Shakespeareans Soar at Kristin

PERFORMING ARTS

Shakespeareans Soar at Kristin

Over the last few years, Kristin students have played dozens of characters from a wide range of Shakespeare’s plays; they have created striking and original interpretations of scenes; they have learned a great deal and they have also enjoyed great success at the Regional and National Shakespeare Globe Centre (SGC) University of Otago Sheilah Winn Shakespeare Festivals.

Kristin’s students have been recognised with Regional awards such as Best 5 Minute Scene at the Auckland West Festival in 2019, 2020 and 2021 and Most Promising Actor in 2019 and 2020. The Direct entrant (one of only 24 across New Zealand) to the SGCNZ National Shakespeare Schools Production (NSSP) has been a Kristin student in 2018, 2019 and 2020.

This year has proven to bring further success at the Auckland West Regional Festival, with Kristin’s students being acknowledged for Best Connection Between Two Performers (Isla Sangl and Rebecca Weatherly) and as the Best 15 Minute Scene (Naomi Harwood, Millieke McKay, Olivia Sewell and Kelea Wendelborn). Along with a second group who were also selected (Sonny Pring, Kester Sykes and Finn Theodore), it is thrilling that these students will now have the opportunity to share their work with a much larger audience at the National Shakespeare Festival in Wellington.

At the SGCNZ University of Otago Sheilah Winn National Shakespeare Festivals in 2019 and 2020, our students were recognised with a range of awards including Outstanding Student Direction, Best Vocal Projection, Outstanding Presentation from a Tragedy, Most Promising Actor and Best Connection with the Audience.

In 2018 and 2019, Kristin students were then selected to join the SGCNZ Young Shakespeare Company, representing New Zealand through training and performing at The Globe Theatre in London, and this representation is now set to continue following the most recent iteration of the NSSP. In January this year, two of our Kristin students, Isla Sangl and Rebecca Weatherly, travelled to Wellington to take part in a variety of workshops delivered by industry-professional tutors, and to rehearse for a public performance of Wars of the Roses. Following that public performance, we were absolutely delighted to find that both Isla and Rebecca had been selected to join the 2022 SGCNZ Young Shakespeare Company.

This is an immensely prestigious and exciting achievement for Isla and Rebecca, and it is even hoped that they will be able to travel to The Globe Theatre this July! Whenever they do go, they will travel with a group of talented performers from across New Zealand to learn from the outstanding tutors at Shakespeare’s Globe, before performing on the magical Globe stage. They will also have the opportunity to explore theatres and other iconic sites and activities in London and Stratford-upon-Avon.

It seems clear from the recognition that Kristin’s students and groups have received so far that they bring great commitment, creativity and talent to their work. Kristin’s students have overcome many obstacles to achieve such great success and we are confident that they will continue to soar.

Leigh Sykes

YEAR 11 HOUSE DEAN – APOLLO CURRICULUM LEADER DRAMA