All last week some 1,000 hopeful thespians strutted their stuff before relays of judges in the Pittsburgh Public Theater's 17th Shakespeare Monologue & Scene Contest.

After the numbers were crunched, the following 45 were chosen to appear in the finals, 7 p.m. Monday, at the O'Reilly Theatre, Downtown.

Admission to the finals is free. For information, call 412-316-1600.

Elfonzo Williams (Langley), Antony, "Julius Caesar"; Chalisse Monroe (Lincoln Park Performing Arts), Joan of Arc, "Henry VI"; Laura McCarthy (North Allegheny), Joan of Arc, "Henry VI"; Adair Creach (North Allegheny), Rosalind, "As You Like It"; Isaac Miller (Lincoln Park), Mercutio, "Romeo and Juliet"; Samantha Bigley (Pine-Richland), Juliet, "Romeo and Juliet"; Catherine Baird (North Allegheny Intermediate), Jailer's Daughter, "Two Noble Kinsman"; Maya Quezada-Szejk (CAPA), Emilia, "Othello"; Emily Kolb (CAPA), Hermione, "Winter's Tale"; Shoshana Canali (CAPA), Margaret, "Henry VI"; Kirsten Hoover (North Hills), Lady Anne. "Richard III."

Nathaniel Brodsky, Katrin Bovbjerg, Benjamin Chait, DeVaughn Robinson, Nathan Siegel and Grace Elizabeth Hamilton-Vargo (Winchester Thurston) from "Midsummer Night's Dream"; Maria Ignelzi, Elizabeth Phillips and Meg Boyd (Aquinas Academy) from "Henry V"; Micah Carleton, Chris Tyson, Andy Guthrie, Josh Bostanic and Jason Michalenko (Beaver County Christian) from "Henry IV, Part 1"; Simon Brown and Susan Francino (Seneca Valley) from "Richard III"; Marissa Dever, Aubrey Plane and Matt Malloy (Beaver Area) from "Comedy of Errors."

Sam Gardner (Hope Academy}, Launce, "Two Gentleman of Verona"; Emily Bassett (Winchester Thurston), Phebe, "As You Like It"; Peter Wyeth (Carson Middle School), Trinculo, "Tempest"; Ben Nadler (Fort Couch Middle School), Jacques, "As You Like It"; Charlotte Bush (Hope Academy), Hermia, "Midsummer Night's Dream."

Dominic Skeele and Emily Appel (Slippery Rock Area Elementary) from "Pericles"; Natalie Urban, Christine Mellick and Allie Ryave (Boyce Middle School) from "Macbeth"; Molly Scavo and Micah Ruppert (Penn Hills Homeschoolers) from "Midsummer"; Josh LaMay, Andrew LaMay and Byron Spear (Blackburn Study Center), "Merchant of Venice."

First Published: February 13, 2011, 5:00 a.m.