by Emma Willibey

Senior Emma Mullen participated but did not advance in the city-level English-Speaking Union National Shakespeare Competition at the Coterie Theatre Feb. 16 after winning STA’s round Jan. 30. English teacher Kate Absher, former Heart of America Shakespeare Festival director Kara Armstrong and social studies teacher Alicia Stewart selected sophomore Jesse-Walker McGraw as an alternate and junior Katie Hanson as a third-place contestant.

“I’ve been reading and performing Shakespeare since I was 10,” Mullen said. “I’m pretty familiar with his ways.”

Absher said she allowed each student three weeks to prepare a 20-line monologue. Some 13 contestants presented their minute-long passages in Absher’s classroom during lunch/activity, Absher said.

“It was very casual,” Absher said. “We were sitting and eating our lunches.”

Mullen, who also advanced to the city contest two years ago, said its standards are comparatively rigorous. According to Absher, the city competition draws about 20 schools and requires students memorize an additional sonnet.

“You’re ushered onstage and there’s another person who’s on deck and waits for you to perform,” Mullen said. “It’s almost like an assembly line.”

While Mullen said the contest’s pace was disorienting, Absher said overcoming Shakespeare’s “intimidation factor” is the students’ greatest struggle. Girls unable to relate to Shakespeare may deliver monologues that lack conviction, Absher said.

“I think sometimes we think of Shakespeare as being this really romantic heightened language, but, like, most of what he said in his writing is something that you could say now,” Absher said.

Hanson agreed the key to success is finding a resonant passage.

“The biggest thing is, ‘Do you like the monologue?’” Hanson said. “’Do you have a passion for this monologue?’ You have to be willing to spend the time digging into those words and figuring out what you’re trying to convey to your audience.”