The sage words of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright August Wilson are lifted off the page and onto the stage in this joyful documentary about six remarkable theater students who compete against thousands in the grueling, high stakes August Wilson Monologue Competition. Participants choose an excerpt to perform from Wilson’s ten plays that powerfully chronicle the African American experience in each decade of the 20 th century. Most inspiring are the hopes and dreams of young talent, who with drama coaches and audition judges, learn to draw from their challenging personal lives to meticulously hone their storytelling craft. Viola Davis, John Legend, and Denzel Washington add soulful, touching tributes to Wilson’s legacy in this Audience Award winner from the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. The late writer’s ideas remain contemporary for this next generation of artists and change-makers who step out, speak up, and find their voice.
