
SGCNZ Competition Results 2023
- update 07/06/2023
SGCNZ are delighted to announce the results from this year’s competition entries! Find the final placements HERE or listed below:
SGCNZ / DAWN SANDERS SHAKESPEARE COSTUME DESIGN COMPETITION
Prizes donated by Nicole Barker and Tessa Ratcliffe
Judges: Nicole Barker, Tina de Bes, Dawn Sanders ONZM, QSM
1st Prize Bonnie Wang – St Cuthbert’s College ~ Ariel, The Tempest
& Supreme
Winner
2nd Prize Amanda Yu – Diocesan School for Girls ~ Julia, Two Gentlemen of Verona
3rd= Prize Isaac Foster – Bayfield High School ~ Cleopatra, Antony and Cleopatra
3rd= Prize Maggie Watts – Bayfield High School ~ Alarbus, Titus Andronicus
Highly Commended
Nicole Johnson – Botany Downs Secondary College ~ Lady Macbeth, Macbeth
An Thao Bui – Botany Downs Secondary College ~ Macbeth, Macbeth
Commended
Tvisha Koshiya – Cashmere High School ~ Titania, A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Anya Taylor – Diocesan School for Girls ~ Rosalind, As You Like It
SGCNZ / ADAM FOUNDATION SHAKESPEARE POSTER DESIGN, STATIC IMAGE & VIDEO TITLE CARD COMPETITIONS
Prizes donated by The Adam Foundation
Judges: Yon Yi Sohn, Colleen McColl, Sally Thorburn, Dawn Sanders ONZM, QSM
VIDEO TITLE CARD
1st Prize Victoria Baker – Diocesan School for Girls ~ Stars
2nd Prize Keira Gentry – Diocesan School for Girls ~ Rainbows
STATIC IMAGE
1st Prize Ivy Greenslade – Samuel Marsden College ~ King Lear
2nd Prize Sarah Shin – Macleans College ~ A Midsummer Night’s Dream
3rd= Prize Ao Suo – St Margaret’s College ~ Romeo and Juliet
3rd= Prize Bonnie Wang – St Cuthbert’s College ~ Macbeth
Highly Commended
Millicent Knights – Diocesan School for Girls ~ Macbeth
Anise Maclean – Columba College ~ Macbeth
Commended
Sophie Walter – Diocesan School for Girls ~ Romeo and Juliet
Boya Jung, – Macleans College ~ Romeo and Juliet
POSTER DESIGN
1st Prize Katie Lott – Diocesan School for Girls ~ A Midsummer Night’s Dream
SGCNZ / IDA GASKIN SHAKESPEARE ESSAY COMPETITION ~ with English at Otago
Prizes donated by University of Otago Department of English and Linguistics & the Gaskin Family, Michelle Linterman & NZSA
Judges: Shef Rogers and Liz Lammers
Analytical Option 1
1st Prize Benjamin Pickering – Bayfield High School
2nd Prize Maria Walker-Kinnell – Orewa College
3rd Prize Joshua Williams – Western Heights High School
Creative Category
1st Prize Eassin Wang – St Cuthbert’s School
2nd Prize Sneha Datla – St Margaret’s College
3rd Prize Kieva Hanlon – St Margaret’s College
Commended
Anouk Chew – St Mary’s College
Liesl Good – St Mary’s College
Grace Howard – St Margaret’s College
Honourable Mention
Bridget Paton – Columba College
Juno Ireland – St Mary’s College, Ponsonby
SGCNZ / MORRISON MUSIC TRUST SHAKESPEARE MUSIC COMPOSITION COMPETITION
Prizes donated by Morrison Music Trust – Julie Nevett
Judges: Michael Vinten & Garth Wilshire
Category A: Vocal
1st Prize Hope Milo – Howick College ~ O Happy Dagger
Category B: Instrumental
1st Prize Joshua Langford – Wellington College ~ Trance
& Supreme
Winner
2nd Prize Karim Efremov –John Paul College ~ Loves Me Not
3rd Prize Oliver Lodge – Trinity Catholic College ~Stars Hide Fire
Highly Commended
Samantha Gomez – Howick College ~ Three Witches
Eunsol Shin – Macleans College ~ The Soliloquy of Revenge
Congratulations to all prize recipients and to everyone else as well! We had such an incredible turn out of entries this year and look forward to what next year’s competitions have to bring!
SGCNZ Competition Finalists 2023
- update 16/05/23
Our finalists from this year’s SGCNZ Competition Entries have been chosen! We had a wonderful, biggest ever overall, selection this year with many entries to consider so thank you to all who entered and congratulations to our finalists!
A reminder that the names below are listed alphabetically by surname and are NOT in order of final placements. Placing orders will be announced by MC Hon. Grant Robertson at St James Theatre on Sunday 4 June during SGCNZ’s National UOSWSF Competition Prize-Giving and Scene Award Ceremony from 7.00pm!
View the list of Competition Finalists for 2023
SGCNZ / Dawn Sanders Shakespeare Costume Design Competition
Finalists:
- Isaac Foster Bayfield High School – Cleopatra, The Tragedy of Antony & Cleopatra
- Bonnie Wang St Cuthbert’s College – Ariel, The Tempest
- Maggie Watts Bayfield High School – Alarbus, Titus Andronicus
- Amanda Yu Diocesan School for Girls – Julia, The Two Gentlemen of Verona
Highly Commended:
- An Thao Bui Botany Downs Secondary College – Macbeth, Macbeth
- Nicole Johnson Botany Downs Secondary College – Lady Macbeth, Macbeth
Commended:
- Tvisha Koshiya Cashmere High School – Titania, A Midsummer Night’s Dream
- Anya Taylor Diocesan School for Girls – Rosalind, As You Like It
SGCNZ / Morrison Music Trust Shakespeare Composition Competition
Category A : Shakespeare related Vocal Composition Finalists:
- Hope Milo Howick College – O Happy Dagger
Category B : Shakespeare related Instrumental Composition Finalists:
- Karim Efremov John Paul College – Loves Me Not
- Joshua Langford Wellington College – Trance
- Oliver Lodge Trinity Catholic College – Stars Hide Love
Highly Commended:
- Samantha Gomez Howick College
- Sarah Shin Macleans College
SGCNZ / Adam Foundation Shakespeare Video Title Card, Poster & Static Image Competitions
Video Title Card Finalists:
- Victoria Baker Diocesan School for Girls – Star-Crossed
- Keira Gentry Diocesan School for Girls – Rainbow Hearts
Poster Design Finalist:
- Katie Lot Diocesan School for Girls – King Lear
Static Image Finalists:
- Ivy Greenslade Samuel Marsden Collegiate School – King Lear
- Sarah Shin Macleans College – A Midsummer Night’s Dream
- Ao (Sophia) Suo St Margaret’s College – Romeo & Juliet
- Bonnie Wang St Cuthbert’s College – Macbeth
Highly Commended:
- Millicent Knights Diocesan School for Girls – Macbeth
- Anise Maclean Columba College – Macbeth
Commended:
- Boya Jung Macleans College – Romeo & Juliet
- Sophie Walter Diocesan School for Girls – Romeo & Juliet
SGCNZ / Ida Gaskin Shakespeare Essay Competition ~ With English at Otago
Finalists:
Analytical Option 1
- Benjamin Pickering Bayfield High School
- Maria Walker-Kinnell Orewa College
- Joshua Williams Western Heights High School
Creative Option 3
- Sneha Datla St Margaret’s College
- Kieva Hanlon St Margaret’s College
- Eassin Wang St Cuthbert’s College
Commended Creative Option 3
- Anouk Chew St Mary’s College
- Leisl Good St Mary’s College
- Grace Howard St Margaret’s College
Honourable Mention
- Juno Ireland St Mary’s College
- Bridget Paton Columba College
Congratulations again to all our finalists! We look forward to seeing you on the evening of Sunday 4 June at St. James Theatre for SGCNZ’s National UOSWSF Competition Prize-Giving and Scene Award Ceremony! A reminder to all friends and family to book tickets now through ticketmaster.co.nz to come and show your support!
SGCNZ Competitions
Let your imaginary forces work…and enter in SGCNZ’s competitions!
In association with SGCNZ’s annual Festivals, there are six nationwide competitions. These are an opportunity to try something new and stretch your creative wings in the fields of art, music and design!
Scroll down for a detailed explanation about each of these competitions or download the entry forms below:
Entry forms for the 2023 competitions
SGCNZ/Dawn Sanders Shakespeare Costume Design Competition Entry Form
SGCNZ/ Morrison Music Trust Shakespeare Music Composition Competition Entry Form
SGCNZ/ Adam Foundation Shakespeare Static Image and Poster Competition Entry Form
SGCNZ/ Adam Foundation Shakespeare Video Title Card Competition Entry Form
SGCNZ/ Ida Gaskin Shakespeare Essay Competition With English At Otago Entry Form
All finalists win monetary prizes, presented at SGCNZ National University of Otago Sheilah Winn Shakespeare Festival Award Ceremony on the Sunday of King’s Birthday weekend at 7.00pm, the opportunity to attend workshops on at the National Festival – and more…! All competitions have NCEA assessable components and Costume and Static Image winners have their work exhibited in the Globe Exhibition in Shakespeare’s Globe, London, for approx 6 weeks. Te Kura, homeschool, and youth community drama group students are also welcome to enter any of these competitions.
All entrants must be a SGCNZ Friend– either personally or through their school or Home School cluster.
“I met a completely different challenge as a musician than as an actor. I had to write to serious deadlines – in some instances being given requests by the directors the morning of the performance! I had to write without the usual computer software with which I compose, having to spin music out of thin air. And I had limited means with which to work – other than the odd multi-talented actor who could sing or play the guitar, I would have to play everything myself, bearing in mind the equipment I could lay my hands on. These factors considered, the task at hand had elements of impossibility streaked all throughout it; but the job simply had to be done. And somehow, I did it. This gave me huge confidence in my personal capabilities as a musician, as I succeeded in my brief .” – Celeste Oram, 2007 Supreme Winner of the Music Composition Competition, who was therefore also selected for SGCNZ National Shakespeare Schools Production as Student Composer.
2017 Competition Finalists on display at Shakespeare’s Globe in London.
SGCNZ Competitions 2021
We had an amazing array of Competition Entries this year – experience them for yourself in this spectacular video by Kelsey of Glass Gecko Films.
So many of the 2021 Competition Finalists joined us in Wellington for the National Festival this year! From participating in Workshops to being inspired by their fellow student’s performances the National Festival is full of exciting opportunities for our Allied Competition students too!
Prizes for the 2021 competitions
The Prize winners were announced on Sunday evening at the Michael Fowler Centre by Hon Grant Robertson, for the full list of winners please click here.
“I got the privilege to act as the Student Costumier for all three plays performed [at NSSP], and although my placement in the group was to construct and design the costumes, the spirit and passion from the team of actors, made me feel comfortable and encouraged to get involved with the acting and performing side of the production workshops. My relationship with the directors blossomed all throughout the week, we all both bounced off each other with ideas and firm creative collaboration was sustained. I loved working with them as they always encouraged my sometimes unusual ideas, and gave me the time to reflect on the development process of the costumes whenever necessary. I was overjoyed with the finished product with all the costume in all plays, I realised all the late nights and scrounging for materials had paid off!” – Duncan Lamont Brown, 2009 SGCNZ/Bernina Shakespeare Costume Design Competition Supreme Winner.
Ministry of Youth Development Survey


We are asking all participants in SGCNZ’s activities – SGCNZ UOSWSF, SGCNZ NSSP, SGCNZ YSC, SGCNZ Dance Nimble Soles, SGCNZ PPWS and Competitions between 12 and 24 years old to complete this survey from the Ministry of Youth Development.
Funding from this source is contingent on us having at least 1500 people respond about their experience of being involved (in whatever way – acting, directing, designing, mentoring, crew, front of house, MCs, Assessors…). From the age range, it is clear that it is not just those still at school.
Any queries about this, please contact Dawn Sanders, dawn@sgcnz.org.nz M: 027 283 6016 P: 04 384 1300
SGCNZ/DAWN SANDERS SHAKESPEARE COSTUME DESIGN COMPETITION
Design for Shakespeare!
A wonderful chance to win a monetary prize and have your costume displayed at Shakespeare’s Globe, London, for 6 weeks as well as in New Zealand. Not only do Juliets, Titanias, Hamlets and Pucks feature amongst the entries for the SGCNZ Shakespeare Costume Design Competition, but there are a growing number of designs for lesser known characters from Shakespeare’s plays, such as Peaseblossom, Doll Tearsheet, Tamora, Timon…
Entries should include concept and development drawings, rationale for your choices and a budget of up to $200. Thanks to our new sponsors Nicole Barker and Tessa Ratcliffe, the limit of expenditure on each costume has been increased. This allows for more creativity.
Our suggestions for costumes include: Mercutio and Tybalt from Romeo & Juliet; Malvolio from Twelfth Night; Falstaff from The Merry Wives of Windsor; Iago and Othello from Othello; Hamlet, Ghost of Hamlet’s Father, Queen Gertrude and King Claudius from Hamlet; Witches from Macbeth; Antony from Antony and Cleopatra; Prospero and Caliban from The Tempest; King Lear from King Lear; Shylock from The Merchant of Venice; Pyramus, Thisbe and Bottom from A Midsummer Night’s Dream; Benedick from Much Ado About Nothing; the queen in Cymbeline; and various kings from the History plays.
The Supreme Winner also has the opportunity of attending SGCNZ’s National Shakespeare Schools Production as the Student Costumier and is eligible for selection as a member of SGCNZ Young Shakespeare Company to represent NZ at the Globe. (Standard fees apply for both.)
With special thanks to Nicole Barker and Tessa Ratcliffe.
Click here to download the 2021 Application Form.
SGCNZ/MORRISON MUSIC TRUST SHAKESPEARE MUSIC COMPOSITION COMPETITION
A chance to compose for Shakespeare, win some money and gain additional great opportunities.
Competitions from classical to rock, solo instruments, duos, trios, choral voices, Sibelius, imaginative music either for use in a Shakespeare play or inspired by a Shakespeare play may be composed by secondary students around the country.
The Supreme Winner also has the opportunity of attending SGCNZ’s National Shakespeare Schools Production as the Student Composer and is eligible for selection as a member of SGCNZ Young Shakespeare Company to represent NZ at the Globe. Standard fees apply for both.
Click here to download the 2021 Application Form.
SGCNZ/ADAM FOUNDATION SHAKESPEARE STATIC IMAGE and POSTER COMPETITIONS
Chances to win money and the exciting opportunity to have your image or poster exhibited in New Zealand and at Shakespeare’s Globe in London.
Create an image which represents any aspect of any of Shakespeare’s plays – let your imagination run free and create an eye-catching design.
If you want to enter in the Poster category, make sure to design a striking image with all performance information needed on a good poster.
Click here to download the 2021 Application Form.

SGCNZ/ADAM FOUNDATION SHAKESPEARE VIDEO TITLE CARD COMPETITION
Chances to win money and the exciting opportunity to have your image exhibited in New Zealand and at Shakespeare’s Globe in London.
The winning video title card design is used for the information page between each performance on the MP4 recording, which is sent out to schools and other recipients nationally and internationally.
Click here to download the 2021 Application Form.
SGCNZ/IDA GASKIN SHAKESPEARE ESSAY COMPETITION – In association with English at Otago
A chance to win a monetary prize and membership of the NZ Society of Authors.
“If Shakespeare has relevance for us it lies in his incomparable understanding of humanity and human relationships. Racism and global warming were of no concern in the 16th century; the position of the stranger was. For this Essay discuss the development of character and the relationship between characters, looking at the play as an artistic whole and using quotations intelligently. Make it a personal response to the play as a whole.” – Dr Ida Gaskin
Essays should be written in formal style and deal with such topics as theme, language, imagery, and characterisation. Length – minimum of 300 words.
Click here to download the 2021 Application Form.
Past Competition Winners Lists
View the list of SGCNZ Competition Winners for 2020
View the list of SGCNZ Competition Winners for 2019
View the list of SGCNZ Competition Winners for 2018
View the list of SGCNZ Competition Winners for 2017
View the list of SGCNZ Competition Winners for 2016
View the list of SGCNZ Competition Winners for 2015
View the list of SGCNZ Competition Finalists for 2015
View the list of SGCNZ Competition Winners for 2014
View the list of SGCNZ Competition Finalists for 2014
View the list of SGCNZ Competition Winners for 2013