Monologue Madness Celebrates 10 Years In DC

It has been ten years since actor-entrepreneur Edward Daniels set out to capture the flare and excitement of the March Madness basketball tournament by combining it with the craft of acting on a theatre stage. After recently launching nation-wide, Monologue Madness is set to take over the brand-new AC Hotel in Navy Yard in just one week as 32 actors compete for a $1000 prize!

Monologue Madness is a one-night, fast-paced competition that has entertained sold-out audiences and given local acting talent the chance to shine before a panel of film and theatre industry professionals.

Nearly 200 actors audition at an open call and 32 of them make the cut into the single-elimination tournament bracket. Two weeks later, each actor arrives prepared with three of their best one-minute monologues to perform before a live audience, a panel of judges, through five rounds, for the chance to take home $1000.

The rounds are Comedy, Drama, and Classical. Taking the stage in pairs and scored individually, one actor advances to the next round, while the other is eliminated.

For those actors making it to the Final Four, the evening becomes a bit more interesting. This is the Cold Read Round. Actors are handed an unseen monologue and are given five minutes to prepare, before returning to the stage to perform.

Requirements of the Final Round come directly from the judges' panel and are never revealed until the competition evening. "Over the years, I've seen audience members laugh, cry, shout, and grip their seats as they watch these actors bring their best work to that stage and try to be the last actor standing," says Daniels.

Each actor receives an array of career-enhancing gifts and the competition winner walks away with $1000!

"This competition is my baby and I get teary-eyed every single year when I present the trophy to the winner," says Daniels.

"My goal is to showcase acting talent and to shine a spotlight on the process of casting and what it takes to maintain the career of an actor. No matter what happens during the competition, the actors are receiving professional feedback and getting their headshots and resumes into the files of industry professionals!"

Since 2011, Monologue Madness has attracted actors from up and down the east coast and casting directors from such films as House of Cards, Harriet, Lincoln, and notable theatres including Arena Stage, Alliance Theatre, and Kenny Leon's True Colors Theatre.

Monologue Madness recently launched events in Atlanta and Los Angeles and Daniels is currently working on stops in New York City and Chicago. Daniels is a five-time grant recipient of the DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities.

Monologue Madness is set for Monday, March 28th, at 7pm at the AC Hotel Navy Yard with post-show cocktails on the new Smoke & Mirrors rooftop bar overlooking the US Capitol.

Audience tickets are available online at www.MonologueMadness.net.

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