Three local students will represent Pittsburgh in the national August Wilson New Voices Competition, to be held at Pittsburgh Public Theater on April 29. In its 18th year, this is the first time the nationwide competition will be held in August Wilson’s hometown.
Layla Sewell-Wilson (Pittsburgh CAPA 6–12), as Molly Cunningham from Joe Turner’s Come and Gone,and Sydney Pellegrino (The Barack Obama Academy of International Studies) as Rena from Jitney, join Design finalist Adia Boccella (The Ellis School) are among the finalists who will compete for the top prizes in Monologue and Design at the annual competition honoring the legacy of the late Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright.
The contest features high school winners of regional competitions held in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Pittsburgh and Los Angeles. More than 1000 students across the country participated in the program. Pittsburgh’s AWNV regional was produced by the Bill Nunn Outreach Project, at Manchester Craftsman’s Guild on the North Side.
“We are excited to bring the national competition to Pittsburgh for the first time as it is the birthplace and hometown of August Wilson,” says Derrick Sanders, AWNV National Director. “By bringing the competition to Pittsburgh, we allow students across the country to experience the rich cultural history of Pittsburgh as well as to connect with August on a deeper and more personal level–through his archives, his childhood home, and much of the community that inspired his work.”
Past winners have included Jeremy Pope (Tony-nominated originating actor for the role of Eddie Kendricks in Broadway’s Ain’t Too Proud), Kristolyn Lloyd (who went from Carnegiee Mellon to playing Althea Rice in Broadway’s Dear Evan Hansen), playwright Chinaza Uche (Russian Doll), and Jasmine Cephas Jones (the original Peggy Schuyler/Maria Reynolds in Hamilton).
August Wilson New Voices (formerly the August Wilson Monologue Competition) is a national performance and design program providing exposure to and cultivating an appreciation for Wilson’s 10-play American Century Cycle in high schools across the country. The August Wilson New Voices National Program is produced by the August Wilson Legacy LLC, the Goodman Theatre, and Gilded Road Productions, and is sponsored by The Heinz Endowments and the Goodman Theatre.
The 2024 finalists are, from Atlanta (The Arts Edvocate and I’m Ready Foundation) – Monologue: Layla Mack (Martha Ellen Stilwell School of the Arts) and Terrance Tate (Heritage High School; from Boston (The Huntington) -: Alana (Lala) Cooks-Beeks (Boston Arts Academy) and Demitrius Pepincepeda (Melvin H. King South End Academy; Chicago –
(League of Chicago Theatres) – Monologue: John McBeth III (Thornton Fractional North) and Keniyah Stephenson (Thornton Fractional North), and Design: Janeci Correa (Chicago High School for the Arts) and J’Maria Stamps (DRW College Prep); and Los Angeles (Support Black Theatre) Monologue: Amari Howell (View Park Prep High School) and Yenay Cuevas (Ramón C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts).
Tickets to the August Wilson New Voices National Competition are free, but registration is required at www.GoodmanTheatre.org/AugustWilson
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