On Feb. 28, representing Lakewood High School and the West Shore Career Technical District, students competed against 13 other schools at the English-Speaking Union’s Cleveland Regional Shakespeare Competition at Cleveland State University.

Participants are judged on their interpretation, delivery, understanding of the texts and the character they project at the competition, among other things. This competition encourages students to learn, study, and perform works by William Shakespeare outside the classroom. With 25 participants, the first-place winner would move on to nationals in New York.

​“I saw that there was an opportunity to be involved in this national Shakespeare competition, and just kind of jumped at it,” said Domenic Farinelli-Martinez, an English and theater arts teacher. “I learned that Lakewood used to participate in this 15 or 20 years ago, then stopped, and I wanted to start it back up again. It was open to the whole school for anyone to participate in.”

​By reviving this tradition, Farinelli-Martinez restored an environment that allowed students to try new things and reintroduced the opportunity to engage with Shakesphere through performance. Whether they are a part of the West Shore Theater Arts Program or not, it was open to all.

“You look at this playwright and poet who created a lot of words that we still use today,” Farinelli-Martinez said. “I think that for hundreds of years, it’s been a way for people to see themselves on stage, to interact with others, to think more deeply about life. I really like that this competition… teaches students that it is more than just an old, dead white guy’s words, but we can interact with it and interpret it and make it accessible to a modern audience.”

​Despite the competitive nature of the event, Farinelli-Martinez noted the sense of community and encouragement throughout the competition.“It’s individual kids putting themselves out there. It’s also really interactive.” Farinelli-Martinez said. “They were all competing against each other, and yet everybody was rooting for each other.”

​Senior Cecilia Whiteamire earned a unique honor: an award for being the individual with whom the rest of the competitors most wanted to be friends.

​“I loved meeting everybody else,” Whiteamire said. “There are pictures of when we had a giant circle during the lunch break in the middle of this narrow hallway, just talking to each other in this circle.”

This experience helped highlight the sense of community among peers and the connections made. The award Whiteamire was given highlighted not only her performance but also her as an individual, the ability to connect and uplift others around her.

​She added that the experience was meaningful because she was surrounded by peers who shared her specific enthusiasm. “It was just so amazing to be surrounded by such a supportive group of people who all shared the same interest,” Whiteamire said.

For senior Aiden Galati, the competition was a chance to revisit the classics. “What really inspired me was just like my love of theater, and it had been a while since I had done any Shakespeare,” Galati said. “I performed a monologue from Richard III. I picked it because I feel like where I shine the most is more with something more dramatic and something that involves, not just a louder usage of voice, but a stronger usage of emotion.”

Galati’s performance reflects his passion for theater and his understanding of his strengths as a performer, emphasizing emotional depth and expression.

​“It’s just another opportunity to do what I love and yes, again, like getting feedback from professionals and having these opportunities where I can learn and grow as a performer,” Galati said. Experiences in competitions like these allow students to grow as both performers and individuals. Allowing students to develop their craft beyond the classroom and get feedback that they wouldn’t normally get.

The competition also served as a confidence builder for students like senior Ursula Rosen. For some students, this competition served as a stepping stone. Showcasing their ability to perform and rebuilding it to their true potential from what it was before, and just making it bigger. Rosen’s experience highlights the confidence students can gain through participating in a competitive environment like this one.

​“It was kind of a confidence boost just because I wasn’t very confident in my acting… so I think it just gave me some confidence,” Rosen said. “Everyone was just so talented. So we were all just complimenting each other. It was just like a nice moment; everyone was very nice to each other.”

​​Rosen’s words reflect once more on the mutual engagement that occurred amongst the other competitors at the competition. Despite all competing for the title prize, everyone remained respectful and kind throughout the competition.

​Lakewood students walked away with many honors. Ursula Rosen placed Third Place, Cecilia Whiteamire placed Fifth Place, and Aiden Galati did not place in this competition. Their efforts were evident in their performance while representing the community.