Bard-o-Thon Raises Nearly $5000

By Jenny Loeffler

"O Romeo, Romeo..."

On April 21, students of First Stage Theater Academy participated in its second annual Bard-o-Thon, raising nearly $5000. Throughout the day, students performed as many memorized Shakespearean monologues in a row as possible. Performers included members of the Young Company, First Stage Theater Academy’s advanced, pre-professional actor training program for high school students, as well as other Theater Academy students.

The students were collecting sponsorships or pledges based on the number of monologues they performed. They money raised will help to support the Young Company’s travel and participation in the Utah Shakespearean Festival’s annual Shakespeare Competition, October 4-6, 2012 in Cedar City, Utah, in which Young Company students have participated and won awards in recent years. Money raised will also help fund the Kid2Kid Scholarship Fund, through which First Stage Theater Academy students provide financial support to ensure that other young people can have access to Theater Academy programming.

"To be, or not to be..."

Some of the Theater Academy students that participated in the Bard-o-Thon include: Maura Atwood, Abbi Minessale, Caroline Fossum, Garrett Kim, Christine Pollnow, Katherine Pollnow, Eric Schabla, Elizabeth Warren, Max Mainwood, Brandon Marchand, Samantha Hendrickson, Erin Stapleton, Kiaran Hartnett, Mary Elsa Henrichs, and Laura Mesrobian. 

First Stage thanks Palermo's Pizza for feeding our young performers during this event.

Though the Bard-o-Thon is over, you can still help support the students’ journey to the Utah Shakespeare Festival by going to First Stage’s Crowdrise website and making a donation!

If you have any questions, contact Nancy at nclarkin@firststage.org or (414) 267-2938.