2016 SGCNZ - University of Otago Sheilah Winn Shakespeare Festival On Saturday, 9th April the regional final of the University of Otago Sheilah Winn Shakespeare Festival was held at the Casa Blanca theatre. Each year over 6,000 secondary school students from 270 secondary schools from throughout New Zealand perform in 23 festivals all vying for a chance to perform at the national festival held annually in Wellington.

The adjudicator was Dr Mark Houlahan, Senior Lecturer in English at the University of Waikato and current President of the Australian and New Zealand Shakespeare Association.

John Paul College did exceedingly well winning both the 15 minute Teacher Directed by Gabrielle Thurston from A Midsummer Night’s Dream and the 5 minute Student Directed The Comedy of Errors directed by Lucy Pepper.

There were several awards given out by Dr Houlahan at the conclusion of the festival. Most Promising Actor Sam Purdie, Best Male Actor Eamon Walsh, Best Female Actor Olivia Philips and Best Male Actor Under 16 Cullen Smith.

Our John Paul College actors and crew will now travel at Queen’s Birthday weekend to the National Festival to be held over four days at the St.James theatre in Wellington.