Zoe Spence chosen to join New Zealand Shakespeare team to tour UK in 2016.

It has been announced in Wellington by the Shakespeare Globe Centre New Zealand (SGCNZ) that John Paul College Year 13 Drama Captain Zoe Spence will represent New Zealand as a member of the New Zealand Shakespeare team to tour the UK and to perform at the Globe Theatre, London in 2016.

Each year 24 of New Zealand’s most talented young actors are selected from the Shakespeare Globe Centre New Zealand National Shakespeare Schools Production to form the New Zealand Young Shakespeare Company (YSC).

The team of actors participate in a comprehensive and exciting ‘package’ based principally at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London The experience includes workshops, talks, Q&A sessions about the plays with prominent Shakespearean actors and directors, behind the scene tours of the Globe, Rose and National Theatres and watching performances and rehearsals at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. During two weeks at the Globe Theatre in London the team will have twelve rehearsals taken by a leading Globe Theatre Director in scenes from Shakespeare’s plays which they will have the opportunity to perform for the public during their time at the Globe Theatre.

In addition, to complete their nearly three week long stimulating itinerary, the young actors move on to Stratford-Upon-Avon for historical Setting Shakespeare’s Scene – including tours and performances there.

Zoe joins the following John Paul College alumni in being selected for this highly prestigious national team:

2000 Semu Filipo

2001 Jimmy Skerten

2002 Simon Thurston

2002 Candice Visser

2006 Jonathon Griffith

2006 Taofia Tauiliili-Pelesasa

2013 Zak Swift

2014 Timothy Bradley

2016 Zoe Spence

Rotorua Speech and Drama Competitions

The 70^th Rotorua competitions were held recently at the Sir Howard Morrison Performing Arts Centre. The competitions first held in Rotorua in 1946 are the largest in New Zealand. Many John Paul College students took part in the event and all did extremely well.

John Paul College students took all places in the top competition with Head Girl Rebecca Colby 2015 Performer of the Year, 2^nd Steven Glyde, 3^rd Zoe Spence, 4^th Arvin Pingol and 5^th Cassandra Clare. These students were all outstanding in the programmes they presented. Rebecca Colby and Steven Glyde have been nominated to compete at PACANZ Nationals in Palmerston North on 16 October.

Zoe Spence Year 13 Drama Captain Selected for 2015 NSSP

Huge congratulations to Year 13 Drama Captain Zoe Spence who at the recent National Festival of the Shakespeare Globe Centre New Zealand (SGCNZ) University of Otago-Sheilah Winn Festival of Shakespeare in Secondary Schools held in Wellington at Queen’s Birthday weekendwas selected for SGCNZ 2015 National Shakespeare Schools Production (NSSP)

At the regional festivals involving over 270 schools and over 6,000 student actors the students engage with Shakespeare's plays by performing 5-minute and 15-minute excerpts from Shakespeare’s plays with other schools in their region.  

At the national festival 48 students are selected for the SGCNZ National Shakespeare Schools Production (SGCNZ NSSP) held at a different venue throughout New Zealand each year. From this select group of 48 talenetd student actors 24 students are chosen for the SGCNZ Young Shakespeare Company (SGCNZ YSC) which will travel to England and perform at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London in 2016

Zoe joins a long list of John Paul College thespians who have achieved this status.

Congratulations Zoe.