Milwaukee Rep Announce August Wilson Monologue Competition Regional Finalists

Milwaukee Rep selected 10 local high school students to participate in the regional finals of the 2021 August Wilson Monologue Competition (AWMC) to be held virtually on Monday, March 29, 2021.

Milwaukee Rep is a new host theater for the National monologue competition which is designed to inspire and educate Milwaukee 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.

After an initial audition the following students were selected to participate in the regional finals: Jonathan Edwards (Rufus King High School), Terynn Erby-Walker (Golda Meir School), Francis Faye (Marquette University High School), Kamani Graham (Pius XI High School), Dejanaye Jones (Milwaukee High School of the Arts), Anyiah Lobley (Golda Meir School), Yexuanj Rivera Melendez (Milwaukee High School of the Arts), Lilyanna Romer (Milwaukee High School of the Arts), Fardowso Shidad (Rufus King High School) and Alexis Wilson (Brown Deer High School). The students represent six different schools in the greater Milwaukee area and will receive additional training and rehearsal sessions provided by Milwaukee Rep Teaching Artists to refine their performance while gaining valuable acting technique.

On March, 29, 2021 at 7:30pmCT the 10 regional finalists will compete by performing their monologue virtually in front of an invited audience, including a panel of judges. In the past the top two performing students would receive an all-expense paid trip to New York City for the chance to perform in the AWMC national finals on a Broadway stage. This year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the national competition will be held virtually on May 3, 2021 and Milwaukee Rep's top two performers will compete and receive a $400 cash prize with the opportunity to win further scholarships.

Milwaukee Rep's AWMC kicked off this season with in-school and after school offerings including free virtual workshops every Wednesday afternoon in January and February where Milwaukee Rep teaching artists helped students prep for the initial audition on February 27, 2021. Milwaukee Rep teaching artists served schools including Bay View High School, Milwaukee High School of the Arts, Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, and multiple Boys and Girls Clubs locations across the city. Auditions included students from 14 schools from around the Milwaukee metro area.

The National August Wilson Monologue Competition is a free arts education program celebrating the words of playwright August Wilson, inspiring high school students to express themselves through theater. Founded in 2007 by Kenny Leon and Todd Kreidler at Kenny Leon's True Colors Theatre Company in Atlanta, the program is produced in collaboration with the national presenting partners True Colors Theater Company and Jujamcyn Theaters.

Milwaukee Rep honors the legacy of August Wilson as a new host of the AWMC as well as its continued productions of Wilson's work. Milwaukee Rep has presented 7 of the 10 plays in Wilson's Century Cycle, most recently with Two Trains Running in 2019.

Milwaukee Rep's August Wilson Monologue Competition participation is sponsored in part by MKE REC Partnership for the Arts and Humanities and Milwaukee Rep's Spotlight Members.

For more information, please visit www.MilwaukeeRep.com.

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