Students Receive Honors at 37th Annual Shakespeare Competition

Last weekend the 37th annual Shakespeare Competition, hosted by the Utah Shakespeare Festival and Southern Utah University, gave out dozens of awards and scholarships to drama, dance and music students. The competition is the largest scholastic Shakespeare competition in the country, and this was a record-breaking year with over 3,000 students from 118 schools. Students came from junior high and high schools in Utah, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, Wisconsin, and California.

From October 3 through 5 students competed before numerous adjudicators on the Festival's stages and at several other venues on the SUU campus. Judges consisted of arts professionals with strong literary and performance backgrounds. The judges came to Cedar City from across the country, including New York and Los Angeles, and not only judged the competition, but provided critiques of performances and gave feedback to the young artists. Judges also offered numerous workshops on topics such as stage combat, improvisation, movement, modern dance techniques, and choral performance.

"There really is nothing like the Shakespeare Competition," said Michael Bahr, education director for the Festival. "For thirty-seven years the competition has provided young people an outlet to share their passion and excitement for the arts, while also cultivating the future generation of arts professionals."

Providing wonderful opportunities, the competition recognizes and educates students in four areas: acting, dance/choreography, music, and technical theatre. At the conclusion of the competition selected students received trophies and scholarships to study with professionals at Southern Utah University and the Utah Shakespeare Festival.

As part of the total experience, students were able to attend the Festival's fall productions of Peter and the Starcatcher, The Marvelous Wonderettes and Richard II for a special school price.

The competition was divided into six divisions: Buckingham (for schools with enrollment of 2,001 or more), Oxford (enrollment of 1,701 to 2,000), Cambridge (enrollment of 801 to 1,700), Westminster (enrollment of 800 or fewer), Stratford (junior high and middle schools of any size) and Essex (schools or groups which are not members of state high school associations).

Acting Competition

For the acting portion of the competition, students were able to compete in mono-acts, duo/trio scenes and ensembles. Mono-act competitors presented for the judges a two- to four-minute monologue from a Shakespeare play or sonnet. In the duo/trio competition, two or three actors presented a three- to five-minute scene from a Shakespeare play or sonnet. In the ensemble competition, a group of students from a school presented a six- to ten-minute Shakespearean scene.

In addition, first, second and third place overall sweepstake prizes were awarded to the school in each division with the most total points from all categories.

Also, several scholarships were presented in the acting competition:

The first place winners in the duo/trio and monologue category are awarded scholarships to either Southern Utah University or the Utah Shakespeare Festival summer classes, depending on the grade of the student.

Ray Jones Award: Given to seniors, this award is a $1000 scholarship to Southern Utah University.

Barbara Barrett Award: Given to juniors and under, this award is a $500 scholarship to the Festival's summer acting intensive Actor Training, or a tuition scholarship to Shakespeare for Junior Actors.

Larry Lott Acting Award: In conjunction with the ensemble competition, judges annually recognize the best actor in an ensemble scene in each division. The recipient of this award received a trophy for his or her accomplishments and, if a senior, a $1,000 scholarship to SUU.

Acting Winners

Buckingham Division

Sweepstakes First Place: Alta High School; Sandy, Utah

Sweepstakes Second Place (tie): Pleasant Grove High School; Pleasant Grove, Utah

Sweepstakes Second Place (tie): Hillcrest High School; Salt Lake City, Utah

Sweepstakes Second Place (tie): Tuacahn High School for the Performing Arts; Ivins, Utah

Ensemble First Place: Hillcrest High School; Salt Lake City, Utah

Ensemble Second Place: Pleasant Grove High School; Pleasant Grove, Utah

Ensemble Third Place: Orem High School; Orem, Utah

Ray Jones Duo/Trio First Place

Award: Eliza Van Bloem and Thayne Caldwell; Lehi High School; Lehi, Utah

Duo/Trio Second Place: Krista Johnson and Trevor Elzey; Lone Peak High

School; Highland, Utah

Duo/Trio Third Place: Patrick Rideout and Trystyn Roberts; Alta High School;

Sandy, Utah

Ray Jones First Place Monologue

Award: Anna Thulin; Pleasant Grove High School; Pleasant

Grove, Utah

Mono-Acts Second Place: McKell Petersen; Westlake High School; Saratoga

Springs, Utah

Mono-Acts Third Place: McKay Nicoll; Alta High School; Sandy, Utah

Larry Lott Acting Award: Alyssa Bate; Lehi High School; Lehi, Utah

Oxford Division

Sweepstakes First Place: Highland High School; Salt Lake City, Utah

Sweepstakes Second Place (tie): Grand Junction High School; Grand Junction, Colorado

Sweepstakes Second Place (tie): Corner Canyon High School; Draper, Utah

Sweepstakes Third Place: Provo High School; Provo, Utah

Ensemble First Place (tie): Riverton High School; Riverton, Utah

Ensemble First Place (tie): Corner Canyon High School; Draper, Utah

Ensemble Third Place: Highland High School; Salt Lake City, Utah

Ray Jones/ Barbara Barrett

First Place Duo/Trio Award: Ellen Moffat and Georgia Peterson; Highland High

School; Salt Lake City, Utah

Duo/Trio Second Place: Harrison Lind and Maddie Carter; Highland High

School; Salt Lake City, Utah

Duo/Trio Third Place: Cierra Smith and Ike Fortner; Grand Junction High

School; Grand Junction, Colorado

Barbara Barrett First Place

Monologue Award: Mckenna Parsons; Northridge High School; Layton,

Utah

Mono-Acts Second Place: Abigail Mower; Highland High School; Salt Lake City,

Utah

Mono-Acts Third Place (tie): Alex Wanebo; Grand Junction High School; Grand Junction, Colorado

Mono-Acts Third Place (tie): Charlie Purser; Provo High School; Provo, Utah

Larry Lott Acting Award: Devin Sheridan; Highland High School; Salt Lake City,

Utah

Westminster Division

Sweepstakes First Place: Karl G. Maeser Preparatory Academy; Lindon, Utah

Sweepstakes Second Place (tie): Rockwell Charter High School; Eagle Mountain, Utah

Sweepstakes Second Place (tie): Richfield High School; Richfield, Utah

Ensemble First Place: Karl G. Maeser Preparatory Academy, Lindon, Utah

Ensemble Second Place: Rockwell Charter School; Eagle Mountain, Utah

Ensemble Third Place: Liahona Preparatory Academy; Pleasant Grove; Utah

Barbara Barrett First Place

Duo/Trio Award: Jeanelle Long and Julia Meyers, Liahona Preparatory Academy; Pleasant Grove; Utah

Duo/Trio Second Place: Jonah Hoskins, Megan Vest and Natalie English; Karl G. Maeser Preparatory Academy; Lindon, Utah

Duo/Trio Third Place: Devin Glenn, Ian Rogers and Keaton Pierce; Karl G. Maeser Preparatory Academy; Lindon, Utah

Barbara Barrett First Place

Monologue Award: Logan Pedersen; Karl G. Maeser Preparatory Academy;

Lindon, Utah

Mono-Acts Second Place: Clara Richardson, Karl G. Maeser Preparatory Academy; Lindon, Utah

Mono-Acts Third Place: Max Higbee, Pioneer Charter High School; American Fork, Utah

Larry Lott Acting Award: Megan Vest; Karl G. Maeser Preparatory Academy; Lindon, Utah

Cambridge Division

Sweepstakes First Place: Salt Lake School for the Performing Arts; Salt Lake

City, Utah

Sweepstakes Second Place: Timpanogos High School; Orem, Utah

Sweepstakes Third Place (tie): Spanish Fork High School; Spanish Fork, Utah

Sweepstakes Third Place (tie): Canyon View High School; Cedar City, Utah

Ensemble First Place: Salt Lake School for the Performing Arts; Salt Lake

City, Utah

Ensemble Second Place: Cedar City High School; Cedar City, Utah

Ensemble Third Place: Ogden High School; Ogden, Utah

Ray Jones & Barbara Barrett

First Place Duo/Trio Award: Kenny White and Jessica Peabody; Spanish Fork High School; Spanish Fork, Utah

Duo/Trio Second Place: Mica Singson, Parker Smith and Nick Dunn;

Timpanogos High School; Orem, Utah

Duo/Trio Third Place: Hayden Berg, Madelyn Shearer; Salem Hills High

School; Salem, Utah

Ray Jones First Place Monologue

Award: Samantha Gibbons; Salt Lake School of the Performing

Arts; Salt Lake City, Utah

Mono-Acts Second Place: Claire Wilson; Salt Lake School of the Performing

Arts; Salt Lake City, Utah

Mono-Acts Third Place Alex Hopkins; Skyline High School; Salt Lake City,

Utah

Larry Lott Acting Award: Arianna Stucki; Ogden High School; Ogden, Utah

Stratford Division

Sweepstakes First Place: Pleasant Grove Junior High School; Pleasant Grove, Utah

Sweepstakes Second Place: Timberline Middle School; Alpine, Utah

Sweepstakes Third Place: Spanish Fork Jr. High School; Spanish Fork, Utah

Ensemble First Place: American Fork Junior High School; American Fork,

Utah

Ensemble Second Place: Vista at Entrada School; Ivins, Utah

Ensemble Third Place (tie): DaVinci Academy Jr. High School; Ogden, Utah

Ensemble Third Place (tie): Pleasant Grove Junior High School; Pleasant Grove, Utah

Barbara Barrett First Place

Duo/Trio Award: Alli Barker and Elle Evans; Pleasant Grove High

School; Pleasant Grove, Utah

Duo/Trio Second Place: Brooklyn Horton, Caroline Castleton and Emma Watts; Willowcreek Middle School; Lehi, Utah

Duo/Trio Third Place: Brekyn Holland and Mackenzie O'Neill; Rockwell Charter School; Eagle Mountain, Utah

Shakespeare for Jr. Actors First Place

Monologue Award: Lukita Maxwell; My Tech High; Spanish Fork, Utah

Mono-Acts Second Place: Gavin Lewis; My Tech High; Spanish Fork, Utah

Mono-Acts Third Place: Emmeline Grimmer; Lincoln Academy; Pleasant Grove, Utah

Larry Lott Acting Award: Eric Mosteller; Churchill Jr. High School; Salt Lake City, Utah

Essex Division

Sweepstakes First Place: Shakespeare Conservatory; Saint George, Utah

Sweepstakes Second Place (tie): First Stage Theatre Academy; Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Sweepstakes Second Place (tie): Logan Youth Shakespeare; Logan, Utah

Ensemble First Place: First Stage Young Company; Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Ensemble Second Place: Logan Youth Shakespeare; Logan, Utah

Ensemble Third Place: Jean Massieu School of the Deaf; Salt Lake City

Barbara Barrett First Place

Duo/Trio Award: Becca Rowland and Justin Burke; Take Note Troupe;

Loomis, California

Duo/Trio Second Place: Aspen Thompson and Christopher Oram; Shakespeare

Conservatory; Saint George, Utah

Duo/Trio Third Place: Allison Hillman, Kristina Roy; Logan Youth

Shakespeare; Logan, Utah

Barbara Barrett First Place

Monologue Award: Rose Jackson-Smith; Logan Youth Shakespeare;

Logan, Utah

Mono-Acts Second Place: Laura Mesrobian; First Stage Young Company;

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Mono-Acts Third Place: Rachel Fonseca; Shakespeare Conservatory; Saint

George, Utah

Larry Lott Acting Award: Emma Jackson-Smith; Logan Youth Shakespeare;

Logan, Utah

Dance/Choreography Competition

For the dance portion, students were able to compete in duo/trio or ensemble groups. In the duo/trio competition, two or three dancers presented a three- to six-minute interpretation of a Shakespeare play or sonnet. In the ensemble competition, a group of dancers from a school interpreted a three to four minute Shakespeare play or sonnet.

Dance Winners

The Dance Scholarship to SUU was awarded to Kiana L. Ah Quin of Pine View High School.

Buckingham Division

Ensemble First Place: Lehi High School; Lehi, Utah

Ensemble Second Place: Westlake High School; Saratoga Springs, Utah

Ensemble Third Place: Tuacahn High School; Ivins, Utah

Duo/Trio First Place: Lone Peak High School; Highland, Utah

Duo/Trio Second Place: Hillcrest High School; Midvale, Utah

Duo/Trio Third Place: Westlake High School; Saratoga Springs, Utah

Oxford Division

Ensemble First Place: Provo High School; Provo, Utah

Ensemble Second Place: Highland High School; Salt Lake City, Utah

Ensemble Third Place: Riverton High School; Riverton, Utah

Duo/Trio First Place: Provo High School; Provo, Utah

Duo/Trio Second Place: Riverton High School; Riverton, Utah

Duo/Trio Third Place: Highland High School; Salt Lake City, Utah

Westminster Division

Ensemble First Place: American Leadership Academy; Spanish Fork, Utah

Ensemble Second Place: Richfield High School; Richfield, Utah

Ensemble Third Place: Rockwell Charter School; Eagle Mountain, Utah

Duo/Trio First Place: American Leadership Academy; Spanish Fork, Utah

Duo/Trio Second Place: Walden School of the Arts and Sciences; Provo, Utah

Duo/Trio Third Place: Rockwell Charter School; Eagle Mountain, Utah

Cambridge Division

Ensemble First Place: Salt Lake School for the Performing Arts; Salt Lake City, Utah

Ensemble Second Place: Timpanogos High School; Orem, Utah

Ensemble Third Place: Pine View High School; Saint George, Utah

Duo/Trio First Place: Salt Lake School for the Performing Arts; Salt Lake City, Utah

Duo/Trio Second Place: Pine View High School; Saint George, Utah

Duo/Trio Third Place: Desert Hills High School; Saint George, Utah

Stratford Division

Ensemble First Place: Frontier Middle School; Eagle Mountain, Utah

Ensemble Second Place: Timberline Middle School; Alpine, Utah

Ensemble Third Place: Lehi Jr. High School; Lehi, Utah

Duo/Trio First Place: Timberline Middle School; Alpine, Utah

Duo/Trio Second Place: Vista at Entrada School; Ivins, Utah

Duo/Trio Third Place: Karl G. Maeser Jr. High School; Lindon, Utah

Essex Division

Ensemble First Place: DaVinci Academy; Ogden, Utah

Ensemble Second Place: Take Note Troupe; Loomis, California

Duo/Trio First Place: DaVinci Academy; Ogden, Utah

Duo/Trio Second Place: Take Note Troupe; Loomis, California

Music Competition

The music competition encouraged students to explore and develop a relationship with the music of the Renaissance (music prior to 1650). Students were encouraged to utilize creative combinations of instruments, however no instrumentation was required.

For the music competition, students were able to compete in Madrigals and Minstrels. Madrigals (a minimum of five people) presented six- to ten-minutes of Renaissance music. Minstrels (one to four people) presented three- to seven-minutes of Renaissance music.

Music Winners

Madrigal Competition

First Place Award Pleasant Grove High School; Pleasant Grove, Utah

Second Place Award Tuacahn High School; Tuacahn, Utah

Third Place Award Box Elder High School; Brigham City, Utah

Minstrel Competition

First Place Award Orem High School; Orem Utah

Second Place Award Karl G. Maeser Jr. High School; Lindon, Utah

Third Place Award Grand Junction High School; Grand Junction, Colorado

Technical Theatre Competition

The final competition was in the technical theatre area for students who work behind the scenes creating sound, lighting, props, scenery, and costumes.

In the portfolio area, students were given the chance to have their technical and/or design portfolios evaluated by professionals in technical theatre. The best portfolio per division was honored, and the best overall portfolio was awarded a $1,000 scholarship to SUU.

In addition, technical theatre students were able to compete in Tech Olympics, with a $50 gift certificate from General Theatrical Supply awarded to overall team winners in each division, based on timing, execution, and accuracy.

Portfolio Winners

Buckingham Division

Portfolio First Place: Savannah Shelley; Davis High School; Kaysville,

Utah

Oxford Division

Portfolio First Place: Trever Wilson; Fremont High School; Plain City, Utah

Westminster Division

Portfolio First Place (tie): Caleb Rasmussen; Rockwell Charter School; Eagle

Mountain, Utah

Portfolio First Place (tie): Denisse Flores; Rockwell Charter School; Eagle

Mountain, Utah

Cambridge Division

Portfolio First Place: Grant Porter; Morgan High School; Morgan, Utah

Tech Olympics Winners

Rigging Trevor Schulz, Orem High School; Orem, Utah

Props Jeremiah Zolman, Riverton High School; Riverton,

Utah

Lighting Aidan McKinney, Salt Lake School for the Performing Arts; Salt Lake City, Utah

Audio Spencer Bauman, Riverton High School; Riverton,

Utah

Costumes Chloe Betts, Salt Lake School for the Performing Arts; Salt Lake City, Utah

Set Construction Mitch Hall, Riverton High School; Riverton, Utah

Stage Management Trever Wilson, Fremont High School; Plain City,

Utah

Hair and Makeup Gabriella Go, Las Vegas Academy; Las Vegas,

Nevada

Overall Winners

The Bronze Boot Third Place Award: Salt Lake School for the Performing Arts; Salt Lake

City, Utah

The Silver Spotlight Second Place Award: Lehi High School; Lehi, Utah

The Golden Screw Gun First Place Award: Orem High School; Orem Utah

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