No dramas, just students aiming for stardom

Rotorua's best student actors and actresses will make their way on stage as part of the annual Shakespeare Festival at Rotorua Lakes High School tomorrow.

Ten teams from Rotorua's five secondary schools have prepared performances based on their favourite Shakespeare plays and will compete for an opportunity to perform at Globe Theatre in London.

2012 Shakespeare Festival regional co-ordinator Gabrielle Thurston said the competition had been running for about 20 years in Rotorua and had become a local tradition.

"We almost always have someone in the national team that goes to Globe Theatre in London."

The competition is split into two categories - five-minute plays and 15-minute plays.

Mrs Thurston said just being part of the competition was a special experience.

"I think it's quite life-changing discovering Shakespeare in a real way.

"The students have to work collaboratively and they can input modern context - it's fabulous to watch."

Mrs Thurston said a diverse selection of Shakespeare's plays would feature at the competition this year.

Guest judges would select the top two teams to go to nationals in Wellington.

Top performers in Wellington are invited to join the national team to perform at Globe Theatre later this year, the famous replica of William Shakespeare's own theatre.

John Paul College Year 13 student Emma Weir, who plays Beatrice in the play Much Ado About Nothing, said she hoped they could repeat last year's success.

"We started rehearsing about five weeks ago. It's been hard finding time to practice so we've been meeting during lunches, breaks and after school."

She said the dress rehearsal went well and she was looking forward to tomorrow's competition. Performances begin at 1pm. The five schools taking part are John Paul College, Rotorua Lakes High School, Rotorua Girls' High School, Rotorua Boys' High School and Western Heights High School.

Tickets are $8 for adults and $4 for students.

 

Email: gary.hamilton-irvine@dailypost.co.nz