AUGUST IN AUGUST Festival to Honor Black Theatre in Los Angeles
Starletta DuPois and Russell Andrews join the Los Angeles festival honoring playwright August Wilson's legacy.
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The Black Creators Collective and Oshana Arts, in association with Outside In Theatre, has announced the return of its Fourth Annual August in August Celebration of Black Theatre, a vibrant celebration honoring the life, artistry, and enduring cultural legacy of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright August Wilson.
The weekend-long event has become one of Los Angeles' most anticipated celebrations of Black theatre, bringing together acclaimed artists, emerging talent, educators, students, and audiences for an inspiring weekend dedicated to storytelling, community, and artistic excellence.
Since its inception, August in August has grown steadily in both attendance and reputation, earning praise for its exceptional programming, outstanding performances, and unwavering commitment to preserving one of America's greatest literary voices. Each year, the festival has welcomed audiences eager to experience Wilson's work in fresh and meaningful ways while creating opportunities for the next generation of artists to discover his extraordinary legacy.
This year's festival features acclaimed actress Starletta DuPois as its distinguished guest artist. A celebrated stage, film, and television performer whose career spans more than five decades, DuPois originated the role of Berniece in the world premiere of August Wilson's The Piano Lesson, helping introduce one of Wilson's most celebrated works to American theatre. Her remarkable body of work includes performances in The Mighty Gents, Having Our Say, and numerous television and film credits. Throughout her career, DuPois has been recognized not only for her extraordinary artistry but also for her dedication to mentoring young performers and championing authentic Black storytelling.
The festival will also welcome renowned actor, director, and educator Russell Andrews, whose distinguished career has made him one of the foremost interpreters of August Wilson's canon. Andrews has devoted decades to performing, directing, and teaching Wilson's plays, earning admiration for his profound understanding of the playwright's language, humanity, and historical vision. His work continues to inspire artists across the country while helping audiences connect more deeply with Wilson's timeless exploration of the African American experience.
Born in Pittsburgh's historic Hill District in 1945, August Wilson transformed American theatre through his monumental ten-play cycle chronicling Black life across each decade of the twentieth century. Awarded two Pulitzer Prizes for Drama, a Tony Award, and countless other honors, Wilson crafted stories of extraordinary poetic power that gave voice to ordinary people whose lives had too often been absent from the American stage. Works including Fences, Joe Turner's Come and Gone, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, The Piano Lesson, and Radio Golf continue to be produced around the world, affirming Wilson's place among the greatest playwrights in American history. His work reminds us that understanding our history is essential to imagining a more just future.
One of the festival's signature events is its highly anticipated Grown Fo'kes August Wilson Monologue Competition, which has become a showcase for some of Southern California's most gifted emerging actors, takes on an even deeper significance:
This year, in place of the competition, Oshana Arts proudly presents the Monologue Slam Honoring Russell Andrews-a moving celebration of an artist whose dedication to August Wilson's work has inspired generations of actors, directors, and audiences.
Recently, Mr. Andrews courageously shared his diagnosis with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). In the face of this life-changing challenge, his commitment to theatre, education, and the artistic community remains unwavering. The festival is honored to dedicate this year's signature performance event to celebrating his extraordinary legacy while standing alongside him in support.
A thoughtfully curated ensemble of ten exceptional performers from across Southern California will present monologues drawn from the August Wilson plays that have defined Russell Andrews' illustrious career. Each performance serves not only as a tribute to Andrews' remarkable body of work but also as a testament to the enduring power of Wilson's words and the artists who continue to carry them forward.
The Monologue Slam is both a celebration and a call to action. Proceeds from the event will directly support Russell Andrews and contribute to ALS research, transforming an evening of extraordinary theatre into an opportunity for the community to give back to an artist who has given so much of himself to the stage.
Continuing the festival's commitment to nurturing artists at every stage of their journey, the evening will also include five open mic performance opportunities. Audience members will have the chance to sign up and step into August Wilson's world by performing a monologue of their own, creating a unique space where established professionals and emerging artists stand together in celebration of storytelling, courage, and community.
'More than a performance, this Monologue Slam embodies the very spirit of August in August-a gathering where art becomes an expression of love, remembrance, generosity, and hope. It reminds us that theatre is not simply something we watch; it is a community we build together, especially in moments when one of our own needs us most.'--Kamal Bolden of Oshana Arts
Beyond the performances, August in August has become a powerful community gathering. Families, students, theatre professionals, educators, and first-time patrons come together not simply to watch theatre but to engage in conversations about history, identity, resilience, and the transformative power of art. The festival creates meaningful connections across generations, reminding audiences that Wilson's stories continue to illuminate contemporary conversations about race, family, opportunity, and belonging.
By introducing young people to Wilson's plays and providing opportunities for artists to perform, study, and celebrate his work, August in August is helping ensure that his legacy remains vibrant for generations to come. 'In an era when arts education and literary engagement face increasing challenges, festivals like August in August play an essential role in preserving America's cultural heritage while inspiring future playwrights, actors, directors, and audiences.' -Jessica Williams of The Black Creators Collective
Community arts festivals are more than cultural events-they are investments in civic life. They strengthen neighborhoods, encourage literacy through dramatic literature, foster empathy through storytelling, and create spaces where diverse voices can be heard and celebrated. August Wilson understood that stories have the power to affirm our humanity, and festivals dedicated to his work continue that mission by bringing people together through shared artistic experience.
"The stories of August Wilson belong to everyone," said Mildred Langford of Black Creators Collective. "Our mission is not only to celebrate one of America's greatest playwrights but to ensure that young people continue to encounter his words, recognize themselves within his characters, and discover the transformative power of theatre.' Erron Jay of Oshana Arts adds, 'Every year this celebration reminds us that art builds community, preserves history, and inspires hope."
This year's celebration also marks an exciting new chapter with its move to a remarkable new theatrical home: Outside In Theatre. Partnering with a theatre whose values mirror the very spirit of August in August: a commitment to artistic excellence, community engagement, and creating space for bold, meaningful storytelling ensures the continued growth of the event while inviting new audiences into the work.
Nestled in Highland Park, one of Los Angeles' most vibrant and diverse neighborhoods, the theatre has welcomed the celebration with open arms. From the moment the partnership began, its leadership and staff embraced the vision of August in August with enthusiasm, generosity, and genuine collaboration. Their warmth, creativity, and fresh ideas have made this year's celebration stronger in every way, demonstrating what is possible when organizations unite around a shared belief in the transformative power of the arts.
More than simply providing a stage, Outside In has become a true collaborator-one that understands the importance of preserving Black theatrical traditions while creating opportunities for new voices to flourish. Together, August in August and Outside In Theatre are laying the foundation for a celebration that can continue to grow in ambition, impact, and reach for years to come.
As August in August enters its fourth year, this partnership signals an exciting future. With a welcoming artistic home, an engaged community, and a shared commitment to celebrating the stories that connect us, August in August looks forward to building a lasting tradition that will inspire artists and audiences for generations.
The future of this movement has never looked brighter.
The Fourth Annual August in August Festival invites audiences of all backgrounds to experience the richness of August Wilson's world while celebrating the artists who continue to carry his legacy forward.
ABOUT OUTSIDE IN THEATRE
Outside In Theatre is a new non-profit theatre in the Highland Park neighborhood of Los Angeles. An evolving force in equitable and transformative storytelling. Through multi-platform theatrical experiences, we create art that speaks to our intersectional communities. We have a focus on new work, both Scripted and Unscripted, developing new plays as well as creating improvised stories that will lift up the voices of the Global Majority, Queer, Disabled and other traditionally marginalized groups and their allies. We live at the intersection of Live & Digital performance, with infrastructure for cameras and streaming that will create greater access to the work of local artists. We believe in making Brave Spaces for All, building the world we want to see by producing daring, dynamic, and authentic untold stories by unheard voices. Outside In Theatre is building the world we want to see by creating, producing and supporting daring, dynamic, and authentic untold stories by unheard voices. www.outsideintheatre.org
ABOUT THE BLACK CREATORS COLLECTIVE
Formed on February 18, 2019 with the goal to educate, while enhancing Black cultural identity through various programming, The Black Creators Collective is an organization of Committed Artists dedicated to the pursuit of bringing artistic knowledge and resources to low-resourced communities in the South Los Angeles area, while also creating, developing and producing content and opportunities for artists of color. Through annual programming like the August in August Celebration of Black Theatre and the Directors Showcase, a public showcase that gives up-and-coming Black directors and/or actors who just want to stretch a new artistic muscle the opportunity to practice their craft in a supportive environment, BCC proudly occupies a respected space in engaging artistic experiences for Black and Brown communities of South Los Angeles. The impactful Playwright-in-Residency Program, provides a platform for emerging Black playwrights to envision, write, develop, rehearse, and stage a new work. The INK-cubator Series: A Playwright's Festival, features an array of new, dynamic works by a lineup of emerging and unproduced Black playwrights.
ABOUT OSHANA ARTS
Widely known for its Adult August Wilson Monologue Competition in years past, and thrilling staged reading productions of lesser known plays such as Laurence Fishburne's Riff Raff, Oshana Arts is establishing itself as a revered community partner in the fight to reclaim, amplify, and advance the voices of the African diaspora through fearless artistic excellence, transformative storytelling, and unapologetic cultural leadership. Founded by actor, director, and photographer, Kamal Bolden, this Black Male Centric organization understands both the power and the responsibility of representation to create work that challenges convention, confronts systemic barriers facing artists of color, and expands opportunities for those too often denied a seat at the table. Dedicated to cultivating the next generation of bold, disciplined, and visionary artists of color, its fall programming includes collaboration with My Friend's House, a long-standing community organization tasked with supporting the unhoused community of Hope Row. This event aims to strengthen mentorship, education, and professional development for emerging creators and promote voter participation and political efficacy.
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