Bishop Arts Theatre Presents THE MONOLOGUE PROJECT Workshop and Performance Series

Bishop Arts Theatre Center (BATC) partners with Pittsburgh artist Gab Cody to offer four online monologue-writing workshops led by nationally recognized writers France-Luce Benson, Pia Wilson, Stacey Rose and Amy Evans culminating in a public performance on Zoom. The Monologue Project (TMP), a free online resource on BATC website, aims to increase the number of audition-length monologues written specifically for Women of the African Diaspora. Over (30) playwrights across the country have contributed to TMP including notably Dominique Morrisseau, Chisa Hutchinson and Dave Harris. Gab Cody launched TMP in Pittsburgh in 2016 and Bishop Arts Theatre presented the work in 2017 in Dallas. In 2018, Cody and BATC Executive Artistic Director, Teresa Coleman Wash, co-produced the work in New York during the Dramatists Guild of America national convention. TMP workshop series presents a two-stage offering this 2020 - 2021 season centering high school and college students of color, with generous support from the Dramatists Guild Foundation. At the conclusion of the workshops, a selected group of monologues will be performed directed by Ashland New Play Festival and Carnegie Mellon University's Kyle Haden. The schedule is as follows:

FranceLuce Benson - October 17

Pia Wilson - November 14

Stacy Rose - December 12

Amy Evans - January 16

Culminating Performance - February 8 (VIRTUAL)

A recent survey from Active Minds, a mental health nonprofit, found that 80 percent of the high school and college students surveyed are having difficulty concentrating. Nearly half are facing financial challenges with unemployment, financial aid, and successful distance learning.

"In our community and around the country, Black, Latino, Native American and low-income communities are dealing with an uneven share of new burdens and financial pressures due to the coronavirus. We endeavor to give these students a sense of purpose and hope. We targeting students of color but all we welcome." Wash comments.

Cody shares, "We are here to connect young actors with those playwrights who are writing stories that speak to them. The Monologue Project is about access, representation and the opportunity for Women of the African Diaspora to play characters that express the broad range of human experience."

To further contextualize the mission, in 2015, only 20.3% of plays produced across the United States were written by playwrights who identified as female, non-binary, or third gender. In addition, only 10.2% of plays produced were written by playwrights of color.

Now, thanks to research conducted by the Dramatists Guild of America in their publication, The Count 2.0, we can see that the number of produced plays written by playwrights of color is increasing. Looking at data from the 2016-2017 season, the number of plays written by playwrights who identified as female, non-binary, or third gender has increased to 28.8%. The number of plays produced that were written by playwrights of color has grown to 15.1%. It's a comforting thought to know that more stories celebrating, embracing, and highlighting people of color are getting noticed, produced, and seen, but the work shouldn't stop there. There's so much more to be done, and we are endeavoring to address such challenges.

Ticketing Information

A selection of monologues will be performed during the culminating showcase on February 8, 2021 via Zoom. Limited tickets are available for $5 and on a first-come, first-serve basis. For registration and tickets to the culminating performance, visit https://bishopartstheatre.org/the-monologue-project-workshops/.

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