Prestwick House Shakespeare Honors

Student theater deserves to be seen, celebrated, and supported.

Recognizing Excellence in High School Theatre

Prestwick House Shakespeare Honors is a student recognition program created to celebrate outstanding Shakespeare performance and production in high school theatre programs. Launched as a pilot in 2025, the program exists for one simple reason: students and teachers who bring Shakespeare to life deserve visible, lasting recognition in their schools and communities.

2025 Program Winners

Meet the first students recognized in our new Shakespeare Honors program.
Best Monologue
Cape Henlopen High School
Mairin Curran
Monologue Finalist
Dover High School
Eugene Watts
Best Ensemble Scene
Newark Charter High School
Hamlet, Act 2, Scene 2
What is Shakespeare Honors?

Each year, participating schools may submit performances for consideration in three categories:

  • Best Monologue
  • Best Ensemble Scene
  • Outstanding Shakespeare Production

Submissions are reviewed by a panel of experienced theatre professionals and educators. Selected students and programs receive formal recognition, including school banners, public announcements, and media outreach designed to spotlight the work happening in school theatre programs across the state.

What Makes the Program Different?

This is not a high-pressure competition. The emphasis is on craft, collaboration, and growth, not elimination or ranking.

  • No participation fees
  • Low workload for teachers
  • Simple, flexible submission options (monologues, scenes, or productions)
  • Feedback and encouragement alongside recognition
  • Designed by and for teachers

Whether a school mounts a full Shakespeare production or works with selected scenes or monologues, there’s room to participate.

Why Shakespeare?

Shakespeare remains one of the most demanding and rewarding ways for students to develop:

  • Close reading and text analysis
  • Vocal and physical performance skills
  • Ensemble collaboration and trust
  • Confidence, discipline, and empathy

The Honors program exists to support and publicly value that work.

Who Should Participate?
  • High school theatre teachers and directors
  • Drama departments producing Shakespeare plays or excerpts
  • Schools looking to raise the visibility of their theatre programs
  • Teachers who want recognition for students without adding major obligations

Middle school participation and expanded categories are planned for future years.

Interested in Getting Involved?

If your students perform Shakespeare in any form (a full play, a scene, or a monologue) you’re already most of the way there.

To receive updates, be included in future planning, and/or submit work in an upcoming year, please fill out the form. There’s no obligation. Signing up just means you’d like to stay in the loop and possibly enter your students’ work.

If you have any questions, concerns, suggestions, or observations, please contact:

Jason Scott
Program Director
Prestwick House Shakespeare Honors
jason@prestwickhouse.com

Shakespeare Honors is built in partnership with classroom teachers, professional theatre artists, and arts organizations who believe that student theatre deserves to be seen, celebrated, and supported.

We’re glad you’re here, and we’d love to have you involved.

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