'All the World’s a Stage' for Portsmouth High School Senior Jeff Blanchette

If one had to describe Jeff Blanchette in two Shakespeare quotes, they may be: "if music be the food of life, play on" or "all the world’s a stage."

Blanchette, a senior at , is on top of the world after winning the Rhode Island Shakespeare Championship this past Sunday at the Laurel Mead Retirement Center in Providence.

He competed against 21 other Rhode Island High School students, the largest number of students yet for the competition.

To win, Blanchette had to memorize and recite 20 lines from a Shakespeare play and read a complete sonnet. The play could either be a comedy or drama.

He decided on the part of Sir John Falstaff as he appears in the play "The Merry Wives of Windsor."

The sonnet he selected was number 30.

“Sonnet 30 talks about what could have happened and that bad things don’t seem so bad after all,” he said.

Blanchette now gets to travel to New York City on May 2 and face 60 others in this competition, which is sponsored by the English Speaking Union.

It has only been a relative short time since he became so passionate for the arts. However, in that short time he has done a lot of work.

“I took an elective class in my freshman year called 'Theater Arts' and I fell in love with it. So far, I’ve done eight shows. The one I’m in now is called 'The Music Man.' I also co-directed 'Harvey,'” said Blanchette.

His two favorite plays he acted in were "The Boys Next Store" and "12 Angry Jurors."

“I enjoy acting in plays because it makes people see what they don’t want to see, how they behave. If a show can change one’s outlook on life, then we made a difference,” he said.

An example of this is when Blanchette acted in the play called "The Laramie Project." The play is a about a young man from Texas, who was tortured and killed for being gay. The play was performed at the school recently.

“There were people crying after the play. You knew we did something special,” he said.

But, plays aren’t the only thing Blanchette has on his plate.

“I’m in the jazz ensemble, the concert choir and the marching band. I’m also a teen black belt at here in Portsmouth. I stay very busy,” he said as he sat to rest after rehearsing for "The Music Man." 

“My inspiration and idol is Johnny Depp. I saw him in the pirate movies and 'Sweeney Todd.' I knew I wanted to be like him. You can be different, not go with the crowd and people will love you for it,” he said.

Blanchette isn’t the only one in his family who has talent. His younger sister, Laura, won at the All State competition for performing on clarinet two years in a row.

As for his long term goals, he has a firm idea of what they are.

“I know it’s a cliché, but I want to be a movie star and an actor. But, not all movie stars are actors,” said Blanchette. “But, what I really want to do before I die is sing in a Broadway play. That’s my biggest dream."