"Proud to be a Filipina!"
Isang 17 taong gulang na Pilipinang mag-aaral ang itinanghal na champion sa ginanap na "Shakespeare Competition" ng The English-Speaking Union Kansas City Branch sa Amerika noong Pebrero 19, 2023, na siyang aalagwa naman sa National Competition sa Abril 24, 2023, na isasagawa naman sa Lincoln Center, New York City.
Si Pierre Beatrix Madlangbayan, isang junior high school student mula sa Garden City High School, Garden City, Kansas, ay nagwaging kampeon laban sa mga katunggaling mag-aaral sa iba't ibang high school sa Kansas. Ginanap ang branch competition sa Kansas City Public Library's Truman Auditorium na nilahukan ng halos 100 mag-aaral sa preliminary competitions, hanggang sa maging 11, at mapili ang tatlo.
"Max Markovich, a junior from Paola High School, Paola, Kansas, earned second place, and Alyssa Maas, a sophomore from Salina Central High School, Salina, Kansas, was awarded third place in the ESU Kansas City Branch Competition," saad sa anunsyo ng Facebook page ng English-Speaking Union Kansas City Branch.
Naglaban-laban ang mga kalahok sa kanilang piniling Shakespearean monologue at recited sonnet. Pinahanga ni Madlangbayan ang mga hurado sa kaniyang monologo ng karakter ni "Mark Antony" mula sa dulang "Julius Caesar," gayundin ang pagbigkas sa napiling soneto.
Nagsilbing hurado sa isinagawang branch competition sina Sidonie Garrett, Executive Artistic Director ng Heart of America Shakespeare Festival, Melinda McCreary, Director of Education and Community Programs ng Kansas City Repertory Theatre, at Mark Robbins, isang professional actor at direktor.
Bilang kampeon ng branch competition, naiuwi ni Madlangbayan ang first-place prize package na binubuo ng tsekeng $150, a full scholarship sa Shakespeare Exploration Camp na handog ng Heart of America Shakespeare Festival, isang certificate of appreciation, at isang engraved First Place Medallion. All-expense paid na rin ang kaniyang pagtungo sa New York para sa National Competition.
Mag-uuwi ng scholarship para sa British American Drama Academy Mid-Summer Conservatory Program ang magiging kampeon ng National Competition. Scholarship para sa American Shakespeare Center Theatre Camp ang makukuha ng 2nd place winner, at $1000 naman para sa 3rd place.
May mensahe naman ang ina ni Madlangbayan na si "Mimi Dabajo," na isang Science teacher, para sa kaniyang anak, ayon sa eksklusibong panayam ng Balita.
"May she continue to improve her craft and hone her God given skills and talents. She was blessed with excellent teachers, coaches and mentors, who have inspired and trained her well, I hope that she will be able to pay it forward in the future."
"Good luck in all your upcoming competitions! Make our beloved Philippines proud!!!!" aniya.
Congrats at goodluck, Pierre Beatrix! Itayo ang bandila ng Pilipinas!