We are pleased to announce the kick-off of the ESU’s 42nd Annual National Shakespeare Competition (NSC)! Schools in our region may enter now, giving students the opportunity to compete in the NSC San Francisco Branch Competition this winter.  The winner of the Branch Competition will travel to NYC for a weekend of exciting events culminating in the National Finals at Lincoln Center in April 2025! 

The San Francisco Branch Competition will take place on 3/1/2025 at 9:00 am at Center for the Arts, Novato High School
Deadline for schools to register: 1/11/2025
Deadline to submit School Winner Forms: 2/14/2025

Congratulations to the San Francisco Branch’s own Evelyn Hall, who took third place at the 41st Anniversary ESU National Shakespeare Competition at Lincoln Center in New York City on April 15, 2024. Evelyn, a student of San Francisco Branch Coordinator Rodney Franz at Marin School of the Arts, was one of forty-four semi-finalists who came from all over the country, along with parents, branch coordinators, teachers and supporters for this exciting weekend-long event. Evelyn was awarded a cash prize of $1000 for her third place win.

Documents & Forms

All materials including the online school participation form, teacher and student handbooks, and packets of monologues and sonnets are located here.

Branch Contact

Contact San Francisco Branch Competition Coordinator Rodney Franz for questions: franz.sfesu@gmail.com

The ESU National Shakespeare Competition has been recognized by the Globe Center (USA), the Children’s Theatre Foundation of America and the American Academy of Achievement. It is the only national Shakespeare competition in the U.S. and the only such program exclusively for high school students.