WINNERS ANNOUNCED
Thank you to all the students across Australia who auditioned for the 2025 John Bell Scholarship. Bell Shakespeare artists auditioned students from around the country, working with each student on their chosen Shakespeare monologue, via online and in-person auditions.
From a national shortlist of 15 students, four winners have now been selected. The judging panel included Founding Artistic Director John Bell and Artistic Director Peter Evans.
We are thrilled to announce the four winners of the 2025 John Bell Scholarship:
2025 John Bell Scholarship winners
Rori Doherty, Tomaree High School, Salamander Bay NSW
Wajanoah Donohoe, Narrabundah College ACT
Angus O'Farrell, Alice Miller School, Macedon VIC
Safiah Sawal, Kildare College, Wagga Wagga NSW
Rori, Wajanoah, Angus and Safiah will join us at Bell Shakespeare HQ at Pier 2/3 Walsh Bay in January 2026, for one week of training and mentoring during rehearsals for Julius Caesar.
Thank you to our generous donors for making the national audition tour and winners’ week possible.
Congratulations again to the 2025 shortlist:
Carla Chipperfield, John XXIII College, Mount Claremont WA
Geordie English, Marist College, Pearce ACT
Cooper Hamlin, Noosa District State High School QLD
Izzy Harrod Speight, Castlemaine Secondary College VIC
Isla Heather, Murray High School, Lavington NSW
Thomas Hunter, Trinity Catholic College, Lismore NSW
Abbie Lucas, Sunshine Beach State High School QLD
Jade Pratt, Mulwaree High School, Goulburn NSW
Jamilah Sawal, Kildare College, Wagga Wagga NSW
Thomas Wilkinson, The Hutchins School, Sandy Bay TAS
Joshua Wolfson, Trinity Catholic College, Adamstown NSW
It was an amazing experience and it honestly has opened up so much more opportunity for me in the future.