Drama students win in Shakespeare competition
MT. PLEASANT—North Sanpete High School's theater department captured first place overall in its division at the 49th annual Utah Shakespeare Festival High School Shakespeare Competition, winning top honors in ensemble acting, duo/trio performance and individual acting.
The Hawks earned the first-place sweepstakes award in the Cambridge Division during the Oct. 1-3 competition in Cedar City, hosted by the Utah Shakespeare Festival and Southern Utah University.
North Sanpete also placed first in ensemble scene competition, while students Nolun Nielsen, Kamron Cox and Tavian Smith won first place in the duo/trio scene category.
Senior Misty Bailey received the Larry Lott Acting Award, which recognizes the outstanding individual performer in an ensemble scene within each division. As a senior, Bailey also qualified for a $1,000 scholarship to Southern Utah University.
The competition attracted nearly 3,000 students from 99 schools across Utah, Arizona, Nevada, California, Colorado and Wisconsin. More than 80 judges, including theater professionals and members of the Utah Shakespeare Festival company, evaluated performances.
North Sanpete competed in the Cambridge Division, which includes medium-small schools. Timpanogos High School finished second in the division's overall sweepstakes standings, followed by Jordan High School in third.
"The Utah Shakespeare competition is a highlight experience for us every year,” drama director Alex Barlow said. “Performing Shakespeare is not easy, but it is always incredibly satisfying to see students master performing Shakespeare. Many of Shakespeare’s words are still very relevant today.”
The competition challenges students to interpret and perform Shakespeare's works in several formats. Individual monologues last two to four minutes, duo/trio performances last three to five minutes, and ensemble scenes run six to 10 minutes.
Students also compete in dance, music and technical theater events, with judges evaluating their work and providing feedback.
For Bailey, the experience offered an opportunity to reconnect with acting.
“Performing at Shakespeare helped me rediscover my love for performing,” Bailey said.
According to the school's theater department, this marks the fifth time since 2019 that North Sanpete has won both the overall sweepstakes and ensemble scene titles. The Hawks also captured both awards in 2025, continuing a record of success at the annual competition.
The department is now preparing its annual musical, "Big Fish," which tells the story of a father and son. The production is scheduled to run Nov. 18-23.
