CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA TEEN COMPETES IN 34th ANNUAL ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION NATIONAL SHAKESPEARE COMPETITON IN NEW YORK CITY

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With a performance of Sonnet 119 and the famous "Crispian Day" speech monologue from Shakespeare's "Henry V", Nicholas Bowman from Carlisle, PA, a student of Susan Biondo-Hench at Carlisle High School in Carlisle, competed as a semi-finalist in the 34th annual English-Speaking Union National Shakespeare Competition in New York City. The Competition took place on May 1, 2017 on the stage of the Mitzi Newhouse Theater at Lincoln Center with 54 semi-finalists from as many ESU Branch competitions nationwide. Nicholas was chosen to represent the ESU Central Pennsylvania Branch competition at the Central PA Regional Finals held at Lock Haven University in February 2017.

Nicholas and nine students from Central PA high schools were part of the group of more than 20,000 high school students nationwide participated in the 2017 English-Speaking Union National Shakespeare Competition at the school, local, and regional competitions. Nicholas' trip to NYC to participate in the Shakespeare Competition was sponsored by the Departments of Fine Arts and Literature and Language at Saint Francis University, Loretto PA.

On May1st, the 54 regional semifinalists took to stage of the Mitzi E. Newhouse theatre of Lincoln Center to present the 20 line monologue chosen from the Shakespeare Canon of 37 plays, and their choice of one of Shakespeare's 154 sonnets. From these presentations, ten finalists were chosen to present their pieces, and a "cold" (unprepared) reading of a random Shakespeare text to a second set of judges.

The year's winner of the 34th English-Speaking Union National Shakespeare Competition, Ogechi Egonu, representing the San Francisco Branch, received a full scholarship to attend the American Shakespeare Center Theatre Camp in Staunton, VA, this summer. Second place winner, Brandon Burk, from the Kentucky Branch, won a cash prize of $1,000 from The English-Speaking Union, while the third place winner, Trevon Wainwright, representing the Kansas City Branch of the ESU, received an award of $500 provided by The Shakespeare Society.

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Nicholas Bowman and teacher, Sue Biondo-Hench at National Shakespeare Competition

Meta, Nicholas, and James Bowman

Carlisle Fans:  Alex Pinnell, Rowan Young, Nicholas Bowman, Sue Biondo-Hench, Hayley Cavanaugh, and Ozlyn Smith. 

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