MEDIA RELEASE
Dreaming of Shrews
Midst lots of midsummer night dreams about shrews, Hamlets and Juliets will strut their stuff on the stage throughout
Queen’s Birthday at Shakespeare Globe Centre New Zealand’s 2005 National Sheilah Winn Festival of Shakespeare in
Schools.
Nearly 500 students from 43 schools from Kamo in Northland to Invercargill will descend on Wellington with at least as
many supporters to participate in workshops, talks and perform to their peers and the public in Wellington East Girls’
College Hall.
Katherine (Student-Director, actor Rianda Roets) from Gisborne’s Lytton High School states: “Teenage daughters can be a
handful, especially when boys are involved. But surely, they can’t be that difficult to control? Decide for yourself as
you experience first hand, a typical day in the life of a father of two.”
“It is this relevance to everyday issues that makes Shakespeare so accessible for these young people,” said SGCNZ CEO,
Dawn Sanders.
There is also no barrier with regard race, gender and multitalented students being involved. For Wesley College in
Auckland, who have taken part only for the last two years, “It has been the most awesome experience. For the second year
running one of our students has had the distinction of being chosen for direct entry to [SGCNZ’s week’s long] National
Shakespeare Schools Production….Wesley College students are famous for their rugby skills, but we have proved that we
are good all-rounders.”
Approaches are as varied as the number of groups. Paraparaumu College’s scene from Henry V is played out as a James Bond
thriller, with Henry played as a triumvirate, while Scot’s College’s Henry is almost fascist.
“With scenes this year from seventeen of the Bard’s works, it is great to see the range of plays selected this year,”
said Mrs Sanders. “Southland Girls’ High School is presenting a scene from Titus Andronicus, and Northcote College an
excerpt from the Third Part of Henry VI.”
Workshop tutors include a collection of New Zealand’s leading theatre practitioners including former SGCNZ International
Artistic Resident at the Globe, Peter Hambleton, Dr Raymond Boyce, Sir Jon Trimmer, Dr Ida Gaskin, Robert Oliver, and
many practising artists.
The Assessors of the performances will be prominent figures, Vanessa Byrnes, Peter Feeney and James Beaumont.
On the Sunday evening, two students selected from the Australian Shakespeare Schools Festival will perform, followed by
members of SGCNZ Young Shakespeare Company, who will travel to the Globe to train and perform in July this year. The
winners of the Bernina/SGCNZ Shakespeare Costume Design Competition, the Dymocks/SGCNZ Poster Design Competition, and
the Dick Smith Electronics/SGCNZ Music Composition Competition will be announced, along with other award winners.
Performances are open to the public on Saturday 4 June from 11.00am till 5.30pm and Sunday 5 June from 9.00am till
4.30pm and 7.00-9.30pm.
Tickets are available by door sale only Students $4 Adults $6
Wellington East Girls’ College Hall
ENDS
PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
Saturday 4 June 11.00am
Welcome
1 Wellington Scot's College S (SD) Henry V I
2 East Coast Lytton High School SD The Taming of the Shrew II i
3 Manawatu Palmerston North Boys' High School S As You Like It II vii
4 Nelson Nayland College S/D The Two Gentlemen of Verona I.ii
5 Southland Southland Girls' High School S (SD) Titus Andronicus V ii, iii
6 Kapiti Mana College S/D A Midsummer Night's Dream III i
Lunch 12.45 (approx) - 1.45pm
7 Marlborough Marlborough Girls' College S Macbeth V i
8 Wairarapa Wairarapa College S/D Romeo and Juliet I iii, III v
9 Wellington Newlands College S Hamlet IV v
10 Taranaki Spotswood College S/D As You Like It I iii
11 Auckland North Wentworth College S Richard III I i,ii
12 Bay of Plenty Bethlehem College S/D Macbeth I vii
13 South Canterbury Ashburton College S (SD) Much Ado About Nothing II i
Afternoon Tea 3.30 (approx) - 3.45pm
14 Canterbury St Margaret's & Christ's Colleges SD Richard III Compilation
15 Waikato Sacred Heart Girls' College S Macbeth III iv
16 Auckland Central Epsom Girls' Grammar School S/D King Lear III vii
17 Rotorua/Lakes John Paul College S Loves Labour's Lost IV iii, V ii
18 Hawkes Bay Hastings Boys' High School S/D Julius Caesar III i
19 Otago Kaikorai Vallley College S The Tempest I i
20 Wellington Upper Hutt College S/D Romeo and Juliet III i
Concludes 5.30 (approx)
Sunday 5 June 9.00am
21 Canterbury Aranui High School S A Midsummer Night's Dream II i, II ii, III i, IV i
22 Auckland South Wesley College S/D Othello III iii
23 Auckland South Macleans College S Romeo and Juliet Various extracts
24 Auckland North Northcote College S/D Third part of King Henry VI I i
25 Taranaki New Plymouth Girls' High School S (SD) The Taming of the Shrew II i
26 Rotorua/Lakes John Paul College S/D Twelfth Night III xvii
Morning Tea 10.30am (approx) - 10.45am
27 Nelson Waimea College S Hamlet III ii
28 Marlborough Marlborough Girls' College S/D A Midsummer Night's Dream II i, III ii
29 Bay of Plenty Tauranga Boys' College S Hamlet V ii
30 Southland James Hargest School S/D The Taming of the Shrew II i
31 Wairarapa Rathkeale & St Matthews Senior Colleges S Cymbeline Various
32 Northland Kerikeri High School S/D Othello V ii
Lunch 12.15pm (approx) - 1.15pm
33 Auckland Central Mount Albert Grammar School S Macbeth IV i
34 Manawatu Palmerston Girls' & Boys' High Schools S/D A Midsummer Night's Dream III ii
35 Kapiti Paraparaumu College S Henry V II ii
36 Otago Kavanagh College S/D Much Ado About Nothing III i
37 Hawkes Bay Hastings Boys' High School S Hamlet I v
38 South Waikato Te Awamutu College S/D The Taming of the Shrew II i
Afternoon Tea 2.45pm (approx) - 3.00pm
39 Northland Kamo High School S A Midsummer Night's Dream III i
40 South Canterbury Ashburton College S/D Macbeth Various
41 South Waikato Tokoroa High School S (SD) Twelfth Night II v, III ii, III iv, IV ii
42 Waikato Hillcrest High School S/D Macbeth II ii
43 East Coast Lytton High School S A Midsummer Night's Dream II i,ii, III i,ii, IV i,
V i Excerpts
Concludes 4.20pm (approx) Brief comments from Assessors & Notices
International Festival Showcase 7.00-7.45 (approx)
SGCNZ YSC 2005 Performances
SGC Australia Performance
Interval 7.45-8.00pm (approx)
Award Ceremony 8.00-9.30pm (approx)
Presentation of Competition Awards
Presentation of Certificates
Presentation of Performance Awards
***Attendance by participating students is expected at all performance sessions***
*In line with theatre protocol, all performers must be ready half an hour prior to their allocated time
slot
*We often run slightly early, so supporters should be advised to come for whole sessions - start times
will be retained
* Times are extremely approximate and should be used as a rough guideline only - Enter only between
scenes*