True Colors Theatre To Hold NEXT NARRATIVE MONOLOGUE COMPETITION Atlanta Regional Finals

True Colors Theatre Company will hold the 2026 Atlanta Regional Next Narrative Monologue Competition (NNMC) finals on March 16 at 7:00 p.m. at the Southwest Arts Center in the City of South Fulton, Georgia.

Sixteen metro Atlanta high school students will compete for $1,200 in scholarship prizes in the event, which marks the fifth anniversary of the competition. Since launching in 2021, the program has served more than 300 students using original monologues commissioned specifically for NNMC from 31 contemporary Black playwrights.

The top two finalists from the Atlanta competition will advance to the national NNMC finals, scheduled for May 4 at the Victoria Theatre at the Historic Apollo Theatre in New York City.

2026 Atlanta Regional Finalists

The finalists represent several metro Atlanta high schools, including DeKalb School of the Arts, Utopian Academy for the Arts, Martha Ellen Stillwell School of the Arts, Tri-Cities High School, Maynard Jackson High School, and New Manchester High School.

Students competing in the finals include Drew Lewis, Gabriella Quezada, Elijah Ghant, Naomi Payton, Jalynn Ellis, Tai’lor Hutchinson, Jayden Gladmon, Samuel Barnes, Kalin Clark, Kristinah Perry, Aliyah Brailsford, Demi Melancon, Noah Mitchell, Olivia Warner, River Kearse, and Mikayla Rousseau.

Event Information

The Atlanta Regional Next Narrative Monologue Competition Finals will take place at 7:00 p.m. on March 16 at the Southwest Arts Center in the City of South Fulton, Georgia.