If you had walked through the halls of Baden Academy over the past four months, you may
have heard words like “hie,” “afeard,” and “forsooth” coming from the classrooms. That’s because 33
students in the school’s theater enrichment classes were studying, analyzing, and practicing scenes from the works of William Shakespeare. Then on Monday, February 5, they all traveled into Pittsburgh to compete in the Pittsburgh Public Theater’s annual Shakespeare Scene and Monologue Contest at the O’Reilly Theater.

This year over 1,200 students in grades 4 through 12 from over 90 schools in the Pittsburgh region
competed, and a group of four Baden Academy students placed in the top five groups in their division: Zoe Mangus, Joey Pugh, Aleenia Reich, and Adam Woods. They went on to perform their scene from Shakespeare’s “The Comedy of Errors” in front of family, friends, and other finalists at the O’Reilly on Monday, February 19. Baden Academy was thrilled to learn that in addition to this team of finalists, an additional 15 of their students made the competition’s honorable mention list.
“I’m so incredibly proud of all of our students who participated,” said Johnny Gallagher, director of
theatrical instruction and enrichment at Baden. “Experience with theater, including this highly respected Shakespeare competition, develops essential skills like critical thinking, creativity, and public speaking.

And it also increases students’ self-esteem and their sense of empathy.”  Joey Pugh, a sixth grader at Baden Academy and one of the finalists, says, “It was so much fun. I was nervous, but my teammates helped me, and we got to meet other actors our age. I was also really inspired
by the judges and the speeches at the end about following your dreams. The competition made me realize that I can really do this.”

Baden Academy is a charter school with the mission of integrating the arts into traditional academic subjects. Gallagher explains, “By connecting the arts to our curriculum, we create the foundation for a really well-rounded education. When our students study Shakespeare, they’re not only learning about acting, they’re understanding the development of the English language; the history of the Elizabethan and Renaissance worlds; the science behind the Elizabethans’ stages and the technology of their special effects; and the rhythm and mathematics behind Shakespeare’s iambic pentameter. I’m so grateful that the Public Theater hosts this event. Our students explored the power of Shakespeare’s stories, and then they had a blast performing on one of the most beautiful stages in Pittsburgh.”