HISTORY OF THE COMPETITION
The English-Speaking Union National Shakespeare Competition began almost thirty years ago with 500 students in New York City. Now the Competition currently involves approximately sixty English-Speaking Union Branch communities nationwide. Annually 16,000 high school students and 2,000 teachers participate from Honolulu, HI to Boston, MA. Over the program’s history, more than 250,000 young people of all backgrounds have discovered Shakespeare’s writings and communicated their understanding of the Bard’s timeless language and messages.
The ESU National Shakespeare Competitionhas been recognized by the Globe Center (USA), the Children’s Theatre Foundation of America and the American Academy of Achievement. Over the years, the program has had many distinguished judges.
COMPETITION STRUCTURE
The program begins in classrooms nationwide. A school-wide competition is held in the Fall/Winter, where students perform a monologue from one of Shakespeare’s plays. The school competition winner then advances to the ESU Branch (community) Competition in the Winter. There the student performs his/her monologue and one of Shakespeare’s sonnets. The Branch Competition winner then advances to the National Competition held in New York City in the Spring. The student performs his/her monologue and sonnet at Lincoln Center in front of their fellow contestants from across the country. Seven to ten students are then chosen for the final round of the Competition; they perform their selections along with a cold reading of a monologue later in the day for another round of judges.
AWARDS
Branch Awards : Each Branch winner receives an all-expenses-paid trip to New York City, to compete at the National Competition at Lincoln Center. The trip also includes exclusive workshops, sightseeing and interacting with other Branch winners from across the country. Additional prizes for the Branch runner-up, Branch 3 rd place winner, etc. vary by Branch. Some Branches also provide awards for the winners’ teachers.
National Awards : The winner of the ESU National Shakespeare Competition receives an all-expenses-paid trip to study acting in Shakespeare’s homeland, England. In 2011 the 1 st place winner was awarded a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art’s Young Actors Summer School in London, England (included tuition, transportation, accommodations and food). The runner-up received a scholarship to the American Shakespeare Center’s Theatre Camp in Staunton, Virginia in Summer 2011 (included tuition, transportation, accommodations and food). The 3 rd place winner was awarded $500 by The Shakespeare Society in New York, NY.
NATIONAL COMPETITION DATE
The National Competition in New York City takes place on the Monday closest to Shakespeare’s birthday (celebrated on April 23 rd). Exceptions may be made for special circumstances, such as religious holidays. All contestants must arrive on the day before the National Competition and leave the morning after the Competition.
