Winners Announced for 10th Annual August Wilson Monologue Competition
By: Julie Musbach May. 08, 2018
True Colors Theatre Company (Kenny Leon, Co-Founding Artistic Director) and Jujamcyn Theaters (Jordan Roth, President) are proud to announce the winners of the 10th Annual August Wilson Monologue Competition that was held last night, on Monday, May 7th at 7:00 p.m. at the August Wilson Theatre (245 West 52nd Street). In first place, Gerardo Navarro from Los Angeles, in second place, Nia Sarfo from Chicago, and third place went to Teslyne Junior from New York City.
The evening was hosted by Tony Award Winner Kenny Leon with special musical guest Guy Davis. Tony nominee Lauren Ridloff and Joshua Jackson from Children of a Lesser God also made an appearance to congratulate the student competitors. The panel of celebrity judges included: Kamilah Forbes (Executive Producer, The Apollo Theater), David Gallo (Tony Award-winning set designer), Michael Potts (Jitney, The Book of Mormon), Roslyn Ruff (X: Or, Betty Shabazz v. The Nation, All The Way) and Pauletta Washington (Beloved). The semifinals were judged by Shariffa Ali (Detroit '67), Nehassaiu deGannes (Is God Is) and Russell Hornsby (Fences).
The event featured high school students from Atlanta, Georgia; Boston, Massachusetts; Buffalo, New York; Chicago, Illinois; Dallas, Texas; Los Angeles, California; New Haven, Connecticut; New York, New York; Greensboro, North Carolina; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Portland, Oregon; and Seattle, Washington performing monologues by the late, legendary American playwright.
The top three contestants from the national competition received monetary awards. The first place winner received a $3000 cash prize, the runner-up a $2000 cash prize and third place a $1000 cash prize. Each of the winners will also become eligible for college scholarship opportunities and all finalists receive the gift of TCG's Century Cycle collection.
Founded in 2007, the Annual August Wilson Monologue Competition aims to expose a new generation of creative minds to the life's work and artistic legacy of this seminal American playwright. Program participants in cities across the country encountered Wilson's ten-play cycle and received coaching from teaching artists as they prepared their monologues for local, city-wide and national competitions.
Among those who have previously lent their support as performers, judges and guests are Phylicia Rashad, Russell Hornsby, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Scott Rudin, Guy Davis, Lynn Nottage, Lynda Gravatt, Keith Randolph Smith, Tamara Tunie, Katori Hall, Maurice Hines, Roslyn Ruff, Crystal Dickinson, Brandon J. Dirden, Chris Chalk, LaTanya Richardson, Heather Alicia Simms, Pauletta Washington, and Mykelti Williamson, among others. In the past, students have had the opportunity to spend time with other prominent Broadway performers over the course of the weekend, including Denzel Washington and Daniel Radcliffe.
This year's competition afforded students from these cities around the country the opportunity to attend two Broadway shows Once on This Island, featuring competition alumHayley Kilgore, and Children of a Lesser God, work closely with one of Wilson's closest collaborators: director Kenny Leon, and explore popular Manhattan attractions before making their Broadway stage debuts. The two finalists from each regional city competed on the August Wilson Stage on Monday evening, May 7th.
The Monologue Competition is also featured in "The Start of Dreams", a documentary directed by The Horne Brothers. Featuring A-list actors like Denzel Washington, Samuel L. Jackson and Phylicia Rashad, "The Start of Dreams" is packed with Hollywood's elite weighing in on this important art form and what it means to the United States. The documentary has been screened at 9 festivals across the country including the Atlanta Film Festival, the Pan-African Film Festival in Los Angeles, and the UrbanWorld Festival in New York. A trailer for the film is available at the link listed below.
The national August Wilson Monologue Competition is presented by Delta Air Lines and Aetna.
ABOUT True Colors Theatre COMPANY
True Colors Theatre Company is based in Atlanta, GA and lead by Artistic Director Kenny Leon, and Managing Director Chandra Stephens-Albright. True Colors' mission is grounded and centered in the rich canon of African American classics with a strong commitment to diverse new voices. True Colors strives to be an important voice in the American discussion of diversity including plays and playwrights from various times, cultures and perspectives. True Colors' next show is Dot by Colman Domingo opening in Atlanta in July 2018.
ABOUT Jujamcyn Theaters
Jujamcyn Theaters (Jordan Roth, President) is recognized as a theatrical innovator for championing shows that push the boundaries of Broadway and for creating uniquely welcoming experiences for audiences and artists. Jujamcyn's five Broadway theatres are the St. James, Al Hirschfeld, August Wilson, Eugene O'Neill, and Walter Kerr where current productions include the Tony Award-winning Best Musicals The Book of Mormon and Kinky Boots as well as Springsteen on Broadway, Frozen and Mean Girls. Jujamcyn's proud legacy includes Jersey Boys, The Producers, Spring Awakening, Hair, Fela!, A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, six plays by August Wilson, and the original Broadway production and revival of Angels in America.
For more information, visit
Photo: Winners of the 2018 August Wilson Monologue Competion Gerardo Navarro, Nia Sarfo and Teslyne Junior - photo by Gustavo Monroy
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