True Colors’ Next Narrative Monologue competition moves to Harlem’s Victoria Theater

Launched in 2021 in Atlanta, this year’s competition consisted of 18 students, delivering fresh work by Black playwrights.

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At Harlem’s newly restored Victoria Theater — part of Apollo’s historic expansion — 18 high school students stood alone under the lights. One by one, they delivered monologues written by contemporary Black playwrights. No elaborate sets. No technical effects. Just their words and the willingness to carry them.

The 2025 Next Narrative Monologue Competition (NNMC), presented by Atlanta-based True Colors Theatre Company, brought together finalists from nine cities across the country. Each had placed in the top two of their regional competition. Their reward: a trip to New York and the chance to perform on a legendary stage.

Launched in 2021, the NNMC was created to amplify young Black voices through theater that reflects the world they know. Each monologue is an original work commissioned for the competition, crafted by one of 31 contemporary Black playwrights. The aim is to develop young performers while giving them material that feels relevant, layered and true.

In a welcome letter printed in the program, Jamil Jude — artistic director of True Colors Theatre Company and creator of the Next Narrative Monologue Competition — reflected on the program’s growth: “What started out as an idea has been nurtured by so many loving artists and has blossomed into today’s event.”

True Colors’ mission — “to celebrate the rich tradition of Black storytelling while giving voice to bold artists from all cultures”– was reflected not just in what the students performed but in how they showed up for one another in every phase of the competition. 

When it came time to stand alone on the stage at the finals on May 5, each student brought honesty, heart and every bit of themselves. And that was more than enough.

Below are details about the three finalists. 

Silver Anderson (Milwaukee) performed Shame by Cheryl L. West.

“I chose Shame because of the immediate dislike everyone has of the character,” Anderson said. “Being able to earn that little bit of redemption at the end is always something special — the remorse of it all is what grounds that character in humanity.”

Anderson (they/them), who placed first this year, said the most lasting takeaway wasn’t personal recognition but community. “The community young people built so fast — especially one that heavily resembles my cultural background — brought me so much joy. Meeting so many young, talented people of color in one space gave me so much excitement for the future of theater and storytelling,” they said. 

Chiedza Naomi Mahuni (Tulsa) performed Young Mother by Dominic Taylor. 

“Performing in New York felt surreal. It felt so unreal in the moment that I didn’t have time to catch my breath,” she said. “Mr. Apollo told us that Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder performed in that same building. Something in me clicked: ‘OK, if all these people walked, breathed in this building and did their thing, what can stop me from doing that?’”

Mahuni, who had only performed publicly once before, said being a part of this competition inspired a lasting confidence.

“There are times that I have doubted myself,” she said. “But this experience taught me that if you just let go and do it, everything will work on its own. One thing it gave me that can never be taken away is to not doubt myself.”

Ja’K’yah Jackson (Atlanta) performed Boys Will Be Boys by Nubia Banks.

“This was my third year competing, so I’ve had a long journey,” Jackson said. “It taught me to work hard, not give up and just keep going.” 

She described the theater’s setting as small and intimate, noting that the closeness helped her feel connected to the audience. “As actors, our main focus is to be truthful and share someone else’s story,” she said. “Yes, it’s a competition — but it’s also a chance to grow as an artist and connect with people who care about the craft. That’s what makes it so valuable.”

“It’s normal to feel nervous when competing,” she added. “But the key is to be authentic and unapologetically yourself — that’s what truly stands out and always wins.”

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Blair Moore is a writer and editor with a focus on lifestyle, culture and human interest features. An Auburn University journalism graduate, she writes for local and regional publications, telling the kinds of stories that resonate far beyond their setting. She and her husband are raising four children in Birmingham, Alabama, where life offers inspiration at every turn.