Members of Purnell's acting troupe, Adlibbers, participated in the first ever ShakesperienceNJ, a high school drama festival sponsored jointly by The Folger Library of Shakespeare, Rider University and The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey. On April 26, 2007 Students performed along with six other northern New Jersey schools in a day of Shakespeare scenes and cuttings at Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey's Kirby Theatre in Madison, on the campus of Drew University. Michele Tirondola ('09) and Gabrielle Thomas ('09) performed a scene from Romeo and Juliet while Justine Haus ('08) and Beth Schoenknecht ('09) did a scene from Othello. Directed by English Department Chair Heather Clarkson, Purnell's scenes were honored with many accolades. Most impressively, among a pool of very talented student actors, Michele Tirondola was honored with only one of five "Excellence in Acting" awards for her "wonderfully impetuous and impatient" Juliet. Speaking of Gabrielle Thomas' portrayal of Juliet's Nurse, the evaluators (professional actors from the metropolitan area) were "impressed with her ability to make the language her own" and to be so relaxed in the scene. She was honored with a "Let the Language Live In Your Skin" award. Evaluators also honored Schoenknecht and Haus' portrayal of Desdemona and Emilia with a "World Weary Award" remarking that they were "thoroughly surprised by the pair's maturity, as well as their strong sense of place and relationship in a very difficult scene." Purnell's performers were accompanied by their stage manager, Ari Wagaman and their own Adlibbers "Groundlings" cheering them on: Grace Jenkins, Shira Degani, Paige Reeth and chaperone, Leslie Patient.