The Shakespeare Monologue and Scene Contest is held every year at the O’Reilly Theater, which is in Pittsburgh. This year it’s the 25th anniversary. Since 110 schools participate, which is over 1,000 kid, it lasts for two weeks, and our school went on Monday for the second week.  The contest is for fourth to 12th graders. Students can either perform a scene from one of Shakespeares’s plays, or a monologue from one of his plays. One of the popular ones are scenes from Romeo and Juliet, which is about two people who fall in love but can’t be together.

No middle schooler from Freedom has ever made it to the Showcase of Finalists, though one group from middle school made Honorable Mention this year.  The group that made it for Honorable Mention performed the scene of The Three Witches of Macbeth, Act 4, Scene 1, and the kids were Audrey Mooney, Elizabeth Mooney, and Lorenzo Guandolo, all fifth graders. Guandolo was witch 1, Audrey was witch 2, and Elizabeth was witch 3. 

“I had lots of fun, and I thought it was a cool experience to do a play and hang out with your friends.” says Guandolo.

Audrey Mooney states, “ I thought that everyone was focused and Mrs. Miller did a very good job helping us practice our parts. Overall it was a really fun experience and it was as fun as a field trip!”

I also enjoyed the trip, and I got to hang out with my friends, so basically all of us agreed. I especially liked the fact that we were doing scenes or monologues that were from Shakespeare, considering some people don’t even know who he is.”

Everyone seemed to have fun, and I am looking forward to next year, and I am excited to meet new people, as were Audrey and Lorenzo.