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The freshman class gathered in Stewart Student Center last month for their annual Shakespearean Monologue competition, and (as always) it was a fiercely fought, fun evening. After brief remarks on the ongoing relevance of Shakespeare from English teacher Hugh Koeze, nine finalists, each representing their particular English class, performed their monologues from “Julius Caesar.” The performances ranged across characters and emotions, from Brutus and Antony’s persuasive speeches to the crowd, Portia’s anger towards her husband, Calphurnia’s warning to Caesar, and Brutus’ self-serving equivocation, but each performance met with thunderous applause from the ninth graders. The judges, including Taylor P. ’26 and Mairead R. ’26 from Whit Morgan’s advanced Shakespeare elective and dramaturge faculty members from departments beyond English, certainly had their work cut out for them. After a brief conference, the judges’ panel announced the winners: third place to Germin J. ’29, second place to Michelle T. ’29, and first place to Gin Gin W. ’29!