St. Louis Shakespeare Competition

News

The Annual St. Louis Branch ESU Shakespeare Competition gives students in the metro area the opportunity to compete locally, with the winner invited to perform on stage in New York at the national level. This year's branch competition was held on February 9 at Fontbonne University. Each participating student gave an interpretation of both a monologue and a sonnet of choice, to a rapt audience.

First Place was awarded to Eli Hurwitz of John Burroughs School (Anita Hagerman, teacher), who will represent the St. Louis Branch at the National competition later this spring. Second place was awarded to Grace Wallis of St. Dominic High School (Melfreya Findley, teacher) 

and Third Place to Phoebe Thoroughman of University City High School (Catherine Hopkins, teacher). Winners will be invited to perform at forthcoming branch programs, as well as at the Shakespeare birthday celebration at Tower Grove Park.

Third Place: Phoebe Thoroughman

In announcing the awards, branch president Barbara Lewington stressed that all participants deserved recognition as winners at their respective schools. Special thanks to judges Laura Enstall (Audition Well), Donna Northcutt (Lindenwood University) and Michael Perkins (Metro Theater Company), who provided delightful warm-up exercises, plus a valuable talk-down after the competition. Congratulations to all, and thanks to our branch Shakespeare Competition Coordinator Paula Heller for such a successful event.

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