Competition sponsored by SHAKESPEARE AT NOTRE DAME in collaboration with the English-Speaking Union of the United States

NOTRE DAME, IN – Paul Ferguson’s Hamlet monologue bested an outstanding group of thespians on Sunday, December 9, 2012 to take first place in the High School Division of the fifth-annual Shakespeare at Notre Dame Regional Shakespeare Monologue Competition.

A freshman at Saint Joseph High School, Ferguson performed Hamlet’s Act I, scene 2 monologue from William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. He now advances to the English-Speaking Union of the United States (ESUUS) State Shakespeare Competition in Indianapolis on March 3, 2013. There he will compete for cash prizes and the opportunity to represent the State of Indiana at the ESU National Competition in New York City.

Forty-four area students competed in this year’s event. The contestants ranged in age from 8-20 and represented 11 schools from across the greater South Bend region. Many of the contestants are part of the Robinson Shakespeare Company as well as freshmen from the University of Notre Dame enrolled in Professor Gary O’Neil’s Writing and Rhetoric class. In an innovative community-based collaboration, each college student was partnered with a member of the Robinson Shakespeare Company.

This year’s competition was held at Washington Hall on the campus of the University of Notre Dame. The judges for the competition were J. Randall Colborn, Associate Dean of Academics at Indiana University South Bend; Grant Mudge, Ryan Producing Artistic Director for the Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival; and Patty Bird, Director of Marketing at Theatre at the Center.

The winners and runner-up for each division were as follows:

HIGH SCHOOL DIVISION (Grades 9-12)

Winner – Paul Ferguson (Saint Joseph High School)

Runner-up –  Christina Camp (Marian High School)

MIDDLE SCHOOL DIVISION (Grades 6-8)

Winner –  Indonesia Holt (LaSalle Academy)

Runner-up –  Josh Crudup (Peace Lutheran)

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DIVISION (Grades 1-5)

Winner –  Sam Villagra-Stanton (Kennedy School)

Runner-up –  Cameron Pierce (Montessori at Edison Lakes)

COLLEGIATE DIVISION

Winner – Mary Haley (University of Notre Dame)

Runner-up – Olivia Tuck (University of Notre Dame)

“To see such a rich engagement with Shakespeare’s language by students is nothing short of inspirational,” noted Shakespeare at Notre Dame’s Executive Director, Scott Jackson. He adds, “These kids are excelling in an area that few adults would ever imagine possible!”

For further information about the ESUUS’ National Shakespeare monologue Competition can be found at: http://www.esuus.org/esu/programs/shakespeare_competition/

Additional information about Shakespeare at Notre Dame: http://shakespeare.nd.edu

Winners of the 2012 Shakespeare Monologue Competition

Paul Ferguson