The Recitation Competition was held again this year at The Beach Club on February 15. Entrants from ten Palm Beach County High Schools gave very impressive performances of their chosen dramatic excerpts and sonnets. The judges awarded first place to Mr. Benjamin Viertel, of the A. W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts, taught by Ms. Beverly Blanchette. The runner-up was Mr. Matthew O'Boyle of Wellington Community High School, taught by Ms. Susan Cooperman. During the event each high school finalist received their award from our committee chair, Peggy Phillips, as did the Branch winner and runner-up. Additionally this year we awarded prizes to the teachers of the winner and runner-up of a copy of "Speak the Speech" - an illustrated book of Shakespeare's monologues, which will be presented at our annual meeting on April 24, 2009.

Below is a brief video of the event.

Mr. Viertel will be going to New York to take part in the National Competition, being held on Monday, April 27. The Semi-finals will be held in the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater at Lincoln Center, and the Finals in the Gerald W. Lynch Theater at John Jay College.