News
The St. Louis Branch ESU hosted our Annual Shakespeare Competition for high school students on Saturday morning, February 3, at Fontbonne University. Twelve area schools sent students to the competition. Each participant gave his/her interpretation of a Shakespearian monologue and sonnet, and all in attendance were awed by the performances.
First Place was awarded to Kaitlyn Bross of St. Dominic High School (Melfreya Finndley, teacher). Kaitlyn will will advance to the National Competition, to be on April 23, 2018 at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater, Lincoln Center, New York City!
Second Place was awarded to Sunny Lu of Ladue Horton Watkins (Cathy Russell, teacher),Third Place went to Juliet Beck of Principia (Liesel Ehmke, teacher). In addition to performing at the branch's March 11 program, these students will present their winning monologues and sonnets at a Shakespeare birthday celebration at Tower Grove Park on Sunday, April 22.
Congratulations to our student winners and their teachers — and to all who competed! And special thanks to branch Shakespeare competition coordinator, Paula Heller and to our judges: Laura Enstall (Audition Well), Michael Perkins (Metro Theater Company) and Kurt Schreyer (University of Missouri at St. Louis), who additionally provided a valuable talk-down with all student performers, following the branch competition. "Bravo" to one and all!
2nd Place Winner, Sunny Lu
3rd Place Winner, Juliet Beck