Theater News

Winner of 7th Annual August Wilson Monologue Competition Announced

Atlanta’s Moyè Light was honored with first place on Monday, May 4.

Moyè Light won first place at the seventh annual August Wilson Monologue Competition on May 4.
Moyè Light won first place at the seventh annual August Wilson Monologue Competition on May 4.
(© Jorge J. Abouyoun/AWMC)

Jujamcyn Theaters and True Colors Theatre Company have announced that Moyè Light from Atlanta has won first place at the seventh annual August Wilson Monologue Competition, held on Monday, May 4, at the August Wilson Theatre.

Cameron Southerland from Atlanta was the runner-up, and an honorable mention went to Jonathan German from New York City.

The event, which was free and open to the public, featured high school students from Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Pittsburgh, Portland, and Seattle performing monologues by the late, legendary American playwright.

Actor Anthony Chisholm also received the first ever Wilsonian Soldier Lifetime Achievement Award for his dedication to the legacy and work of August Wilson. Judges for the 2015 Annual August Wilson Monologue Competition included Crystal Dickinson, Brandon J. Dirden, David Gallo, and Pauletta Washington.

The first-place winner receives a $3,000 cash prize, the runner-up $2,000, and the honorable mention $1,000. Each of the winners also becomes eligible for college scholarship opportunities, and all finalists receive the gift of TCG’s Century Cycle collection.

Founded in 2007, the Annual August Wilson Monologue Competition aims to expose a new generation of creative minds to the life’s work and artistic legacy of this seminal American playwright. Program participants in cities across the country encounter Wilson’s 10-play cycle and receive coaching from teaching artists as they prepare their monologues for local, citywide, and national competitions.