Sunday Afternoon with Shakespeare

This news item didn't make our Community Calendar, but - in light of so many budget cuts to cultural programs in our schools - I thought I'd mention this very cool, important arts and culture event.

WHAT: Rhode Island High School Shakespeare Recitation Competition

WHEN: Sunday, February 6, 2011 2PM

WHERE: Odeon Theater at Laurelmead, 355 Blackstone Blvd, Providence.

The Providence Branch of the English-Speaking Union will present the finalists in the Rhode Island High School Shakespeare Competition on Sunday, February 6 at 2 p.m. in the Odeon Theater at Laurelmead, 355 Blackstone Blvd. The public is cordially invited.

All high schools in Rhode Island - public, private, and parochial - have been invited to participate. The purpose is to develop students’ understanding of Shakespeare and his universality. Each participant presents a sonnet and a monologue from one of the plays of no more than 20 lines. Seventeen schools accepted the challenge and have had in-house competitions. The 17 winners will make presentations at Laurelmead.

The Rhode Island winner will go to New York in April, all expenses paid, and compete with more than 60 other winners from throughout the United States. The national winner receives a four-week summer drama course in Great Britain. There are cash awards of $1000 and $500 for second and third places.

The English-Speaking Union is a non-profit, membership organization committed to promoting scholarship and the advancement of knowledge through the effective use of English in an expanding global community.

The President of the Providence English-Speaking Union is Dr. Clive Bridgham. The competition coordinator is David C. Burnham, former headmaster of Moses Brown School. This year’s judges are Rhode Island-based: Lynne Collinson of 2nd Story Theater, Sam Babbitt of Feinstein Gamm Theater, and Michael Obel-Omia, Head of Paul Cuffee School and a Shakespeare authority.

For more information, contact Clive W. Bridgham, 401-556-5601.