The ESU National Shakespeare Competition is a performance-based education program. High school students develop analytical and communication skills by performing Shakespeare at the school, community, and national levels. Since 1983 more than 425,000 students have brought the timeless works of Shakespeare to life. 2024 marks the 41st year the ESU New York City Branch has participated in the National Shakespeare Competition.
The Competition helps students develop speaking and critical-thinking skills while they explore the beauty of the language and the timeless themes in Shakespeare’s works. By preparing a monologue and sonnet for public presentation, students bring Shakespeare to life in their own way and learn to express his works with understanding, clarity, and feeling. Approximately 600 teachers and 3,500 students in nearly 45 ESU branches participate each year.
High school students from the New York City area (Grades 9-12) will be competing for First Place at the New York City Finals with the winner advancing to the National Finals in New York City in April 2024. Students perform and recite Shakespeare monologues and sonnets in three qualifying stages: school, branch, and National levels.
If you are a Theatre, English, Forensics teacher, or administer a home school program, we encourage you to enter to give your students an opportunity to participate in this exciting competition. If you are an interested high school student, please alert your teachers to this valuable program.
NYC Branch Shakespeare Competition Names 2025 Winners!
A huge congratulations to the 10 incredible ESU NYC Branch Shakespeare Finalists who took the stage on February 25 at The Players, an historic theatre landmark in Gramercy Park. Their passion and talent truly brought Shakespeare’s words to life!
2025 NYC Branch Winners:
3rd Place – Audrey Miller, Riverdale Country School
2nd Place – Renzo Ruiz, Repertory Company High School for Theatre Arts
1st Place – Hanako Stepper, Trinity School
Hanako will go on to represent NYC at the ESU National Shakespeare Competition on April 28 at Lincoln Center, where she’ll compete against 40 outstanding Branch Champions from across the country!