AUGUST WILSON COMES TO LIFE IN NYC THROUGH LEAP'S STUDENT MONOLOGUE COMPETITIONS

NEW YORK, NY – From March 14th through 27th, students from Brooklyn, Manhattan, the Bronx and Queens will compete in the 2012 preliminary August Wilson Monologue Competitions throughout the city, presented by Learning through an Expanded Arts Program (LeAp). Three winners from each of six schools (Fordham High School for the Arts, Repertory Company High School for the Theater Arts, Edward R. Murrow High School, Marta Valle Secondary School, Hillcrest High School, and Brooklyn Theatre Arts High School) will advance to the NYC competition on April 19th, to compete for cash prizes, and the chance to advance to the National Competition on May 9th at the August Wilson Theatre on Broadway.

In each of the six school events, students will perform two to three minute monologues of their choosing from one of August Wilson’s renowned plays from his Century Cycle series, as judges rank them based on energy and physical presentation, lines and memorization, characterization and emotional connectedness, vocal presentation and projection, and understanding of the text.

Press are Invited to the following Five Local Competition Dates:
***Please note that Marta Valle Secondary School event on March 22 is a closed event. If you are interested in publishing photos of the competition winners from this school, please contact LeAp.

Wednesday, March 14th --- Bronx:
Where:  Fordham High School for the Arts
(500 East Fordham Road Bronx, NY 10458) Fordham Heights area.
When:  11:45 am – 1:45 pm

Thursday, March 15th --- Manhattan:
Where: Repertory Company High School for the Theater Arts
(123 West 43 Street New York, NY 10036) Midtown/Broadway area.
When:  3 pm – 5 pm

Friday, March 16th --- Brooklyn:
Where: Edward R. Murrow High School
(1600 Avenue L Brooklyn, NY 11230) Midwood/Flatlands area.
When:  7 pm – 9 pm

Monday, March 26th --- Queens:
Where: Hillcrest High School (160-05 Highland Avenue
Jamaica, NY 11432) Jamaica area.
When:  1 pm – 3 pm

Tuesday, March 27th --- Brooklyn:
Where: Brooklyn Theatre Arts High School
(6565 Flatlands Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11236) Flatlands/Canarsie area.
When:  3:30 pm – 5:30 pm

Now in its fourth year, LeAp’s August Wilson Program has introduced hundreds of students to one of America’s greatest playwrights while illuminating the African American experience of the 20th century.

LeAp's August Wilson Program, now in its fourth year, is designed for high school students and illuminates the African-American experience in the 20th century through the study of the work of renowned playwright August Wilson. In this year-long program, led by LeAp’s theater professionals, students explore Wilson’s 10-play Century Cycle, and examine important social issues and historical events. Students strengthen their acting skills and performance techniques and present scenes from various Wilson works. Ultimately, students choose one character to inhabit and select a monologue to perform at school-wide competitions. Winners from each school participate in LeAp’s New York City August Wilson Monologue Competition, and finalists advance to the National August Wilson Competition at the August Wilson Theatre to compete against students from other cities. As part of the program, students attend a Broadway or Off-Broadway performance and meet with Broadway actors, directors, and designers. This program has been developed in partnership with Jujamcyn Theaters and Kenny Leon's True Colors Theatre Company. It has been generously funded by the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA). 

Learning through an Expanded Arts Program (LeAp) is a nonprofit organization committed to improving the quality of public education through a unique hands-on, arts-based approach to teaching the core curriculum. LeAp empowers students to reach their full potential. For 34 years, LeAp has provided more than two million NYC students in grades K through 12 with music, dance, theater, film and visual arts programs that are integrated into academic instruction.  LeAp offers in-school residencies, afterschool activities, teacher trainings, parent workshops, and assembly programs to schools citywide, conducts programs in hospitals, shelters and cultural institutions and develops educational materials. LeAp has been endorsed and supported by the US Department of Education, National Endowment of the Humanities, NYC Department of Education, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, NYSCA, and Department of Youth and Community Development, among many others.


www.leapnyc.org