Black and Brown Theatre Announces Third Iteration of All the Web's a Stage Monologue Series

Black and Brown Theatre has announced the third iteration of their All the Web's a Stage Monologue Series. The series started in June 2020 to connect writers with actors and to challenge the selection process of most play submission contests.

In typical monologue submission contests, the winning monologues are selected either by an Artistic Director or by a selection committee of volunteers and are then assigned to an actor from the company. For Black and Brown Theatre's All the Web's a Stage Monologue Series, the company gives the selection power directly to the actors so that each actor is performing the monologue that best resonates with them. This unique process ensures that each actor is invested in the monologue they choose. It also guarantees a variety of selected pieces. Lastly, this process dismantles the unilateral top-down leadership structure that many theatres fall into out of habit.

While the series creates an engaging opportunity for writers to connect with actors, it also has a subtle but impactful message embedded within the program. Because the actors each release their own call for submissions, writers are able to subconsciously absorb information about the personality and style differences between each actor. Often, actors of color are grouped together and called in for roles based solely on their race. Black and Brown Theatre noted that each week they receive vague casting requests from theater companies asking for "black male actor" or "Latina actress." Part of this series' goal was to address the misconception that someone's race is their type by showcasing a variety of actors of color who each are looking for different qualities in a monologue to teach writers, theatre companies, and audiences alike that the racial identities for actors of color are important to acknowledge but they are not the totality of anyone's character.

Interested writers can follow @bandbtheatre on Instagram to watch all 5 videos from this iteration's collection of actors to hear what each actor is looking for in a monologue and send an email to blackandbrowntheatre@gmail.com with the name of the actor and "All the Web's a Stage" in the subject line. In the body of the email, writers should include an original 1-minute monologue inspired by superheroes. Submissions should be sent in no later than May 16, 2021. Actors will pick their favorite monologues to record and perform by May 23, 2021. The selected monologues will be posted to Black and Brown Theatre's social media by June 1, 2021. Submissions that do not meet all the guidelines above may not be considered so please reread them carefully.

For more information on Black and Brown Theatre, please visit www.blackandbrowntheatre.org to learn about the company's history and upcoming events.