Ottawa Branch - Shakespeare

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Shakespeare on the Platform


 

ESU Ottawa SHOP - 2011.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011, in the Main Ottawa Library Auditorium, 120, Metcalfe Street.

Teachers, relatives, friends and ESU members plus a few of the public were present to hear Ottawa High School students present on stage their choice of Shakespeare's sonnets plus either a soliloquy or monologue. Of the eight competitors listed in the accompanying programme, unfortunately both Lindsay Baird of St Nicholas Adult High School and Jacob Rowbotham of South Carleton High School were unable to attend at the last minute due to ill health.
Sarah Ruszala of Canterbury High School won overall in a closely competed competition with Alina Abramovich of Gle competing in the strong team were Leandra Guillet of the Earl of March High School and Asha-Maria Bost of Canterbury High School. The top four competitors received ESU bursaries while the Ottawa Library kindly donated note-binders to the remaining two competitors. All were awarded Certificates of Participation while the winner was presented with the Barbara B Young Trophy to be held by Canterbury High School until next year's competition.
A pre-competition workshop was run again this year by Ms Fanny Gilbert-Collet, for whom a brief cv is included in the accompanying programme. Of particular note is the fact that two years ago, Fanny was awarded a scholarship by ESU HQ in London, England, to attend a week -long course on Shakespeare at Stratford-upon-Avon.
Also included in the programme are brief cv's for our three judges, Professor Douglas Campbell, late of Carleton University, Mr James Holmes, a well known director at the Kanata Theatre, and Professor Michael Waller, faculty member at Memorial University and currently an MFA candidate at the University of Ottawa.
Other various acknowledgements are included in the programme including specially the Ottawa Public Library for the use of the Auditorium and Ms Jane Wharton and Mr Greg Wysynski of the Ottawa Catholic and Ottawa-Carleton District School Boards respectively for their help in publicizing the event.



L to R: Alina Abramovich, Glebe Collegiate, 2nd place; Sarah Ruszala, Canterbury, 1st place, Madelaine Thomas, Nepean, 4th place, Erin McGee, Nepean, 3rd place.



L to R: Erin MGee, Madelaine Thomas, Alina Abramovich, Asha-Maria Bost, Canterbury, Leandra Guillet, Earl if March, Sarah Ruszala.



L to R: Mafelaine Thomas, Fanny Collet, Sarah Ruszala, Asha-Maria Bost. In 2010, Fanny spent a study week at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford, England, on an ESU scholarship.



Ottawa Branch has organized a "Shakespeare on the Platform" (SHOP) competition for High School students each year since 1994.
The students are expected to recite a sonnet and deliver a soliloquy or monologue on a bare stage and with no costume or props.
Judging is on presence, understanding, clarity and accuracy.
There are usually two judges (sometimes three) from the theatre or academia.

 

 

Schools that have entered students in past competitions, include:
 

Ashbury College Earl of March SS J. S. Woodsworth SS Sir Robert Borden HS
A. Y. Jackson SS Elmwood School Lisgar Collegiate Sir Wilfrid Laurier SS
Bell HS Glebe Collegiate Nepean HS St Andrew School
Cairine Wilson SS Gloucester HS Notre Dame Catholic HS St Nicholas
Canterbury HS Hopewell PS Osgoode Township HS St Patrick's H
Colonel By SS Immaculata HS Ridgemont HS Woodroffe HS;

A copy of a recent program is available as a .pdf file

 


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