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The state level of the English Speaking Union’s national Shakespeare contest was held Sunday, March 2nd, 2008 at The Frazier Arms Museum. For the 12th time in the past 14 years, Walden Theatre students claimed not only the top place in the senior division, but also in the junior division of the statewide competition. Winners include:

Senior Division Winner:
Christina Sauer, First Place-senior division, Sophomore at Presentation Academy, in her second year at Walden Theatre
Yunina Barbour-Payne, Second Place, YPAS
Jennifer Morgan, Third Place, South Oldham High School

Junior Division Winner:
Meghan McCabe, First Place-junior division, Freshman at St. Francis High School, in her second year at Walden Theatre.
Patrick Zakem, Second Place, YPAS
Bethany Finley, Third Place, Dunbar High School-Lexington

Christina will travel to New York to compete in the National Finals at Lincoln Center with over 70 other winners from across the U.S. The winner of the national level will spend three weeks this summer in Oxford, England studying at the British American Drama Academy. Other Walden students who competed for their schools include Mark Harmon-Vaught, a freshman from Louisville Collegiate. For more information, visit the English Speaking Union’s website at http://www.esuky.org/esuky_forms.htm

Walden Theatre’s past English Speaking Union winners.

Adam Brown, 2007 National ESU Shakespeare Contest Winner-senior at YPAS.

Peter Albrink, 2005 attends Carnegie Mellon

Jonathan O’Brien, 2004, attends the Juilliard School

Karina Strange, 2003

Elizabeth Cox, 2001, attends U of L

Denis Toner, 2000, attends the Hartt School

Jessica Weixler, 1999, graduate of the Juilliard School (Sundance Film Festival Award Winner, 2007-Teeth)

Molly Bush, 1998

Jennifer Carpenter, 1997, graduate of the Juilliard School (Broadway-The Crucible, Film roles include The Exorcism of Emily Rose and White Chicks)

Liz Burmester, 1996

Ashley Smith, 1995