In spite of the time-honored warning, the English Speaking Union Shakespeare Committee is meeting on March 15 at the Queen Anne home of Sara Reed-Plum to finalize plans for the New York trip awarded to the winner of the High School Shakespeare Competition. The local branch of the competition took place Feb. 12 at the E.E. Bach Theatre of Seattle Pacific University, with 13 contestants from local high schools performing a Shake-spearean sonnet and a 20-line monologue from one of the plays.
Shakespeare 2006 is open to any 10th-, 11th- or 12th-grader from a participating public, private or parochial school. This acting and recitation contest provides schools with a curriculum-based program to encourage high school students to develop their language and dramatic talents. Also, of course, the purpose of the English Speaking Union's National Shake-speare Competition is to help students develop and communicate their understanding of Shakespeare and his universal language. Participating schools hold their own contest, conducted by teachers of English and drama; intramural school competitions are generally held during assembly or in drama groups in order to involve the entire school or at least a large portion of the student body.
Students entered in school contests are required to memorize and present a monologue of 15 to 20 lines. The winners of these competitions go on to the local Regional Finals (the Feb. 12 event). Then the winner from each locality goes on the National Competition, held in New York City in April 2006. An all-expense-paid weekend includes travel to and from New York City, accommodations, a workshop, theater evenings and the National Shakespeare Competition.
Our local winner was Shorecrest's Amanda Keogh, who performed Sonnet 133 and Helena from "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (her teacher was Linda Johnson). Second place went to Ben Cote from Skyline High School, who preformed Sonnet 147 and Act 5 from "Richard III" (teacher: James Henderson). Third place was Frances Kimpel, of Annie Wright School, performing Ariel from "The Tempest" (teacher: Dr. Marilyn Bennett). Jamie Kearns from Juanita High School earned a special mention; Kearns' teacher Elizabeth McMurray Hauk was last year's ESU recipient of the Globe Scholarship to study Shakespeare at London's Globe Theater, teaching Shakespeare through performance.
In addition to the New York trip, first-place winner Keogh received $500, given to both the student and her teacher. Second-place Cote was awarded a $300 cash prize (his teacher received $100), and the third-place winner Kimpel received a $150 cash prize (with nothing to the teacher).
Keogh will represent the ESU Seattle branch at the National Shakespeare Competition, April 22-25, at Lincoln Center in New York, where, in the third stage of the competition, seven finalists will be selected to perform a sight-unseen passage from a Shakespeare play, in addition to the presentation of the monologue and the sonnet. The purpose of this un-rehearsed reading is to test the student's understanding of Shake-spearean language, and the ease with which he or she conveys it.
The first-place winner of this final competition receives an expense-paid, four-week acting course at the British American Drama Academy, regarded as the UK's premier acting course for high school students. Held at prestigious premises in Regent's Park, London, the residential program covers all practical aspects of theater with workshops by faculty from the cream of the British theatrical world, plus theater trips and excursions.
We are keeping our fingers crossed for Amanda, and looking forward to a full report of her trip at the ESU annual general dinner meeting May 20 at the Washington Athletic Club.
Meanwhile, Shakespeare is alive and well in Britain in the year 2006, as witness the Shakespeare Festival in Stratford-upon-Avon. Set to be the biggest in the Royal Shakespeare Compa-ny's history, the festival will play host to "The Complete Works," a yearlong celebration of the town's most famous son. As this will be the first time all 37 plays, sonnets and long poems written by Shakespeare have been presented at the same event, artists from all over the world and across all manner of performing arts - from music and television to both modern and more traditional stage productions - have been queuing up to take part.
One of the highlights is sure to be the return to the RSC stages of three of Britain's finest and most famous Shake-spearean actors. "Star Trek"'s Patrick Stewart, a 27-year veteran of the RSC who hit the big time with the science-fiction television show, will be appearing as Antony in "Antony and Cleopatara" and as Prospero in "The Tempest." Two-time Oscar nom-inee Sir Ian McKellen, now best known as Gandalf from "Lord of the Rings" films, will be taking the title role in "King Lear." Sir Ian's Lear should, on his past record, be one of the most memorable portrayals of this tragic character you are ever likely to see - especially as it is to be directed by former head of the RSC, Sir Trevor Nunn.
Alongside these traditional productions there will be the chance to take part in fringe events such as debates and lectures, and to take in some more unusual interpretations of Shakespeare's plays. Be it Oscar-winner Dame Judi Dench in a musical adaptation of "The Merry Wives of Windsor," an all-Indian "Midsummer Night's Dream" or an Arabic "Richard III" - dubbed "Baghdad Richard" - there will be plenty to both challenge and entertain. Sound's wonderful. For more information, visit www. rsccompleteworks.co.uk
AS FOR THE IDES OF MARCH, you need not worry - unless your name is Caesar. If I have set your teeth on edge at one fell swoop without rhyme or reason, then to give the devil his due if the truth were known, for surely you have a tongue in your head, you are quoting Shakespeare. Even if you bid me good riddance and send me packing, if you wish I were dead as a doornail, if you think I am an eyesore - a laughingstock - the devil incarnate - stony-hearted villain - bloody-minded or a blinking idiot, then by Jove - O Lord - tut, tut! - for goodness' sake - what the dickens! - but me no buts - it is all one to me, for you are quoting Shakespeare....
TTFN, and fare thee well.
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