In all of the English-speaking world, there is perhaps no better known author in literature than William Shakespeare. The Bard’s works are universally recognized as some of the best pieces of theatre ever written. Therefore, when a Tabor student is asked to perform in the semifinals of the 2012 Shakespeare Competition, he accepts.
Tabor Academy junior, Chapman Hyatt won the Tabor Academy Shakespeare Competition and therefore advanced to compete in the English Speaking Union’s Shakespeare Competition semifinals hosted at Bentley College. Each competitor was asked to perform their pieces twice, once in a small conference room and a second time on a large stage.
Mr. Hyatt performed Act 3 Scene 2 from Midsummer’s Night Dream as Puck and Shakespearean Sonnet 147 – and has advanced to the finals, which will be held on Sunday, February 5. While it was “nerve-wracking at times,” Mr. Hyatt also said it was fun and rewarding, and that the atmosphere was friendly and supportive. Each competitor congratulated the other, as they persevered through not one but two high-stress and high-pressure performances.
Mr. Hyatt has performed in Tabor Academy musicals for two years and in the Tabor Fall Drama once. Last spring the young actor notably played the dynamic Billy Flynn in Chicago. In the fall, Chapman portrayed multiple characters in Ceder Beach. Currently, Mr. Hyatt and the Winter Musical are hard at work preparing How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying for this year’s performance. Outside of Tabor, Mr. Hyatt also performed in the Disney Channel Original Movie Lemonade Mouth.
Mr. Hyatt will perform in the Shakespeare Competition’s finals at Emerson College next Sunday. We wish him the best of luck.
By Jacob Farias