Tauranga Boys College student actors have won an award at the Sheilah Winn Shakespeare Festival held in Wellington over the long weekend.

'There's no first or second place per se,” says teacher Andrew McKenzie. 'What it really is, is kind of a selection process for a bunch of students that go to the next stage

Brad Hemmingway, Rafael Ortiz, Peter Burman, Adam Scott, Lachlan Crane, Eden Smith, Liam Hansen, and Jake Seeley's take on the first scene of The Tempest.Photo, Bruce Barnard.

'They take 23 students out of the festival, and we don't find out until a week away.”

The boys earned their spot at the national stage by winning won the regional competition with a 15 minute scene from Shakespeare's play, The Tempest.

In Wellington the judges awarded Peter Burman an award for best supporting role, playing Miranda.

'He was extremely pleased to get that,” says Andrew. 'There's all kind of awards; most co-operative school, most polite student - to things like outstanding actor, best presentation of a comedy, most though provoking performance. You take what you can get.”

The students have to perform five and 15 minute scenes from a Shakespeare play, set in any time place or dress, but in Shakespeare's words.

There were 46 performances over the weekend at Wellington College and Wellington East Girls College, says Andrew.