The First Annual August Wilson Monologue Competition

The event was a great success! The results are best expressed by theatre critic, Wendell Brock, who posted the following blog after the morning after the finals:

August Wilson monologue winners are in
By Wendell Brock | Tuesday, February 27, 2007, 11:31 AM
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

As far as I’m concerned, all 15 finalists at the August Wilson Monologue Competition last night were winners. Some of them were nearly as good as the Broadway actors who showed up to run a few scenes from Wilson’s “Radio Golf,” which True Colors Theatre artistic director Kenny Leon is taking to Broadway in May.

Ultimately, the top honor — and a $500 scholarship — went to Joaquina Kalukango of Tri-Cities High School, who gave a heartfelt speech as the character Tonya from “King Hedley II.” The second place winner was Pebblebrook High student Jawona Roberts, who portrayed Rena from “Jitney.” Coming in third was Tri-Cities’ Charles Bennett, who played Bynum from “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone.”

“Keep August alive and well among your generation,” Leon said as he handed out copies of a volume of Wilson plays to all the contestants, who were lined up on the front row of Theatrical Outfit’s Balzer Theater at Herren’s for True Colors’ first annual competition.

The choices and juxtapositions of material were fascinating. T.J. Colby Hall, the only white kid in the group, gave a naturalistic reading of Bynum, which ran back to back with Bennett’s take. Both Stefond Johnson and Christopher Linsey did Levee’s searing speech from “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” and both had something to say. Three performers, including the excellent Christina Carter, stepped into the world of Tonya. (For the record, Broadway actors John Earl Jelks and James Williams were no slouches, either.)

Leon’s point is that Wilson isn’t just a playwright for black actors, and he envisions a day when young Asian and Latino actors will step up to the competition.

“I know August is smiling tonight,” Leon told the crowd. “This has really hit me.”

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This article ran in the AJC prior to the event:

August Wilson monologue competition: I love this idea!
By Wendell Brock | Friday, February 23, 2007, 04:43 PM
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Kenny Leon may be a high-profile national director, but he’s not too busy to invest in the future.

On Monday, his True Colors Theatre will stage the first August Wilson Monologue Competition, with juniors and seniors from three Atlanta-area high schools competing for scholarships, T-shirts and hardbound copies of a Wilson play.

Leon, who takes Wilson’s “Radio Golf” to Broadway in May, says he’ll include a Washington, D.C., version of the monologue competition as part of his complete run of Wilson’s 10-play cycle at the Kennedy Center next year. “And then in a couple of years,” Leon says, “our goal is to have this be national and be all around the country in the school systems.”

Adding a little glitz to Monday night’s competition, Broadway-bound actors John Earl Jelks and James Williams will perform a scene from “Radio Golf.” Leon hosts the event, and judges include Atlanta playwright Pearl Cleage and WSB-TV’s Monica Pearson.

The competitors are from Tri-Cities and Pebblebrook high schools and the DeKalb School of the Arts. Next year, juniors and seniors from all Atlanta high schools will be eligible.

Information: 8 p.m. Monday. Free. Theatrical Outfit, Balzer Theater at Herren’s, 84 Luckie St. N.W., Atlanta. 404-588-0308; truecolorstheatrecompany.com.