Eboni Pearson’s third period Advanced Theatre Arts class performed an abridged version of William Shakespeare’s Antony & Cleopatra, March 4 at the Folger’s Shakespeare Library in Washington D.C.

Six students received awards for their acting.

Participants of the festival included schools such as Jeb Stewart and Capitol Hill, representing the Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia.

“The kids chose this play”, Pearson said, to her delight.

The leading roles of the play, Marc Antony and Cleopatra, were played by Brian Maloney and Emily Whitestone.

“Rehearsal is basically every class period,” Maloney said. He also added that all actors were making their costumes from scratch.

Liam Brennan, who played Julius Caesar’s adopted son, Octavius, the future emperor to Rome, summarized what the play was about.

He explained that the play is about the relationship of Marc Antony from Rome and Cleopatra from Egypt.

The play also features characters like Octavia, Brennan’s sister on stage.

He explained that they read off their scripts when they rehearsed, but at the show in March had memorized their lines.

Brennan said the students did rehearsal every day, but started off focusing on costumes.

“I [wore] a metal breastplate and a cape,” he said.

The actors started their rehearsal by first organizing themselves in their positions.

Then, they said their lines, and tried to put some feeling into it.

Maia Hollien who played the Soothsayer, a fortune teller, warns the audience in the play that Octavius’s fortune would always be betters than that of Marc Antony.

Maia used the Sybil of Delphi as an inspiration while researching for her part.

The actors found historical figures to help them understand the culture of the play and more about their roles.