To celebrate the release of Giving Voice, which debuted on Netflix this weekend, we had the pleasure of chatting to one of the young subjects who participated in the August Wilson Monologue Competition.
The words of August Wilson are brought to life by a new generation in Giving Voice, following students in an annual monologue competition inspired by America’s preeminent playwright. One such student was Callie Holley, who we had the pleasure of speaking to about her journey through the competition, how Wilson’s work has continued to inspire her through her studies and inspire generations to come.
A new generation of performers is discovered in “Giving Voice,” which follows the emotional journey of six students as they advance through the high-stakes August Wilson Monologue Competition, an event that celebrates one of America’s preeminent playwrights. Every year, thousands of students from twelve cities across the United States perform the Pulitzer Prize winner’s work (“Fences,” “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”) for a shot to perform on Broadway. Directors Jim Stern and Fernando Villena capture students discovering themselves and the world around them through Wilson’s “Century Cycle,” a canon of ten plays portraying the 20th century African American experience.
You can watch the full interview with Callie below:
Giving Voice is now available on Netflix. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, starring Viola Davis and Chadwick Boseman and based on August Wilson’s play, streams on Netflix from December 18th.
