Edmond Memorial High School offers no shortage of opportunities for students to branch out thanks to the many different clubs and groups it offers. One of these student groups includes EMHS students who meet up outside of class to share their love of Shakespeare.
Students meet at least once a week – sometimes more if needed – and practice their monologues and group performances for Shakespeare competitions and festivals. These events allow modern fans of Shakespeare to experience the thrill of performing well-known scenes and soliloquies.
First, students compete at the school-wide level to see who will go to the regional competition. For the school level competition, students will perform a monologue in front of judges who will decide who will move to the next round.
“The competition for the school level is in December,” EMHS English IV teacher and Shakespeare adviser Melanie Stephens said. “They will perform a monologue selected from a list they are given … We will have a panel of judges, and the top two will go on to regionals. From regionals there are usually about two dozen people that compete, and the winner from regionals will go on to New York City to compete for nationals.”
Once students choose their monologues, they immediately start practicing them. Practicing includes more steps than one may think. Madeline Reid, a member of the Shakespeare club, is performing Hermia’s monologue from a “Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
“The first thing we do is we analyze it, and we mark out our beats, actions and verbs,” Reid said. “We figure out what we want to emphasize, and then we block it. Then we practice it over and over.”
Not only are all of these students able to meet up and do something they love, they also have made a community together. It has provided a space where everyone forms connections.
“My favorite part is probably the competition, because we … all get out of school and go do something we love,” Reid said.
Anyone can join whether they have been in theater their whole life or have just recently become interested in Shakespeare. No matter what level students are at acting, the practice is a great way to better oneself as a performer.
“I love Shakespeare,” junior Reese Willming said. “I find it really easy to understand since I’ve learned about it. I loved “Romeo and Juliet” when we read it. I am also an actress in theater, so it is really fun [doing acting] that is more complicated than just modern English.”
This group of students proves that practice and hard work pay off. All of the practice betters students as performers. The competition in December will not be one to miss and will allow these students to show off what they have learned.
Contact Paisley Edgin at [email protected]
