The 31st annual Shakespeare Monologue and Scene Contest Showcase of Finalists was presented by Pittsburgh Public Theater on Monday, February 24, 2025, at the O’Reilly Theater. 

Along with the competition among grades 4-12 in two divisions – lower division (grades 4-7) and upper division (grades 8-12) – Michelle J. Bruno from Pine-Richland High School was honored with the 2025 Rob Zellers Award for Excellence in Arts Education, for “her dedication to nurturing the next generation of artists and fostering creativity in the classroom.”

The Showcase of Finalists was whittled from dozens of regional participants, before a panel of judges chose the winners in the two categories and two divisions. The Lower Division Monologue contest produced a tie.

Each winning school or organization will receive a $300 cash prize from Pittsburgh Public Theater. The finalists and Monday night’s results are listed below.

2025 SHAKESPEARE MONOLOGUE AND SCENE
FINALISTS & WINNERS

Listed by Group/School, Student Names and Characters, Grades and Shakespearean Works

LOWER SCENES

The Brookline Bards: Sophia Patrizio (First Witch), Stella Smith (Second Witch), Clara Krummert (Third Witch), Max Krummert (Macbeth), John Henry Anderson (Banquo), 5th, 6th, and 7th, Macbeth 

Slippery Rock Area School District: Atlas Schuster (Launce) and Darwin Malbrough (Speed),  5th, The Two Gentlemen of Verona 

Markham Elementary School: Cecily Mueller (Gentlewoman), Clara Farmer (Doctor), Veronica Aristegui (Lady Macbeth), 5th, Macbeth 

Carson Middle School: Rebecca Lin (Master), Mikayla McLaughlin (Boatswain), Anna Marinelli (Gonzalo), Elise Marinelli (Sebastian), Juliet Marinelli (Antonio), 6th, The Tempest

** WINNERS – Dutch Ridge Elementary School: Miles Cunningham (Falstaff), Solomon Martinez (Poins), Nico Colamarino(Prince Hall), Sophia Van Valkenburgh (Mistress Quickly), 4th, Henry IV, Part I

LOWER MONOLOGUES

Marshall Middle School: Natalie Christianson (Helena), 6th, A Midsummer Night’s Dream

** CO-WINNER – Blackburn Study Center: Leo Williams (Launce), 7th, The Two Gentlemen of Verona 

The Falk School, Neal Raj Wadhwa Jr (Puck), 5th, A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Environmental Charter School: Pressley Smith (Julia), 4th, The Two Gentlemen of Verona

** CO-WINNER – Indiana Players: Avery Schneider (Henry V), 5th, Henry V 

UPPER SCENES

Woodland Hills High School: Summer Curtright (Rosalind), Aubrie Moon (Celia), 11th, As You Like It

Beaver Area Middle School: Wyatt Bechdel (Tybalt), Jack Hank (Romeo), Alex Schoenberger (Mercutio), Osias Estevez (Benvolio), 8th, Romeo and Juliet

Avonworth High School: Ella Ging (Cassius) and Lyra Klinedinst (Brutus), 10th, Julius Caesar 

** WINNERS – Pine-Richland High School: Jillian Uzelac (Kathryn), John-Paulo Folino (Petruccio), 12th, The Taming of the Shrew

Aquinas Academy High School: Patrick Richthammer (Antipholus of Ephesus), Jonah Burchill (Dromio of Ephesus), Tim Crawford (Doctor Pinch), Linus Burchill (Officer), Aurora Predis (Adriana), Annette Bentivegna (Luciana), 9th, 10th, 11th, The Comedy of Errors

UPPER MONOLOGUES

Fort Couch Middle School:  Kaaveri Patil (Paulina), 8th, The Winter’s Tale

Pittsburgh CAPA: Eamonn McElfresh (Iago), 11th, Othello 

Slippery Rock Area School District: Kaimana Colvin (Bottom), 10th, A Midsummer Night’s Dream

North Allegheny Senior High School: Madison Emekter (Imogen), 12th, Cymbeline

** WINNER – Slippery Rock Area School District: Ellie Jedrzejewski (Cassius), 11th, Julius Caesar

Source: Pittsburgh Public Theater

Categories: Arts Education, National and Local Awards, Our Posts

Tags: 2025 Shakespeare Monologue and Scene Contest, Arts Education, Finalists and Winners, Pittsburgh Public Theater