New Netflix Documentary GIVING VOICE Chronicles the August Wilson Monologue Competition
By: A.A. Cristi Jun. 19, 2020
Netflix has announced a new documentary chronicling the journey of six high school theatre students as they participate in the annual August Wilson Monologue Competition.
The film, titled Giving Voice is directed by James D. Stern and Fernando Villena. It is the winner of the 2020 Sundance Film Festival Audience Choice Award.
The film will begin streaming later this year and features an original song, "Never Break" performed by Oscar-winning recording star John Legend and co-written by Legend, Nasri Atweh, Benjamin Hudson McIldowie, and Greg Wells.
The August Wilson Monologue Competition is a national program presented by Kenny Leon's True Colors Theatre Company and Jujamcyn Theaters and hosted in cities throughout the country, including Atlanta; Boston; Buffalo, New York; Chicago; Dallas; Greensboro, North Carolina; Los Angeles; New Haven, Connecticut; New York; Norfolk, Virginia; Pittsburgh; Portland, Oregon; San Diego; and Seattle.
More than a contest, the August Wilson Monologue Competition is an educational journey that includes workshops with teaching artists where students hone their acting and storytelling skills, auditions where theatre professionals offer feedback to all participants, and an introduction to August Wilson and The American Century Cycle.
Photo by Ryan Miller/Capture Imaging
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