August Wilson Monologue Competition National Finals Held At August Wilson Theater 5/3

Kenny Leon's True Colors Theatre Company and Jujamcyn Theaters will present the fourth annual August Wilson Monologue Competition National finals Monday, May 3 at Broadway's August Wilson Theatre (245 W. 52nd Street). The finals will feature performances of monologues from August Wilson's Century Cycle by twelve regional finalists from Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Chicago and New York. The evening will also include performances by Blues musician Guy Davis (Finian's Rainbow), Chris Chalk (Fences), LaTanya Richardson (Joe Turner's Come and Gone), Keith Randolph Smith (Fences, King Hedley II), Heather Alicia Simms (Gem of the Ocean, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom) and Ruben Santiago-Hudson (Gem of the Ocean, Tony Award winner for Seven Guitars). This event is free and open to the public.

To compete in the August Wilson Monologue Competition, high school students grades 10-12 were asked to perform a 2-3 minute monologue of their choice from one of the ten plays in August Wilson's Century Cycle. Regional competitions took place earlier this year in Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Chicago and New York, where contestants were judged by a panel of celebrity judges. The final competition will be judged by playwright ReGina Taylor (Crowns and Drowning Crow), costume designer Constanza Romero (Fences, Gem of the Ocean, Seven Guitars, The Piano Lesson), and actors Russell Hornsby (Fences, Jitney) and Mykelti Williamson (Fences, "Forrest Gump," "24").

Monday, May 3, 2010
Broadway's August Wilson Theatre (245 W. 52nd Street).