CEDAR CITY, Utah—Drama students from across the country received awards and scholarships at the 31st annual High School Shakespeare Competition. The competition, hosted by the Utah Shakespearean Festival and Southern Utah University, is the only competition of its kind in the country. Over 2,500 students from 85 schools across the United States participated in or observed the competition. Students came from junior high and high schools in Utah, Nevada, Arizona, California, Idaho and Wisconsin.

During the competition student actors, dancers, and technicians competed before theatre and dance professionals. 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.

"This is the most successful competition we have ever had," said Michael Bahr, Festival education director. "The quality of student actors, dancers, and technicians was superb. They are all to be congratulated on the level of their craft."

The competition provides opportunities for education and recognition in three areas: acting, dance/choreography, and technical theatre. The competitions were conducted October 4 and 7 on the Festival’s three stages and at numerous other venues on the SUU campus. Judges consisted of theatre and dance 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 advice to the budding artists.

While in Cedar City, students also had the opportunity to take part in a number of activities, including workshops conducted by professionals, discussions with vendors and artists, and tours of the Southern Utah University campus. Students were also able to attend the Festival’s fall season productions of The Tempest, ‘Art’ and The Mousetrap.

The acting 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).

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 four- to six-minute scene from a Shakespeare play or sonnet. In the ensemble competition, a group of students from a school presented a 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 six 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 and executive producer.

—The two highest scoring juniors in the mono-acts or duo/trio scenes from each division were 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.

And the winners are:

Buckingham Division
Sweepstakes First Place: Lone Peak High School; Highland, Utah
Sweepstakes Second Place: Davis High School; Kaysville, Utah
Sweepstakes Third Place:  Palo Verde High School; Las Vegas, Nevada
Ensemble First Place: Davis High School; Kaysville, Utah
Ensemble Second Place: Palo Verde High School; Las Vegas, Nevada
Ensemble Third Place: Lone Peak High school; Highland, Utah
Duo/Trio First Place: Jackie Johnson and Tamera Wayt; Lehi High School; Lehi, Utah
Duo/Trio Second Place: Jonathan D’Acunto and Amanda Mantchev; Palo Verde High School, Las Vegas, Nevada
Duo/Trio Third Place:  Jon Rose and Briana Zike; Davis High School; Kaysville, Utah
Mono-Acts Second Place: Jessica Wallace; Lone Peak High School; Highland, Utah
Mono-Acts Third Place: BJ Warner; Lone Peak High School; Highland, Utah
Ray Jones First Place Monologue Award: Bradley Hatch, Lehi High School; Lehi, Utah
Larry Lott Acting Award: Sarah Garrett, Davis High School; Kaysville, Utah
Barbara Barrett Acting Award:  Jackie Johnson, Lehi High School; Lehi, Utah, and Tamera Wayt, Lehi High School; Lehi, Utah

Oxford Division
Sweepstakes First Place: American Fork High School; American Fork, Utah
Sweepstakes Second Place: Orem High School; Orem, Utah
Sweepstakes Third Place: Skyline High School; Salt Lake City, Utah
Ensemble First Place: Brighton High School; Salt Lake City, Utah
Ensemble Second Place: Skyline High School; Salt Lake City, Utah
Ensemble Third Place: Orem High School; Orem, Utah
Duo/Trio First Place: Sajatah Boyle and Marc Nielson; American Fork High School; American Fork, Utah
Duo/Trio Second Place:  Melissa Layer and Nate Gardner; Pleasant Grove High School; Pleasant Grove, Utah
Duo/Trio Third Place: Tyler Harris, James Goodman and Jessica Leavitt; Orem High School; Orem, Utah
Mono-Acts Second Place: Erin Lee; Orem High School; Orem, Utah           
Mono-Acts Third Place: Kristina Stone; Brighton High School; Salt Lake City, Utah           
Ray Jones First Place Monologue Award: Cassie Hill, Pleasant Grove High School; Pleasant Grove, Utah
Barbara Barrett Award: Olivia Vessell, Skyline High School; Salt Lake City, Utah
Larry Lott Acting Award: Bryson Dumas, Brighton High School; Salt Lake City, Utah

Cambridge Division
Sweepstakes First Place: Tuacahn High School; Ivans, Utah
Sweepstakes Second Place:  Hillcrest High School; Midvale, Utah
Sweepstakes Second Place: Timpanogos High School; Orem, Utah
Ensemble First Place: Hillcrest High School; Midvale, Utah
Ensemble Second Place: Canyon View High School, Cedar City, Utah
Ensemble Third Place: Tuacahn High School; Ivans, Utah
Duo/Trio First Place:  Cole Chollet, Sierra Wetjen and Cody Hamm; Tuacahn High School, Ivins, Utah
Mono-Acts Second Place: Ben Merrill; Box Elder High School; Brigham City, Utah
Ray Jones First Place Monologue Award: Chloe Wood; Tuacahn High School; Ivans, Utah
Barbara Berrett Award: Mary Matheson and Jessika Bahr; Canyon View High School; Cedar City, Utah
Larry Lott Acting Award: Mackenzie Van Engelenhoven; Hillcrest High School; Midvale, Utah

Westminster Division
Sweepstakes First Place: Salt Lake School for the Performing Arts; Salt Lake City, Utah
Sweepstakes Second Place: Meridian High School; Provo, Utah
Sweepstakes Third Place: Sugar Salem High School; Sugar City, Idaho
Ensemble First Place: Salt Lake School for the Performing Arts, Salt Lake City, Utah
Ensemble Second Place: Meridian High School, Provo, Utah
Ensemble Third Place: Richfield High School; Richfield, Utah
Duo/Trio First Place: Melanie Wells, Kolin North and Skylar Holman; Salt Lake School for the Performing Arts; Salt Lake City, Utah
Mono-Acts First Place: Boyd Monson; Meridian School; Provo, Utah
Ray Jones First Place Monologue Award: Dinah Dewald; Arizona School for the Arts; Phoenix, Arizona
Barbara Berrett Award: Kolin North and Skylar Holman; Salt Lake School for the Performing Arts; Salt Lake City, Utah

Stratford Division
Sweepstakes First Place: Theatre Arts Conservatory; Salt Lake City, Utah
Sweepstakes Second Place: Churchill Jr. High; Salt Lake City, Utah
Sweepstakes Third Place:   American Fork Junior High; American Fork, Utah
Ensemble First Place: Theatre Arts Conservatory; Salt Lake City, Utah
Ensemble Second Place:  Churchill Junior High; Salt Lake City, Utah
Ensemble Third Place:  Meadows School; Las Vegas, Nevada
Duo/Trio First Place:  Anna Lewis and Alex Anderson; Timberline Middle School; Alpine, Utah
Mono-Acts Second Place: Sean Ward; Theatre Film Workshop; Salt Lake City, Utah
Ray Jones First Place Monologue Award:  Whitney Wilde; Theatre Film Workshop; Salt Lake City, Utah
Larry Lott Acting Award:  Jandi Jensen; Theatre Arts Conservatory; Salt Lake City, Utah

Essex Division
Sweepstakes First Place:  First Stage Children’s Theatre; Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Sweepstakes Second Place:  Theatre Arts Conservatory; Salt Lake City, Utah
Sweepstakes Third Place:  Take Note Troupe; Loomis, California
Ensemble First Place: Theatre Arts Conservatory; Salt Lake City, Utah
Ensemble Second Place:  Take Note Troupe; Loomis, California
Ensemble Third Place: First Stage Children’s Theatre; Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Duo/Trio First Place:  Jeremy Tardy and Elyse Edelman; First Stage Children’s Theatre; Wilwaukee, Wisconsin
Mono-Acts Second Place: D’Laney Gielow; First Stage Children’s Theatre; Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Ray Jones First Place Monologue Award: Rhiannon Ross; Theatre Arts Conservatory; Salt Lake City, Utah
Larry Lott Acting Award: Chris Rukavina; Theatre Arts Conservatory; Salt Lake City, Utah
Barbara Barrett  Jeremy Tardy; First Stage Children’s Theatre; Milwaukee, Wisconsin

The choreography for the interpretive dances in the Dance/Choreography Competition had to be inspired by and based on a scene, poem, or sonnet written by William Shakespeare. The competition’s format was based on the acting competition, with awards being presented to the best ensemble and the best duo/trio performance in each of six divisions. In addition, a scholarship to SUU was awarded to the best overall individual dancer, if a senior.

And the winners are:

Buckingham Division
Ensemble First Place:  Lehi High School; Lehi, Utah
Duo/Trio First Place: Quinsee Beach, Kylee Nix and Annaka Nay; Riverton High School; Riverton, Utah

Oxford Division
Ensemble First Place: Brighton High School; Cottonwood Heights, Utah
Duo/Trio First Place: Liz Newton and Megan Gygi; Brighton High School; Cottonwood Heights, Utah

Cambridge Division
Ensemble First Place:  Timpanogos High School; Orem, Utah
Duo/Trio First Place: Jenny Smith, Sierra Wetjen and Kayla Smith; Tuacahn High School; Ivans, Utah

Westminster Division
Ensemble First Place: Meridian School; Provo, Utah
Duo/Trio First Place: James Lo, Victoria Duckworth and Josh Crowther; Meridian School; Provo, Utah

Stratford Division
Ensemble First Place:  Spanish Fork Jr. High; Spanish Fork; Utah
Duo/Trio First Place: Mt. Nebo Jr. High; Payson, Utah

Essex Division
Ensemble First Place: Take Note Troupe; Loomis, California
Duo/Trio First Place:  Neal Hooper, Sara Croft and Sam Lloyd; Take Note Troupe; Loomis, California

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 show off their technical and/or design portfolios so they could be judged by professionals in technical theatre. The best portfolio overall was honored, and the best portfolio by a senior was awarded a scholarship to SUU.

In addition, technical theatre students were able to compete in Tech Olympics, with prizes being awarded for overall performance by a school (Golden Drill Award, first; Silver Spotlight Award, second, and Bronze Boot Award, third) and to individual students in each of six areas. General Theatrical Supply awarded cash prizes to the overall winning schools in the Tech Olympics, as well as prizes to the highest individual times in each area.

And the winners are:
Best Portfolio Overall (Scholarship):  Robert O’Donell; Park City High School; Park City, Utah
Tech Olympics Golden Drill Award: Orem High School; Orem, Utah
Tech Olympics Silver Spotlight Award: Lone Peak High School; American Fork, Utah
Tech Olympics Bronze Boot Award: Mountain View High School; Orem, Utah

For more information on the annual Shakespeare Competition, call the Utah Shakespearean Festival at 435-586-7880. For information about the Tony Award-winning Festival or tickets to plays, call 800-PLAYTIX or visit the Festival’s website at www.bard.org.
The Utah Shakespearean Festival/Southern Utah University Shakespeare Competition is sponsored in part by KSL-TV.