For Immediate Release
October 8, 2012
Media Contact: Nikki Allen
Media and Public Relations Manager
allen@bard.org * 435-586-1969
Students Receive Honors at 36th Annual Shakespeare Competition
at the Utah Shakespeare Festival
Cedar City, UT – Last weekend the 36th 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 2,800 students from
103 schools. Students came from junior high and high schools in Utah, Nevada, Arizona,
Colorado, Wisconsin, Idaho, and California.
From October 4 through 6 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, folio exploration,
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-six 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 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 Shakespeare Festival.
As part of the total experience, students were able to attend the Festival’s fall productions of
Hamlet, Stones in His Pockets, and Les Misérables 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).
-more-
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:
Sweepstakes Second Place (tie):
Sweepstakes Second Place (tie):
Sweepstakes Second Place (tie):
Sweepstakes Second Place (tie):
Ensemble First Place:
Ensemble Second Place:
Hillcrest High School; Salt Lake City, Utah
Davis High School; Kaysville, Utah
Alta High School; Sandy, Utah
Lone Peak High School; Highland, Utah
Westlake High School; Saratoga Springs, Utah
Joshua Long; Hillcrest High School; Salt Lake City,
Utah
Neal C. Johnson; American Fork High School;
American Fork, Utah
Jim Smith; Lone Peak High School; Highland, Utah
Ensemble Third Place:
Ray Jones & Barb Barrett First Place
Duo/Trio Award:
Suzie Pilkington, Mattie Nelson and Holly Jonsson;
American Fork High School; A, Utah
Duo/Trio Second Place:
Jake Nilson, Jared Monson and Stephen Lind; Lone
Peak High School; Highland, Utah
Duo/Trio Third Place:
Abram Rice, Marie Savage and Allyson Smoot; Lone
Peak High School; Highland, Utah
Ray Jones First Place Monologue
Award:
Mono-Acts Second Place:
Mono-Acts Third Place:
Larry Lott Acting Award:
Aubrey Taylor; American Fork High School; A, Utah
Nathan Morley; Hillcrest High School; Midvale, Utah
Linda Smith; Hillcrest High School; Midvale, Utah
Sam Spainhower; Hillcrest High School; Midvale, Utah
Oxford Division
Sweepstakes First Place (tie):
Sweepstakes First Place (tie):
Sweepstakes Third Place:
Ensemble First Place:
Ensemble Second Place:
Ensemble Third Place:
Ray Jones First Place Duo/Trio
Award:
Duo/Trio Second Place:
Duo/Trio Third Place (tie):
Duo/Trio Third Place (tie):
Barbara Barrett First Place
Monologue Award:
Mono-Acts Second Place:
Mono-Acts Third Place (tie):
Mono-Acts Third Place (tie):
Larry Lott Acting Award:
Grand Junction High School; Grand Junction, Colorado
Pleasant Grove High School; Pleasant Grove, Utah
Orem High School; Orem, Utah
Pam Peterson; Orem High School; Orem, Utah
Megan Bucher; Northridge High School; Layton, Utah
Stewart Shelley; Pleasant Grove High School;
Pleasant Grove, Utah
Jennie Martin, Cozette Cookson and Chris Waite; Orem
High School; Orem, Utah
Keaton Otto and Ian Woodward; Pleasant Grove High
School; Pleasant Grove, Utah
Cierra Smith and Hunter Whaley; Grand Junction High
School; Grand Junction, Colorado
Emily Beukers and Zac Orton; Provo High School;
Provo, Utah
Anna Thulin; Pleasant Grove High School; Pleasant
Grove, Utah
Emily Erdmann; Orem High School; Orem, Utah
Ellie Gossage; Grand Junction High School; Grand
Junction, Colorado
Ike Fortner; Grand Junction High School; Grand
Junction, Colorado
Mariah House; Northridge High School; Layton, Utah
Westminster Division
Sweepstakes First Place:
Sweepstakes Second Place:
Sweepstakes Third Place:
Ensemble First Place:
Ensemble Second Place:
Ensemble Third Place:
Barbara Barrett/Ray Jones
First Place Duo/Trio Award:
Duo/Trio Second Place:
Maeser Preparatory Academy, Lindon, Utah
Rockwell Charter High School; Eagle Mountain, Utah
American Leadership Academy; Spanish Fork, Utah
Chadwick Taylor; Rockwell Charter School; Eagle
Mountain, Utah
Cam Cahoon; Maeser Preparatory Academy, Lindon,
Utah
Jennifer Perry; Saint Joseph Catholic High School;
Ogen, Utah
Hayden Gilles and Rylee Clements; American
Leadership Academy; Spanish Fork, Utah
Meghan Abbott and Kiley Matthews; Morgan High
School; Morgan, Utah
Duo/Trio Third Place:
Barbara Barrett First
Place Monologue Award:
Mono-Acts Second Place:
Mono-Acts Third Place:
Larry Lott Acting Award:
Rebecca Wadley and Javier Flores; Rockwell Charter
School; Eagle Mountain, Utah
Annelise Dahl; Maeser Preparatory Academy; Lindon,
Utah
Zoe Freeman; Maeser Preparatory Academy; Lindon,
Utah
Bell Hennefer; Rockwell Charter School; Eagle
Mountain, Utah
Bell Hennefer; Rockwell Charter School; Eagle
Mountain, Utah
Cambridge Division
Sweepstakes First Place:
Sweepstakes Second Place (tie):
Sweepstakes Second Place (tie):
Ensemble First Place:
Ensemble Second Place:
Ensemble Third Place:
Barbara Barrett First Place Duo/Trio
Award:
Duo/Trio Second Place:
Duo/Trio Third Place:
Ray Jones First Place Monologue
Award:
Mono-Acts Second Place:
Mono-Acts Third Place (tie):
Mono-Acts Third Place (tie):
Mono-Acts Third Place (tie):
Larry Lott Acting Award:
Tuacahn High School; Ivins, Utah
Salt Lake School for the Performing Arts; Salt Lake
City, Utah
Timpanogos High School; Orem, Utah
Kyle Lewis; Tuacahn High School; Ivins, Utah
Nathan Criman; Mountain View High School; Orem,
Utah
Richard Hill; Hurricane High School; Hurrican, Utah
Matt Gubler, Kayla Coyle and Haedi Burr; Spanish
Fork High School; Spanish Fork, Utah
Kris Karns and Elise Frank; Timpanogos High School;
Orem, Utah
Samantha Gibbons, Jillian Brenne and Emma Truax;
Salt Lake School for the Performing Arts; Salt Lake
City, Utah
Sabrina Perry; Tuacahn High School; Ivins, Utah
Claire Wilson; Salt Lake School for the Performing
Arts; Salt Lake City, Utah
Stephanie Peck; Salem Hills High School; Springville,
Utah
Ben Knowlton; Spanish Fork High School; Spanish
Fork, Utah
Casey Greenwood; Clearfield High School; Clearfield,
Utah
Tyler Price; Tuacahn High School; Ivins, Utah
Stratford Division
Sweepstakes First Place:
Sweepstakes Second Place:
Sweepstakes Third Place (tie):
Sweepstakes Third Place (tie):
Ensemble First Place:
Timberline Middle School; Alpine, Utah
Rockwall Jr. Charter School; Eagle Mountain, Utah
Churchill Jr. High; Salt Lake City, Utah
Maeser Preparatory Academy; Lindon, Utah
Chadwick Taylor; Rockwall Jr. Charter School; Eagle
Mountain, Utah
Ensemble Second Place:
Ensemble Third Place:
Kenneth Wright; American Fork Jr. High School;
American Fork, Utah
Adam Slee; DaVinci Academy Jr. High School; Ogden,
Utah
Shakespeare for Jr. Actors First Place
Duo/Trio Award:
Bethany Ewell and Brenne Wilcox; Timberline
Middloe School; Alpine, Utah
Duo/Trio Second Place:
Gwen Elison and Kaylee Garn; Willowcreek Middle
School; Lehi, Utah
Duo/Trio Third Place:
Kelsie Richards and Haley Bechthold; Spanish Fork Jr.
High; Spanish Fork, Utah
Shakespeare for Jr. Actors First Place
Monologue Award:
Kira Patten; Timberline Middle School; Alpine, Utah
Mono-Acts Second Place (tie):
Makenzie Facer; Diamond Fork Jr. High School;
Spanish Fork, Utah
Mono-Acts Second Place (tie):
Jack Kiefer; Rockwall Jr. High School School; Eagle
Mountain, Utah
Larry Lott Acting Award:
Jack Kiefer; Rockwell Jr. High School; Eagle
Mountain, Utah
Essex Division
Sweepstakes First Place:
Sweepstakes Second Place (tie):
Sweepstakes Second Place (tie):
Ensemble First Place:
Ensemble Second Place:
Ensemble Third Place:
Barb Barrett & Shakespeare for Jr.
Actors First Place Duo/Trio Award:
Duo/Trio Second Place:
Duo/Trio Third Place:
Ray Jones First Place Monologue
Award (tie):
Barbara Barrett First Place
Monologue Award (tie):
Mono-Acts Third Place (tie):
Mono-Acts Third Place (tie):
Larry Lott Acting Award:
Dance/Choreography Competition
First Stage Theatre Academy; Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Take Note Troupe; Loomis, California
Theatre Arts Conservatory; Salt Lake City, Utah
Colleen Lewis; Theatre Arts Conservatory; Salt Lake
City, Utah
LaRee Flrence; Take Note Troupe; Loomis, California
John Maclay; First Stage; Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Hannah Ford and Alex Hopkins; Pioneer Charter
School; Lehi, Utah
Katie Nester and Sheridan Underwood; Theatre Arts
Conservatory; Salt Lake City, Utah
Micah Gandola and Truman Florecne; Take Note
Troupe; Loomis, California
Erin Stapleton; First Stage; Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Caitlin Lanzel; Theatre Arts Conservatory; Salt Lake
City, Utah
Rose Jackson-Smith; Logan Utah Theatre; Logan, Utah
Haley Gray-Hoehn; First Stage Children’s Theatre;
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Caitlin Lanzel; Theatre Arts Conservatory; Salt Lake
City, Utah
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 Savanna Johnson of Lone Peak High School.
Buckingham Division
Ensemble First Place:
Ensemble Second Place:
Ensemble Third Place:
Duo/Trio First Place:
Duo/Trio Second Place:
Duo/Trio Third Place:
Janica Hayes; Westlake High School; Saratoga Springs,
Utah
Clin Eaton; Riverton High School; Riverton, Utah
Krista DiLello; Lone Peak High School; Highland,
Utah
Jordan Stransky, Ashlie Stoddard, and Kelsie Barnes;
Westlake High School; Saratoga Springs, Utah
Ashlyn Adams, Kira Sturgell and Kalli Elmer; Lone
Peak High School; Highland, Utah
Elena Ochoa, Katelyn Hamilton and Mandi Timothy
Riverton High School; Riverton, Utah
Oxford Division
Ensemble First Place:
Ensemble Second Place:
Ensemble Third Place:
Duo/Trio First Place:
Duo/Trio Second Place:
Susan St. John; South Mountain High School; Phoenix,
Arizona
Mimi Knell; Orem High School; Orem, Utah
Kacee Hill; Northridge High School; Layton, Utah
Cayel Tregeagle and Sarah Russo; Orem High School;
Orem, Utah
Annie Hughes; Provo High School; Provo, Utah
Westminster Division
Ensemble First Place:
Ensemble Second Place:
Ensemble Third Place:
Duo/Trio First Place:
Duo/Trio Second Place:
Duo/Trio Third Place:
Cambridge Division
Candice Spivey; Rockwell Charter High School; Eagle
Mountain, Utah
Lisa Stoddard; American Leadership Academy;
Spanish Fork, Utah
Gwen Dutcher; Walden High School; Provo, Utah
Claire Bruce and Sebastian Pomeroy; Saint Joseph
Catholic High School; Ogden, Utah
Kaitlyn Lunt, Sarah Berrett and Dawnika Andrus;
American Leadership Academy; Spanish Fork, Utah
Maddie Beck and Javier Flores; Rockwell Charter High
School; Eagle Mountain, Utah
Ensemble First Place:
Ensemble Second Place:
Ensemble Third Place:
Duo/Trio First Place:
Duo/Trio Second Place:
Duo/Trio Third Place:
Bethany Hansen; Salt Lake School for the Performing
Arts; Salt Lake City, Utah
Rebecca Reed; Pine View High School; St. George,
Utah
Emily Harmon; Timpanogos High School; Orem, Utah
Aubrielle Johnson and John Sotele; Salt Lake School
for the Performing Arts; Salt Lake City, Utah
Kelsey Taulbee and Kylie Stott; Ben Lomond High
School; Ogden, Utah
Lindy Palmer, Ashley Fordham and Ashley Borget;
Desert Hills High School; St. George, Utah
Stratford Division
Ensemble First Place:
Ensemble Second Place:
Ensemble Third Place:
Duo/Trio First Place:
Duo/Trio Second Place:
Duo/Trio Third Place:
Ashley Leonard; Timberline Middle School; Alpine,
Utah
Melanie Grace; Willowcreek Middle School; Lehi,
Utah
Sydnee Shumway; Vista Heights Middle School;
Saratoga Springs, Utah
Megan Keller and Spencer Sackett; Spanish Fork Jr
High; Spanish Fork, Utah
Amber Tillotson, Alysia Paskett and Emma Austin;
Timberline Middle School; Alpine, Utah
Kenzie Heiner and Emily Curtis; Vista Heights Middle
School; Saratoga Springs, Utah
Essex Division
Ensemble First Place:
Ensemble Second Place:
Ensemble Third Place:
Duo/Trio First Place:
Duo/Trio Second Place:
Duo/Trio Third Place:
Danielle Rossetti; Take Note Troupe; Loomis,
California
Adam Slee; DaVinci Academy; Ogden, Utah
Rock H. White; Young Shakespeareans; Nephi, Utah
Anna Soloman and Shayne Simmons; Take Note
Troupe; Loomis, California
Tori Floyd and Eve Jackson; DaVinci Academy;
Ogden, Utah
Ali Murphy, Paris Coleman and Ahnika Belle White;
Young Shakespeareans; Nephi, Utah
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
Second Place Award
Second Place Award
Pleasant Grove High School; Pleasant Grove, Utah
Canyon View High School; Cedar City, Utah
Tuacahn High School; Tuacahn, Utah
Minstrel Competition
First Place Award
Second Place Award
Third Place Award
Casey Andrews, Tanner Poldenak and Thomas Ward;
Las Vegas Academy; Las Vegas, Nevada
Cozette Cookson, Elijah Bickmore, Haley Wawro and
Joseph Swain; Orem High School; Orem, Utah
Cassey Brown; Maeser Prep Academy; Lindon, 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
Buckingham Division
Portfolio First Place:
Oxford Division
Portfolio First Place:
Westminster Division
Portfolio First Place:
Cambridge Division
Portfolio First Place:
Essex Division
Portfolio First lace:
Rachel Bowerbank; Lehi High School; Lehi, Utah
Austin Andrews; Northridge High School; Layton,
Utah
Miranda Edwards; Morgan High School; Morgan,
Utah
Kayla Jensen; Spanish Fork High School; Spanish
Fork, Utah
Natasha Culbreth; Henderson Homeschool;
Henderson, Nevada
Tech Olympics Winners
Rigging
Props
Lighting
Audio
Costumes
Set Construction
Stage Management
Hair and Makeup
Caleb Larsen; Hillcrest High School; Midvale, Utah
Elisabeth Niman; Hamilton High School; Chandler,
Arizona
Stephen Mugleston; Clearfield High School;
Clearfield, Utah
Ricki Row; Arcadia High School; Phoenix, Arizona
Carrie Jacobs; Davis High School; Kaysville, Utah
Cory Goates; Hillcrest High School; Midvale, Utah
Kayla Jensen; Spanish Fork High School; Spanish
Fork, Utah
Kim Harper; Northridge High School; Layton, Utah
Overall Winners
The Bronze Boot Third Place Award:
The Silver Spotlight Second Place Award:
The Golden Screw Gun First Place Award:
Lehi High School; Lehi, Utah
Northridge High School; Layton, Utah
Riverton High School; Riverton, Utah
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