Two Whitefield freshman, Josh Turner and Brynn Thomas, recently spent a day at Oglethorpe University, attending drama workshops and competing in the scene work and monologue competitions sponsored by the Georgia Shakespeare organization. Josh brought home the second place trophy in the male monologue category for his performance from Macbeth.
"Josh and Brynn spent several weeks preparing for this event and did a wonderful job representing Whitefield Academy at the competition," said Kayla Marsh, Whitefield drama teacher. "Many judges commented on the hilarity of their duo scene from A Midsummer Night's Dream."
High school students adn their teachers from across the state participated in the annual event and had
the opportunity to earn prizes and scholarships. However, the most prized result of the competitions was the constructive feedback that students received from educators and actors. Workshops are offered by these professionals on topics ranging from Shakespearean stage combat to text analysis for young actors
"The entire contest has an educational approach and adjudicators work with students to give notes and feedback throughout the day," said Marsh. "It really felt less like a competition and more like a place where students could learn from each other. Throughout the day, the adjudicators were able to share their passion and knowledge for the craft and for Shakespeare's texts - it was a great experience for teachers and students alike."