Hosted by True Colors Theatre Company artistic director and Tony winner Kenny Leon, the National August Wilson Monologue Competition anointed three deserving young winners May 2.
High schoolers Ireon Roach from Chicago and Damaris Vizvett from Los Angeles took first and second place, respectively, for their renditions of monologues by the late August Wilson. Honorable mention went to DaMya Gurley of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Two finalists from each participating American city—Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Greensboro, Los Angeles, New York City, Pittsburgh, and Seattle—performed at New York City’s August Wilson Theatre after moving on from their local and state levels. The national round May 2 took place in front of a panel of judges comprised of Obie and Tony Award winner John Earl Jelks (“Holler If Ya Hear Me”), Obie and Lucille Lortel Award winner Roslyn Ruff (“The Help”), actor-writer-director Ruben Santiago-Hudson (“Stick-fly”), Jujamcyn Theater’s Senior Vice President Jack Viertel, and BET Humanitarian Award winner Pauletta Washington.
The competition, produced in collaboration between True Colors and Jujamcyn Theaters, has been introducing high school students across America to Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning work since 2007. This year’s three winners received cash prizes of $3000, $2000, and $1000, as well as several college scholarship opportunities. All finalists were afforded the opportunity to see two Broadway hits, “Hamilton” and “The Color Purple,” and collaborated with Leon and dramaturg Todd Kreidler, both of whom worked with Wilson himself.
Take note, high school thespians! The application deadline for entering next year’s competition will be in January 2017. For more information, visit the website for Atlanta’s True Colors Theatre Company.
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