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

This year's competition, according to press notes, "will afford eighteen students from these cities around the country the opportunity to attend a Broadway show, work closely with Wilson’s collaborators, director Kenny Leon and dramaturge Todd Kreidler, and explore popular Manhattan attractions before making their Broadway debuts."

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 ten-play cycle and receive coaching from teaching artists as they prepare their monologues for local, city-wide and national competitions.

Among those who have previously lent their support as performers, judges and special guests are Phylicia Rashad, Russell Hornsby, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Scott Rudin, Guy Davis, Lynda Gravatt, Keith Randolph Smith, Chris Chalk, LaTanya Richardson, Heather Alicia Simms and Mykelti Williamson, among others.

The top three contestants from the national competition are awarded college scholarship opportunities in addition to monetary awards and the gift of TCG’s Century Cycle collection. The first place winner will receive a $500 cash prize, the runner-up a $250 cash prize and the honorable mention a $100 cash prize. Each of the winners will also become eligible for college scholarship opportunities.

For more information, visit www.truecolorstheatre.org/august-wilson-monologue-competition.