Westridge School’s Grace W. ’16 Wins at Los Angeles Finals of the English-Speaking Union High School Shakespeare Competition

Westridge School is thrilled to share the very exciting news that Grace W. ’16 won first place in the Los Angeles Finals of the English-Speaking Union High School Shakespeare Competition yesterday. Following her prepared performance of Margaret from Henry VI Pt. III and Sonnet 91, Grace performed a cold reading of Rosalind from As You Like It. The judges were unanimously effusive in their praise for Grace, and this event marks the second consecutive year that a Westridge student has won the top honor in Los Angeles and subsequently gone on to perform at Lincoln Center.

At the ESU National Shakespeare Competition, students perform their monologues and sonnets onstage at Lincoln Center in New York City before a distinguished panel of judges as well as their fellow contestants from across the country. Based on their performance, 7 – 10 finalists are then chosen to compete in the final round of the Competition. Finalists, performing their selections along with a cold reading of a monologue, compete for the opportunity to attend a summer theatre program in Shakespeare’s homeland.

Each ESU Branch community winner receives an all-expenses-paid trip to New York City to compete in the National Competition at Lincoln Center. The trip also includes exclusive acting workshops, sightseeing activities and spending the weekend with 60 fellow teenage aficionados of the Bard.

The winner of the ESU National Shakespeare Competition receives an all-expenses-paid trip to study acting in England.

2015 National Competition Prizes included:

– 1st Place: A scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art’s Young Actors Summer School in London (including tuition, transportation, food and accommodations)
– 2nd Place: A scholarship to the American Shakespeare Center’s Theatre Camp in Staunton, Virginia (including tuition, transportation, food and accommodations)
– 3rd Place: $500 awarded by Society of New York City

Please join Westridge School in celebrating Grace’s work and achievement, and send her your well-wishes for her spring performance in New York!

Westridge School, 324 Madeline Drive, Pasadena, (626) 799-1053 ext. 200 or visit www.westridge.org.