Students Announced from 34th Annual High School Shakespeare Competition @ USF

For Immediate Release

Media Contact: Amanda Caraway, media and public relations director, 435-586-1969, caraway@bard.org
For more information and photos visit: www.bard.org/newsroom.

Students Receive Honors at 34th Annual High School Shakespeare Competition at the Utah Shakespearean Festival

CEDAR CITY, Utah—Drama students from across the country recently received awards and scholarships at the 34th annual High School Shakespeare Competition. The competition, hosted by the Utah Shakespearean Festival and Southern Utah University, was held from Oct. 7 through 9. Over 2,400 students from 99 schools across the United States participated in or observed the competition. Students arrived from junior high and high schools from seven different states: Utah, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, California and Wisconsin.

"The High School Shakespeare Competition is the largest scholastic Shakespeare competition in the country,” said Michael Don Bahr, education director for the Festival. “This year we had more participating schools than ever before.”

Throughout the competition weekend students competed in front of numerous arts professionals from across the nation who served as judges. The competition events were conducted on the Festival’s stages and at numerous other venues on the SUU campus. Judges consisted of arts professionals with strong literary and performance background. 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 offered feedback to the young artists. Many judges also taught workshops in everything from stage combat to text analysis.

The competition provides opportunities for education and recognition in five areas: acting, dance/choreography, music, art, 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 Shakespearean Festival.

“Every year we award thousands of dollars in scholarships to competition winners,” said Bahr. “They can earn a scholarship to Southern University or a scholarship to participate in one of the Festival summer camps."

Students were also able to attend the Festival fall productions for half price, contributing to a sold out weekend for “The Adventures of Pericles,” “The Diary of Anne Frank,” and “Greater Tuna.”

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.

Several scholarships were presented in the acting competition:

—The first place finishers in the mono-acts competition received the Ray Jones First Place Monologue Award, which includes a scholarship to SUU if the winner is a graduating senior. Ray Jones, a long-time Provo High School theatre teacher, was co-founder of the competition, along with Fred C. Adams, Festival founder.

—The highest scoring juniors in the mono-acts or duo/trio scenes from each division were also recognized with the Barbara Berrett Award and received $500 scholarships to the Festival’s Actor Training Program next summer. Berrett, an outstanding theatre educator and the Festival’s first education director, volunteered hundreds of hours traveling back and forth from Phoenix to implement class projects and enlist teachers in various educational projects.

—In conjunction with the ensemble competition, judges annually recognize the best actor in an ensemble scene in each division with the Larry Lott Acting Award. 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: Hillcrest High School; Midvalle, Utah
Sweepstakes Second Place: Lone Peak High School; Highland, Utah
Sweepstakes Third Place: Davis High School; Kaysville, Utah
Ensemble First Place: Joshua Long; Hillcrest High School; Midvalle, Utah
Ensemble Second Place: Ben Henderson; Lone Peak High School; Highland, Utah
Ensemble Third Place: Clin Eaton; Riverton High School; Riverton, Utah
Duo/Trio First Place: Nathan Schrenk and Grace Carlson; Hillcrest High School; Midvale, Utah
Duo/Trio Second Place: Miles Sharette and Cosette Hatch; Hillcrest High School; Midvale, Utah
Duo/Trio Third Place: Marissa Anderson and Danny Cowser; Davis High School, Kaysville, Utah
Ray Jones First Place Monologue Award: Kelsy Durrant; Hillcrest High School; Midvale, Utah
Cabrielle Andersen; Riverton High School; Riverton, Utah
Mono-Acts Third Place: Maddy Barney; Davis High School; Kaysville, Utah
Larry Lott Acting Award: Hailey Unice, Hillcrest High School; Midvale, Utah

Oxford Division
Sweepstakes First Place (tie): Pleasant Grove High School; Pleasant Grove, Utah
Lehi High School; Lehi, Utah
Sweepstakes Third Place: Orem High School; Orem, Utah
Ensemble First Place: Pam Peterson; Orem High School; Orem, Utah
Ensemble Second Place: Stewart Shelley; Pleasant Grove High School; Pleasant Grove, Utah
Ensemble Third Place: Meggan Bucher; Northridge High School; Layton, Utah
Duo/Trio First Place: Cayle Tregagle, Heather Peterson, and Jasmin Jones; Orem High School; Orem, Utah
Duo/Trio Second Place: Alex Powley and Carson Natter; Brighton High School; Salt Lake City, Utah
Duo/Trio Third Place: Aaron Larson and Cassandra Fifield; Orem High School; Orem, Utah
Ray Jones First Place Monologue Award: Krista Saltmarsch; American Fork High School; American Fork, Utah
Mono-Acts Second Place: Shawnae Rasmussen; Westlake High School; Saratoga Springs, Utah
Mono-Acts Third Place: Megan Packard; Jordan High School; Sandy, Utah
Larry Lott Acting Award: Jonathan McDonald; Northridge High School; Layton, Utah

Stratford Division
Sweepstakes First Place (tie): Pleasant Grove Junior High; Pleasant Grove, Utah
Salt Lake Arts Academy; Salt Lake City, Utah
Sweepstakes Third Place: Willowcreek Middle School; Lehi, Utah
Ensemble First Place: Chad Forte; Timberline Middle School; Alpine, Utah
Ensemble Second Place: Tami Eastman; Salt Lake Arts Academy; Salt Lake City, Utah
Ensemble Third Place: Kris Jennings; Willowcreek Middle School; Lehi, Utah
Duo/Trio First Place: Abby Thornley and Kade Tyson; Vista Heights Middle School; Saratoga Springs, Utah
Duo/Trio Second Place: Meagan Christensen, Ammon Flint, and Steven Russel;
Spanish Fork Junior High; Spanish Fork, Utah
Duo/Trio Third Place: Melanie Wallace and Brianna Hulme; Timberline Middle School; Alpine, Utah
Ray Jones First Place Monologue Award: McKelle Petersen; Vista Heights Middle School; Saratoga Spring, Utah
Mono-Acts Second Place: Elizabeth Mitchell; Spanish Fork Junior High School; Spanish Fork, Utah
Mono-Acts Third Place: Thane Caldwell; Willowcreek Middle School; Lehi, Utah
Larry Lott Acting Award: Kenna Hammett; Hurricane Middle School; Hurricane, Utah

Westminster Division
Sweepstakes First Place: Maeser Preparatory Academy; Lindon, Utah
Sweepstakes Second Place: Salt Lake City School for the Performing Arts; Salt Lake City, Utah
Sweepstakes Third Place: Rockwell Charter High School; Eagle Mountain, Utah
Ensemble First Place: Jared Larkin; Salt Lake School for the Performing Arts, Salt Lake City, Uah
Ensemble Second Place: Chadwick Taylor; Rockwell Charter High School; Eagle Mountain, Utah
Ensemble Third Place: Cam Cahoon; Maeser Preparatory Academy; Lindon, Utah
Duo/Trio First Place: Maddie Dean and Abi Bowser; Rockwell Charter HighSchool; Eagle Mountain, Utah
Duo/Trio Second Place: Christian Swenson, Robert Miller and Michael Jensen; Maeser Preparatory Academy; Lindon, Utah
Duo/Trio Third Place: Cameron Reinhart and Lanise Sepulveda; St. Joseph Catholic High School; Ogden, Utah
Ray Jones First Place Monologue Award: Felicia Anderton; Salt Lake School for the Performing Arts; Salt Lake City, Utah
Mono-Acts Second Place: Bronte Bringhurst; Maeser Preparatory Academy; Lindon, Utah
Mono-Acts Third Place: Caleb Ceran; Rockwell Charter High School; Eagle Mountain, Utah
Larry Lott Acting Award: Caleb Caren; Rockwell Charter High School; Eagle Mountain, Utah

Cambridge Division
Sweepstakes First Place: Tuacahn High School; Ivans, Utah
Sweepstakes Second Place: Timpanogos High School; Orem, Utah
Sweepstakes Third Place: Spanish Fork High School; Spanish Fork, Utah
Ensemble First Place: Jan and Andy Hunsaker; Tuacahn High School; Ivans, Utah
Ensemble Second Place: Agnes Broberg; Timpanogos High School; Orem, Utah
Ensemble Third Place: Richard Hill; Hurricane High School; Hurricane, Utah
Duo/Trio First Place: Natalie Spangler and Selena Price; Tuacahn High School; Ivans, Utah
Duo/Trio Second Place: Chris Whiteside and Parker Olsen; Tuacahn High School; Ivans, Utah
Duo/Trio Third Place: Lisa Raymond and Abby Clyde; Timpanogos High School; Orem, Utah
Ray Jones First Place Monologue Award: Crystal Jackson; Tuacahn High School; Ivans, Utah
Mono-Acts Second Place: Lauren Benjamin’ Richfield High School; Richfield, Utah
Mono-Acts Third Place: Hannah Liddell; Tuacahn High School; Ivans, Utah
Barbara Barrett Award: Mackenzie Larsen; Box Elder High School; Brigham City, Utah
Larry Lott Acting Award: Brayden Guter; Tuacahn High School; Ivans, Utah

Essex Division
Sweepstakes First Place: First Stage Theatre Academy; Milwaukee, Wis.
Sweepstakes Second Place (tie): Theatre Arts Conservatory; Salt Lake City, Utah
Theatre Arts Conservatory Junior; Salt Lake City, Utah
Ensemble First Place: John MacLay; First Stage Theatre Academy; Milwaukee, Wis.
Ensemble Second Place: Lisa Dahlgren; Shakespeare Theatre Workshop; Salt Lake City, Utah
Ensemble Third Place: LaRee Florence; Take Note Troupe; Loomis, Calif.
Duo/Trio First Place: Emma Munson and Nevin West; Theatre Arts Conservatory; Salt Lake City, Utah
Duo/Trio Second Place: Grace Fojtik and Quinn Humlicek; Theatre Arts Conservatory; Salt Lake City, Utah
Duo/Trio Third Place: Shawn Gandola and Truman Florence; Take Note Troupe; Loomis, Calif.
Ray Jones First Place Monologue Award: Emily Daly; First Stage Theatre Academy; Milwaukee, Wis.
Mono-Acts Second Place: Amanda Marks; The Meadows School; Las Vegas, Nev.
Mono-Acts Third Place: Sarah Eckstein; Theatre Arts Conservatory; Salt Lake City, Utah
Larry Lott Acting Award: Andrew Scott James; SCERA Youth Theatre; Orem, 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 interpretation of a Shakespearean play or sonnet.

Dance Winners

Buckingham Division
Ensemble First Place: Krista Dilello; Lone Peak High School; Henderson, Nev.
Ensemble Second Place: Peggy Caughey; Riverton High School; Riverton, Utah
Ensemble Third Place: Danielle Rossetti; Hamilton High School; Chandler, Ariz.
Duo/Trio First Place: Nyahka Greer and Brittany LeSueur; Lone Peak High School; Highland, Utah
Duo/Trio Second Place: Bayli Baker, Ben Graul and Russell Wright; Hillcrest High School; Midvale, Utah
Duo/Trio Third Place: Brooke Gledhill and Garrett Hamilton; Riverton High School; Riverton, Utah

Oxford Division
Ensemble First Place: Cheryl Allgaier; Lehi High School; Lehi, Utah
Ensemble Second Place: Julianne Young; Orem High School; Orem, Utah
Ensemble Third Place: Ariel Hortin; Provo High School; Provo, Utah
Duo/Trio First Place: Logan McGill and Sydney Ackley; Westlake High School; Saratoga Springs, Utah
Duo/Trio Second Place: Wess Valdez and McKenna Shurtleff; Provo High School; Provo, Utah
Duo/Trio Third Place: Carson Davies, Cayle Tregagle and Whitney Ellis; Orem High School; Orem, Utah

Stratford Division
Ensemble First Place: Ashley Leonard; Timberline Middle School; Alpine, Utah
Ensemble Second Place: Melanie Grace; Willowcreek Middle School; Lehi, Utah
Ensemble Third Place: Emily Newell; Timpanogos High School; Orem, Utah
Duo/Trio First Place (tie): Mica Litelwood, Stefani Schramm and Kylie Wright; Pine View High School; St. George, Utah
Shelby Ogden and Brianna Lees; Tuacahn High School; Ivins, Utah
Duo/Trio Third Place: Aubrey Madsen, Elizabeth Jones and Leann Allred; Mountain View High School; Orem, Utah

Westminster Division
Ensemble First Place: Lisa Stoddard; American Leadership Academy; Spanish Fork, Utah
Ensemble Second Place: Bethany Hansen; Salt Lake School for the Performing Arts; Salt Lake City, Utah
Ensemble Third Place: Mindy Young; Maeser Preparatory School; Lindon, Utah
Duo/Trio First Place: Jillian Ormond, Tanesha Belnap and Tessa Fitzgerald; American Leadership Academy; Spanish Fork, Utah
Duo/Trio Second Place: Anne Driggs, Jasmine White, Blakelee Harmon; Salt Lake School for the Performing Arts; Salt Lake City, Utah
Duo/Trio Third Place: Bennett Forward and Emma Humiston; Maeser Preparatory Academy; Lindon, Utah

Cambridge Division
Ensemble First Place: Becky Reed; Pine View High School; St. George, Utah
Ensemble Second Place: Emily Newell; Timpanogos High School; Orem, Utah
Ensemble Third Place: Jennifer Dial; Tuacahn High School; Ivans, Utah
Duo/Trio First Place: Shelby Ogden, Kira Barondeau and Benn Atkin; Tuacahn High School; Ivans, Utah
Duo/Trio Second Place: Royce Berube and Makayla Smith; Timpanogos High School; Orem, Utah
Duo/Trio Third Place: Amanda Gill, Lauren Vancott and Alyson Riggs; Mountain View High School; Orem, Utah

Essex Division
Ensemble First Place: Danielle Rossetti; Take Note Troupe; Loomis, Calif.
Duo/Trio First Place: Christian Sanders, Megan Hodgson and Jamie Van Wagenen; Take Note Troupe; Loomis, Calif.

Fine Arts Competition
The Fine Arts Competition allowed students to submit work from their existing portfolio or to create new works that exemplify a Shakespeare related theme. Faculty from Southern Utah University’s Art and Design Department adjudicated submissions.

Fine Art Winners
People’s Choice Award Braden Brockbrader; DaVinci Academy, Ogden, Utah
First Place Rachel Rogers; Valley High School; Kanab, Utah
Second Place Deborah Hutchins; Pine View High School; St. George Utah
Third Place Marisa Moody; Delta High School; Delta, Utah

Music Competition
The music competition encouraged students to explore and develop a relationship with Renaissance music (prior to the year 1650 C.E.). Students were encouraged to utilize creative combinations of instruments, but 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 music. Minstrels (one to four people) presented three to seven minutes of music.

Music Winners

Madrigal Competition
First Place Award (tie): Pleasant Grove High School; Pleasant Grove, Utah
Tuacahn High School; Ivans, Utah
Third Place Award Team Tesseract; Paradise Valley, Ariz.

Minstrel Competition
First Place Award The Meadows School; Las Vegas, Nev.
Second Place Award Orem High School; Orem, Utah
Third Place Award Salt Lake School for the Performing Arts; Salt Lake City, Utah

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
Oxford Division Nathan Barton; Clearfield High School; Clearfield, Utah
Westminster Division Aaron Nelson; Morgan High School; Morgan, Utah
Cambridge Division Nathan Krebs; Idaho Falls High School; Idaho Falls, Idaho
Essex Division Alex Rehberger; The Meadows School; Las Vegas, Nev.
Buckingham Division (Overall Winner): Katherine Anne Lee; Coronado High School; Henderson, Nev.

Tech Olympics Winners
Buckingham Division Bingham High School; South Jordan, Utah
Oxford Division Lehi High School; Lehi, Utah
Stratford Division Timberline Middle School; Alpine, Utah
Westminster Division White Pine High School; Ely, Nev.
Cambridge Division Spanish Fork High School; Spanish Fork, Utah
Essex Division The Meadows School; Las Vegas, Nev.

Best Individual Time
Audio: Hayden Harris; Lone Peak High School; Highland, Utah
Electrics: Ryan Gordon; Pleasant Grove, Pleasant Grove, Utah
Props: Heather Linde; Maple Mountain High School; Spanish Fork, Utah
Carpentry: Connor Hardy; Timberline Middle School; Alpine, Utah
Costumes: Stephanie Ellis; Riverton High School; Riverton, Utah
Rigging: Tom Thorne; Bingham High School; South Jordan, Utah

Overall Winners
The Golden Screw Gun First Place Award: Spanish Fork High School; Spanish Fork, Utah
The Silver Light Second Place Award: Bingham High School; South Jordan, Utah
The Bronze Boot Third Place Award: Mountain View High School; Orem, Utah



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Students from Tuacahn High School perform their award winning ensemble scene from "Julius Caesar." (Utah Shakespearean Festival 2010)