After competing in the initial round of the National Shakespeare Competition at PDS, senior Lily Zebrauskas and junior Krishna Agrawal moved forward to regionals, performing at the Peddie School alongside other contestants from nine other New Jersey schools. 

Both PDS representatives performed the same monologues from the first round of competition, and they were also required to perform an additional Shakespearean sonnet. Instead of the traditional panel of judges positioned in the front, Agrawal noticed that they were dispersed amongst the audience, which not only offered a more immersive experience, but also created a “less intimidating and stress-free environment” for the performers.

Following the contestants’ performance, a portion of the competition was dedicated to feedback from the judges. Zebrauskas remarked how each competitor received personalized comments, sharing, “it was feedback we can take into our performances–in ways to read text, and ways to make our monologue compelling and interesting.” 

Agrawal noted, “Everyone there was like a community that had a shared love for theater.” Zebraukas echoed this sentiment, mentioning that all the performers were clearly passionate and how fun it was to “just see different people from different schools doing something so niche.”

Although neither representative advanced to the finals at Carnegie Hall, the event proved to be much more than a competition. The performers received meaningful advice, felt a deeper connection to Shakespeare, and, most importantly, had fun. Even though Shakespeare is always read in English class, Zebrauskas explained how it’s “meant to be seen on stage,” which helped her better understand the text. Agrawal also admitted, “I haven’t really performed Shakespeare much, but this experience gave me even more appreciation for his poetry.” 

Looking ahead, Zebrauskas intends to pursue  singing and acting in college, while Agrawal plans on trying out again next year–ready to return with more experience.