L.A. Student Takes First Place in National August Wilson Monologue Competition

Center Theatre Group's regional finalist Gerardo Navarro took first place in the August Wilson Monologue Competition (AWMC) National Finals held at the August Wilson Theatre on Broadway on Monday, May 7, 2018. Representing Los Angeles and the Ramon C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts, Navarro performed a monologue from "King Hedley II," which earned him a $1,500 scholarship and a $3,000 cash prize.

Navarro placed second in the AWMC Los Angeles Regional Finals hosted by Center Theatre Group at the Mark Taper Forum on March 5. Fellow student Hannah Franklin, who placed first in the L.A. Regional Finals, also earned a trip to New York City and performed in the AWMC National Finals.

Center Theatre Group has hosted the Southern California component of the national monologue competition for seven consecutive years. The program is designed to inspire and educate Los Angeles youth using monologues from August Wilson's "American Century Cycle," a 10-play cycle that details the complexity of the African American experience in the 20th century.

Center Theatre Group also offers an in-school residency as part of the larger August Wilson Program. The August Wilson In-School Residency is a semester-long program that provides Title 1 schools with a multidisciplinary study of the work of August Wilson. This year, classes from Animo Leadership Charter High School, Carson High School, East L.A. Performing Arts Magnet and Ellen Ochoa Prep Academy took part in the residency. The students and teachers from each of the four classrooms attended the AWMC Los Angeles Regional Finals as part of their residency experience, witnessing the power of theatre as their peers bring August Wilson's characters to life.

Photo by Ryan Miller/Capture Imaging