Addison Trail students participate in Chicago Shakespeare Slam

Addison Trail students participate in the Regional Bout of the Chicago Shakespeare Slam on Dec. 1. That event, hosted by Chicago Shakespeare Theater, encourages students to engage with Shakespeare's work in a fun and exciting way. The Addison Trail team was comprised of (from left to right) sophomore Petya Haralanova, sophomore Cynthia Bruntz, sophomore Hailey Chiovino, junior Tania Fernandez and junior Quintila Villalobos.

Left: Addison Trail English Department Head Amy Ferraro (back row, right) and English teacher Claire Shoup (back row, left) attend the Final Bout of the Chicago Shakespeare Slam with a group of Addison Trail students. That event took place on Dec. 10 in Chicago Shakespeare’s new theatrical venue, The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare. Right: The Addison Trail students pose by a photo of William Shakespeare during the event. They are (back row, from left) junior Quintila Villalobos, sophomore Hailey Chiovino, junior Tania Fernandez, (front row, from left) sophomore Petya Haralanova and sophomore Cynthia Bruntz.

On Dec. 1, five Addison Trail students participated in the Regional Bout of the Chicago Shakespeare Slam (hosted by Chicago Shakespeare Theater), an event that encourages students to engage with Shakespeare's work in a fun and exciting way. The slam took place at Ridgewood High School, and Addison Trail students attended with Addison Trail English Department Head Amy Ferraro and English teacher Claire Shoup.

On Oct. 20, the students attended a day-long workshop, where they worked with professionals from Chicago Shakespeare Theater on breaking down Shakespeare’s text, blocking and movement, character development and more.

For the Regional Bout, participants were required to prepare two performance pieces. The first was a scene from any of Shakespeare’s plays, other than “Macbeth.” Students had to perform the scene in sequential order, using Shakespearean language. The Addison Trail team of junior Quintila Villalobos, sophomore Cynthia Bruntz, junior Tania Fernandez, sophomore Hailey Chiovino and sophomore Petya Haralanova chose a scene from “Twelfth Night” for this round.

For the second performance, called the “Dream Round,” students had to use “Macbeth.” They were required to use Shakespearean language, but the scene could be interpreted differently and reorganized. The Addison Trail group reinterpreted the impact of the ghosts and witches on Macbeth.

Although Addison Trail didn’t qualify for the Final Bout (the top three teams out of 17 advanced), they had a memorable experience, performed well and gained valuable skills. In recognition of their participation, students received certificates, T-shirts and an invitation to attend the Final Bout, which took place on Dec. 10 in Chicago Shakespeare’s new theatrical venue, The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare.

For more information about Chicago Shakespeare Slam, go to https://tinyurl.com/yatmlgwp.