Photo Coverage: Kenny Leon & Denzel Washington Visit August Wilson Monologue Competition
By: Genevieve Rafter Keddy May. 06, 2014
Just last night, high school students from Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Pittsburgh, and Seattle performed monologues by the legendary American playwright August Wilson as a part of the 6th Annual August Wilson Monologue Competition. Emceed by Kenny Leon (True Colors Theatre Co-Founding Artistic Director), the event was judged by Pauletta Washington, Stephen McKinley Henderson, David Cromer, James A. Williams and Narda E. Alcorn, with a special performance from the upcoming Broadway Tupac Shakur musical Holler If Ya Hear Me including cast members Saul Williams, Christopher Jackson, and Ben Thompson.
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 encounter Wilson's ten-play cycle and receive coaching from teaching artists as they prepare their monologues for local, city-wide and national competitions.
The top three contestants from the national competition will receive monetary awards. The first place winner will receive a $1000 cash prize, the runner-up a $500 cash prize and the honorable mention a $250 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.
Photo Credit: Genevieve Rafter Keddy
Saul Williams and Ben Thompson
Ben Thompson, Saul Williams and Christopher Jackson
Patty Ornst of Delta Airlies
Hilda Wills
Kenny Leon and Hilda Wills presenting the 16 finalists-Alexander Albritton, Alexis Baldridge, Chantelle Charles, Tigona Davy, Jonah Gould, Atiauna Grant, Ashley Herbert, Trinidad Ramikissoon, Taylor Salter, Candace Spates, Lauren Steele, Mykeala Sterris, Josiah Townsend, ShaQjuan Linwood Tyler, Robert Upton and Lawrence White
Mykeala Sterris
Candace Spates
Taylor Salter
Ashley Herbert
Josiah Townsend
Trinidad Ramkissoon
Alexander Albrittion
ShaQjuan Linwood Tyler
Alexis Baldridge
Atiauna Grant
Kenny Leon having Mykaela Sterris and Lawrence White list all the plays of August Wilson
Chantelle Charles
Tigona Davy
Jonah Gould
Lauren Steele
The 8 Semi Finalists-Kaya Camp, Dinia Clairveaux, Shawndasia Collins, Jazzy Ducay, Sekai Edwards, Shea Glover, Tianna Newkirk and Leaf Rickard
The 8 Semi Finalists-Kaya Camp, Dinia Clairveaux, Shawndasia Collins, Jazzy Ducay, Sekai Edwards, Shea Glover, Tianna Newkirk and Leaf Rickard
Saul Williams, Ben Johnson and Christopher Jackson
Saul Williams, Ben Johnson and Christopher Jackson
Denzel Washington surprised the contestants with a visit
Denzel Washington, Saul Williams Ben Thompson, Kenny Leon Hilda Wills, Patty Ornst the judges-Narda E. Alcorn, David Cromer, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Pauletta Washington and James A Williams with all the finalists and semi finalists Alexander Albritton, Alexis Baldridge, Chantelle Charles, Tigona Davy, Jonah Gould, Atiauna Grant, Ashley Herbert, Trinidad Ramikissoon, Taylor Salter, Candace Spates, Lauren Steele, Mykeala Sterris, Josiah Townsend, ShaQjuan Linwood Tyler, Robert Upton and Lawrence White, Kaya Camp, Dinia Clairveaux, Shawndasia Collins, Jazzy Ducay, Sekai Edwards, Shea Glover, Tianna Newkirk and Leaf Rickard
The winners-Atiauna Grant, Ashley Herbert and Robert Upton with the judges-Narda E. Alcorn, David Cromer, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Pauletta Washington and James A Williams and Saul Williams, Ben Thompson, Christopher Jackson and Denzel Washington
Kenny Leon, Denzel Washington, Saul Williams, Christopher Jackson and Ben Thompson
Saul Williams, Christopher Jackson and Ben Thompson
Saul Williams, Christopher Jackson and Ben Thompson
Kenny Leon, Denzel Washington, Saul Williams, Christopher Jackson and Ben Thompson
Kenny Leon, Denzel Washington, Saul Williams, Christopher Jackson and Ben Thompson
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