburn Study Center
Contestants present their pieces on The Public's main stage in front of a panel of judges. Those who advance to the final round of the contest have the opportunity to perform before an audience at the Showcase of Finalists.
At age 17, Lara Hillier made her professional acting debut at Pittsburgh Public Theater as Miranda in The Tempest, opposite Theater Hall of Fame-inductee Brian Murray. Hillier, a four-time Shakespeare Monologue and Scene Contest winner, credits Pittsburgh Public Theater with being "an inspiration in every sense of the word."
"The staff's commitment to introducing Shakespeare to a younger generation is enormously inspiring. The individual attention paid to each and every performance [during the contest] is remarkable. Kids develop an appreciation for classical theater, and they enjoy it. I've gained wonderful memories, friendships and performance opportunities that I will never forget."
- Lara Hillier, Shakespeare Contest
participant and four-time winner
All participants receive a contest T-shirt and a voucher for two complimentary tickets to a Pittsburgh Public Theater production. The Public also offers free orientation sessions for first-time participating teachers and their students.
THE ANNUAL SHAKESPEARE MONOLOGUE AND SCENE CONTEST!
- The contest is open to all students in grades 4 -12.
- No previous acting experience necessary.
- Choose a monologue (20-25 lines minimum) or scene (no more than 5 minutes) from any Shakespeare play.
- All scene performers must be active participants.
- Students may participate in either the monologue or scene contest, or both.
- Monologues and scenes must be memorized - prompting of any kind will not be permitted.
- Don't worry about costumes and props; think about actions and words.
- All participants receive a free t-shirt and two passes to a Public Theater show!
Any questions, please email Rob Zellers at rzellers@ppt.org
Click here to read news articles about the 2009 Shakespeare Monologue & Scene Contest.
Click here for a list of Recommended Monologues.
Click here for a list of Suggested Scenes.
Many thanks to the sponsors of the
2010 Annual Shakespeare Monologue & Scene Contest.1.JPG)
additional support is provided by
The Pittsburgh Foundation
The Grable Foundation
Dominion Foundation
and
Federated Investors Foundation, Inc.