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Shakespeare Monologue & Scene Contest: 20 Annual Pittsburgh Public Theatre

This document announces the 20th annual Shakespeare Monologue & Scene Contest hosted by the Pittsburgh Public Theatre. It invites actors and actresses in grades 4-12 to participate by performing either a monologue of at least 20-25 lines or a scene of no more than 5 minutes from any Shakespeare play. Participants will receive coaching from a professional theatre actor and have the opportunity to perform on the O'Reilly Stage. There will be a mandatory informational meeting on December 5th. Participants who are selected to perform will receive a free t-shirt and passes to a Pittsburgh Public Theatre show.

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150 views5 pages

Shakespeare Monologue & Scene Contest: 20 Annual Pittsburgh Public Theatre

This document announces the 20th annual Shakespeare Monologue & Scene Contest hosted by the Pittsburgh Public Theatre. It invites actors and actresses in grades 4-12 to participate by performing either a monologue of at least 20-25 lines or a scene of no more than 5 minutes from any Shakespeare play. Participants will receive coaching from a professional theatre actor and have the opportunity to perform on the O'Reilly Stage. There will be a mandatory informational meeting on December 5th. Participants who are selected to perform will receive a free t-shirt and passes to a Pittsburgh Public Theatre show.

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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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20th Annual Pittsburgh Public Theatre

SHAKESPEARE MONOLOGUE & SCENE CONTEST

ATTENTION ACTORS AND ACTRESSES!!!


YOU COULD BE SELECTED TO PERFORM SHAKESPEARE ON THE OREILLY
STAGE THIS WINTER!
MANDATORY MEETING/PLANNING SESSION: Thursday, December 5 th in SHS Library

Open to students in grades 4-12


No prior experience necessary
Coaching from a professional theatre actor will be offered
Choose a monologue (20-25 lines min.) and/or scene (no more than 5 minutes)
from any Shakespeare play. YES YOU CAN DO BOTH!!!
All lines must be memorized, but no costumes or props are necessary---its all about
the words and actions!!!
All participants receive a free t-shirt and 2 passes to a Pittsburgh Public Theatre
show.

Check out feedback from a Previous Seneca Valley Winner:

"The Shakespeare Monologue & Scene Contest has been,


without doubt, the highlight of my entire theater experience
in junior high and high school. I have learned more about the
performing arts from my participation in the program than
from any other source. Pittsburgh Public Theater dedicates a
lot of time and effort to the education of young people."
- Simon Brown, Shakespeare
Contest Participant and Winner
More information, including monologue and scene suggestions can be found on the PPT Webpage at: http://www.ppt.org/shakespearemonologue-and-scene-contest

Please Contact Miss Armor in the SHS for more information!


[email protected]

Dear Parent/Guardian:
Your daughter/son has elected to participate in the Pittsburgh Public Theatres Shakespeare
Monologue and Scene Competition this year. This event will require a small time commitment on
his/her part as they will be needed to attend a minimum of four after school coaching sessions
with me (they will be able to sign up for days from a list of options to best suit their schedule),
one professional coaching session with an actor from the OReilly, and the auditions themselves.
If they perform well and their monologue or scene is selected to move on, they will also be
needed to atten the final showcase of finalists on Monday, February 17 th.
The auditions for this showcase are held at the OReilly Theatre in Pittsburgh and, as in years
past, we would like to go to these auditions as a group for moral support and school spirit.
Unfortunately the cost of busses is rather high unless we have a large group of students (25+) in
our group and I would much rather keep costs down on your pockets as much as possible. Due
to this, I need a few parent chaperones who would be available during a school day (TBD), to
drive some of our students to and from the theatre. If you would be available and willing to do
this please let me know below. If not, please sign allowing your son or daughter to ride with
other chaperones (otherwise a bus cost will be added or your child may be asked to find his/her
own way to auditions).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Student Name: _______________________________________


Student Email: _______________________________________

I understand the time commitment (4-5 rehearsals and attendance at professional


coaching session and auditions) and will arrange my schedule to make sure I attend
rehearsals on the days I sign up for. I also understand that it will be required to work on
my monologue and learn my lines independently as well as get together with my scene
partners outside of these rehearsals for any scenes that I have signed up to be a part of.
*************************************************************************************************
Parent Name: ________________________________________
Parent Phone Number: ______________________________________
Parent Email: ___________________________________________
I give my permission for my daughter / son to ride in the private car of a parent volunteer
in order to
attend the Pittsburgh Public Theatres Shakespeare Scene and Monologue Competition.
Parent Signature: __________________________________________________________
I am interested in being a parent chaperone/driver:
____________________________________________

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND:


Guidelines

Monologues should be 25-60 lines long.

Scenes should not exceed 5 minutes. (Please adhere to this frequently overlooked guideline!)

Monologues and scenes must be memorized.

Prompting of any kind is not permitted.

All scene performers must be active participants.

Costumes and props are to be kept to a minimum, and set pieces are discouraged.

Judging Criteria for Scenes and Monologues

Understanding of the text

Emotional connectedness

Character development

Physical and vocal performance

Pacing and the interaction amongst the actors in a scene

Common Recommendations from Judges/ Theatre Professionals

Be sure that the character you choose to play compliments you.


Be emotional and energetic (this is what gives you PRESENCE on stage)
Keep clothing neat/ appropriate and hair out of face
Know your lines (do not add or skip!!!)
Voice

o Project your voice


o take your time
o enunciate
o Vary your tone and voice
o avoid recitation sing-song
o careful not to drop end of lines
o Avoid accents and unusual vocal qualities unless you are PERFECT at them.
Blocking
o use levels and angles
o
have a task or business
o GO FOR IT and COMMIT dont hesitate or second-guess yourselfits better to go too far than not far
o
o
o
o

KNOW
o
o
o
o
o
KNOW
o
o
o
o
o
o
o

enough
Be purposeful in movements (have a reason to do each one)
Pay attention to audience and space (dont upstage yourself or other actors)
Dont act, just BE no posing!!! No pantomime!
In scenes: listen to each other and play off of what you see and hear---this is not choreographed, this is
acting, spontaneous at times.
your Play
Do your reading and research for this role
Make sure you look up anything you dont get
Use many different resources
Translate your lines and make sure you KNOW them
Read and understand the play as a whole
your Character:
Know the script (if it is alluded to at all---you must do it. Shakespeares stage directions are IN the
lines, not before and after like most plays)
Fill in the blanks (make an educated guess on any info the play does not provide)
Use OOTE/GOTE (set stakes HIGH/ know what motivates your character)
Know how they move, speak and think (use inner monologue)
Be the character---lose yourself in them
Use emotional levels (recall/RASA)
Consider beats (when does objective change/when does mood change?)

Announcement
Buildings: SHS/IHS/SVMS
Dates: 11/25 11/26 12/3 12/4
ATTENTION ACTORS AND ACTRESSES!!!
YOU COULD BE SELECTED TO PERFORM SHAKESPEARE ON THE OREILLY
STAGE THIS WINTER!
20th Annual Pittsburgh Public Theatre
SHAKESPEARE MONOLOGUE & SCENE CONTEST
MANDATORY MEETING/PLANNING SESSION : Thursday, December 5 th in SHS Library

Open to students in grades 4-12


No prior experience necessary
Coaching from a professional theatre actor will be offered
Choose a monologue (20-25 lines min.) and/or scene (no more than 5 minutes)
from any Shakespeare play. YES YOU CAN DO BOTH!!!
All lines must be memorized, but no costumes or props are necessary---its all about
the words and actions!!!
All participants receive a free t-shirt and 2 passes to a Pittsburgh Public Theatre
show.

Please contact Miss Armor in the SHS for more information!!!

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