Shakespearean Sonnet Slam

The event featured student performers, the Royal Shakespeare Company, and Performance Network actors. Students performed their own interpretations of Shakespeare's sonnets II, IV, V, XI, or XII, and RSC and Performance Network actors provided immediate feedback and judged the acts. Energetic and enthusiastic emcees Atiba Edwards and Sha Reeves served as mediators between the judges and the performers.

Performances included spoken word with musical components and audience interaction, an electric guitar solo, modern dance, classical Indian dance, a blues rant, and an original piano composition.

Prizes were awarded to the first, second, and third place performances. First place took home $1000 (sponsored by Arts at Michigan); second $250 (sponsored by the Undergraduate English Association); and third a ticket package (courtesy of UMS and the Performance Network). Performances were evaluated for creativity, execution, and showmanship.

The Slam was an official event of the RSC Residency, and was attended by an audience of 500+.

Performers and Judges

Judges:
Royal Shakespeare Company judges:
Patrick Stewart, John Hopkins, Ed Kingsley, Allison Brown, Paul Barnhill, Rob Carroll, Emma Jay, and Keith Osborne.

Performance Network judges:
Callie McKee and Laurel Hufano

Winners

Second Place: Ayodele Alli and Eugene Simpkins.
Ayo and Eugene's performance was an adaptation of Sonnet XII, and explored love without vanity. The piece was spoken word with a violin accompaniment.

Third Place: Maria Thomas, Ailene Lee, Elizabeth Tappan, and Tomoko Takedani.
In this piece, a tragic chorus sang and danced to an adaptation of a Maori Kakaria (a traditional chant) to convey the sense of impending doom and morbidity of Sonnet II. The sonnet was delivered by a narrator along with expressive Indian classical dance mudras (hand gestures) in front of this visual and aural backdrop. The tragic chorus used fluid choreography and dramatic poses to accentuate the dark mood of the sonnet.

Photos

Press