By SHARON EBERSON

Pittsburgh Public Theater’s 32nd annual Shakespeare Monologue & Scene Contest had participants from grads 4-12 chanting, “Shakespeare! Shakespeare!,” as if the competition had been a sporting event.

In naming this year’s winners, the event was much ado about a whole lot of love of language and performance, training and outcome, and good sportsmanship all around, at the O’Reilly Theater on Monday night.

In introducing the Showcase of Finalists, Dominique Briggs, the Public’s Director of Participation and Public Partnerships, noted that, “once again,” the contest had shattered the record for registrations with over 1,000 students signed up from more than 80 schools and groups.

The 38 finalists in Lower Division (grades 4-7) and Upper Division (grades 8-12) competed in competing in four categories, with the winners receiving trophies and the school or group they were representing each receiving $300 in honor. The three judges with the tough task of choosing winners on Monday were 2025 Post-Gazette Performer of the Year Ken Bolden, Pennsylvania House Rep. Lindsay Powell, and Briana Walker-Rose, soon to be seen in the Public’s production of Primary Trust.

Rosh Raines, an artist in residence at the Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School and a former participant in the competition, was the recipient of the 2026 Rob Zellers Award for Excellence in Arts Education, presented by Senior Manager of Education Jenny Malarkey.

The exits for each division had some zing this year, with choreography by Alex Manalo. When it was over, there was time for one more chant of, “Shakespeare! Shakespeare!”

And the winners of the 2026 Shakespeare Monologue & Scene Contest:

LOWER DIVISION SCENES 

John Paul Richthammer (Mercutio), Nick Crawford (Benvolio), Teddy Burchill (Tybalt), Ethan Mullican (Romeo)
Aquinas Middle School (Romeo and Juliet). 7th grade.

LOWER DIVISION MONOLOGUES

John Henry Anderson (Malvolio). 
The Brookline Bards (Twelfth Night). 7th grade. 

UPPER DIVISION SCENES (Tie)

(Jae Saunders (Lord Capulet), Calise Cowans (Lady Capulet), Noelle  Brubaker (Juliet), Elizabeth Ansell  (Nurse). 
Woodland Hill High School (Romeo and Juliet). 10th, 11th and 12th grades.

Lily Fontaine (Juliet), Jackson Conforti (Romeo).
Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School (Romeo and Juliet), 11th grade. 

UPPER DIVISION MONOLOGUES

Ace Laughlin (Mark Antony)
Salt and Light Homeschool Co-op (Julius Caesar). 12th grade. 

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