The ESU is hosting another Showtime Shindig which is part of the ESU Theatre Club.  We will be seeing Andrew Lloyd's Sunset Boulevard starring Grammy-nominated singer and Laurence Olivier-Award winning […]

Join us on Tuesday, February 25, for the ESU New York City Branch Shakespeare Finals at The Players, an historic theater landmark in the heart of Gramercy Park! From 3:30 to 6:00 PM, 10 talented high school finalists from across NYC will take the stage in this iconic venue, competing for a chance to represent NYC at the ESU National Shakespeare Competition Finals at Lincoln Center on April 28.
Come cheer on these amazing young performers as they bring Shakespeare’s words to life in this incredible setting!

Sponsored by the ESU Richmond Branch. British historian, Sir Spencer Walpole, described King George IV (1762-1830) as "a bad son, a bad husband, a bad father, a bad subject, a bad monarch, and a bad friend." The Duke of Wellington was more charitable of the king, " was indeed the most extraordinary compound of talent, wit, buffoonery, obstinacy, and good feeling--in short, a medley of the most opposite qualities--with a great preponderance of good--that I ever saw in any character in my life." King George IV was known for his manners and charm but also for his drunkenness, spendthrift ways, and scandalous love life.

The English-Speaking Union Founder’s Award Gala
Honoring Dr. E. Quinn Peeper
ESU National Chairman
His Britannic Majesty’s Honorary Consul to Louisiana

Saturday, March 15, 2025
Winter Park Racquet Club
Winter Park, Florida

Kris Millgate is an Emmy-Award winning multimedia journalist, bold storyteller, and certified Idaho Master Naturalist. She is a producer, writer, editor, and author of three books on her adventures. Kris will describe her amazing outdoor experiences from wildfires and water wars to tracking grizzlies and tagging trout. With a quarter-century of multimedia storytelling experience, she traverses the country in search of dynamic outdoor stories. She will talk about her transition from a TV news anchor to an outdoor naturalist and environmentalist through beautiful pictures and short film clips.

Mark Twain (1835-1919) was an American humorist, journalist, lecturer, and novelist who gained international fame for his travel narratives and for his adventure stories of boyhood, especially The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. He is considered one of America’s best and most beloved writers. Susan K. Harris is a Mark Twain scholar as well as a scholar of American women’s writings. She has published four books on the author. Susan’s talk will focus on Twain’s innovative language, his double-edged humor, his political courage, and his struggle to find certainty in an uncertain world. She will explore the debate over teaching Adventures of Huckleberry Finn—how its offensive language works, and why it matters.

Mark your calendars! From Saturday, April 26 to Monday, April 28, 2025, NSC Branch Champions from across the country will gather in New York City for an unforgettable weekend of inspiration, learning, and performance.
The weekend will culminate with the Final Competition at Juilliard’s Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse at Lincoln Center.

Queen Victoria (1819-1901) is one of the best loved monarchs. Her reign of 63 years and 216 days, which was longer than those of any of her predecessors, constituted the Victorian era. The British Empire reached its peak during her rule. Almost within touching distance of our own time, her story is so familiar to us it seems unlikely that there is much new to discover. This ESU Happy Hour will uncover amazing and little-known aspects of Victoria’s family.

Walter Elias Disney (1901-1966) was born in Chicago, IL. The Disney family moved to Kansas City in 1911 where nine-year old Walt delivered newspapers with his brother, Roy. Six years later, Walt attended classes at the Kansas City Art Institute. Founded in 1885, the Kansas City Art Institute is one of the oldest and most respected art and design colleges in the U.S. In 1918, during World War I, Walt served in France with the Red Cross.

Join us for New York City Week, a dynamic celebration of culture, history, and community in partnership with the ESU's Andrew Romay Center for New Immigrants (ARNIC).

Step into the enchantment of the holiday season with an exclusive invitation from the Earl and Countess of Derby to spend a luxurious weekend at historic Knowsley Hall, a magnificent estate nestled in the English countryside.