CBA’s Olivia Moffa Will Celebrate Shakespeare’s Birthday in Style!

News – March 12, 2018

At Saturday's ESU-Syracuse Branch's thirtieth Shakespeare Competition at Syracuse Stage's Archbold Theatre, winner Olivia Moffa, from Christian Brothers Academy, presented Shakespeare's Sonnet 19 and a monologue by Miranda from The Tempest.  Her talent won her a trip to NYC's Lincoln Center, April 23 (Shakespeare's birthday), to participate in the National English-Speaking Union's competition with nearly sixty other nationwide winners for a summer acting experience in London.

LtoR:  Olivia Moffa, Grace Stensland, Hannah Yorkey, Benjamin Tan, Ireland Fernandez-Cosgrove, Tyler Piper

Grace Stensland of Westhill High School won second place and Hannah Yorkey from Union Springs High School, third.  Honorable mention was awarded to Ireland Fernandez-Cosgrove of Fayetteville-Manlius High School, Tyler Piper from Jordan-Elbridge High School, and Benjamin Tan from Clinton High School.

The purpose of the competition is to develop students' understanding of Shakespeare and his universality, as well as to further the worldwide ESU mission of fostering global understanding and good will by providing educational and cultural activities for students, educators, and members. Syracuse's event is made possible by the generous support of The Allyn Foundation and The Richard Mather Fund and by the members of ESU's Syracuse branch.

Thom Miller, Assistant Professor of Voice and Acting in Syracuse University's Drama Department,  conducted a workshop for Syracuse's competition participants on Tuesday, February 27.  Competition judges were David Lowenstein, Bob Moss, and Holly Thuma.

This year's participants represent eighteen schools:

Further information is available at www.esuus.org or from Syracuse ESU Shakespeare Committee Co-chairs, Wendy Davenport, wendyd1998@twcny.rr.com, and Susan Jarosz, tedsu@verizon.net.

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