Next Narrative Monologue Competition
Founded by True Colors Theatre Company, the Next Narrative Monologue Competition™ (NNMC) is a national competition for students in grades 9-12. The Huntington celebrates its fifth year as the NNMC Boston Regional Partner and is thrilled to offer this opportunity at no cost to high school students. NNMC features True Colors-commissioned works from America’s leading contemporary Black playwrights that engage students in artful exploration of 21st century themes, while instilling confidence in all to find their voices.
Registration Information & Dates
Registration is now open!
Important Dates
- Registration Opens – Monday, September 8, 2025
- Registration Closes – Tuesday, January 27, 2026
- Workshops Begin – February 3, 2026
- Semi Finals/Mock Competition – Monday, March 16, 2026
- Boston Regional Finals – Monday, March 23, 2026
- National Competition in NYC – Early May 2026
Workshop Information
- Workshops take place every Tuesday and Thursday at 6:00-8:00pm
- There are no workshops during February school break (February 16-20, 2026)
- Workshops take place at The Huntington’s Admin Offices (560 Harrison Ave, Suite 504, Boston MA 02118)
- Students interested in competing in NNMC must register for and attend all workshops.
For information about NNMC please email the Education Department at NNMC@huntingtontheatre.org
“The teaching artists were truly phenomenal. I want to highlight the fact that this was my very first acting experience, and it has inspired me to push this skill further.”
-2025 NNMC Participant
About NNMC
True Colors Theatre Company’s Next Narrative Monologue Competition™ (NNMC) is a national competition for high school students in grades 9-12. All high school students in Massachusetts – and neighboring states – are eligible to register for the Boston Region NNMC workshops. Registered students will participate in ten workshops to select, develop, and finetune their monologues, coached by theatre arts industry professionals. Then students will progress through a set of competitive rounds. The top three scoring performers from Boston’s Regional Finals will receive cash prizes, and the top two performers will receive an all-expense-paid trip to New York City to compete at the National Finals alongside other regional winners in May 2026. This trip includes workshops with theatre professionals, tickets for a Broadway show, the opportunity to perform on stage at the Apollo in Harlem, in addition to cash scholarships for the top three National winners.
The objectives of the True Colors’ NNMC are to introduce students to today’s leading contemporary Black writers, expose students to acting techniques that enhance their knowledge of the art and skill of performance, utilize the arts to support students in making co-curricular connections, investigate how history and culture influence personal perspective through artful exploration, and embolden students to use their voices to inspire social action. Commissioned by True Colors Theatre Company and published by Theatrical Rights Worldwide, the compendium includes original monologues on the themes of class, gender, ableism/inclusivity, relationship to technology, family/community, cultural celebration/competency, global warming/environmental, immigration/international relationships, social/emotional/physical health, and abstract/non-thematic.
For more information about True Colors Theatre Company, visit their website.
2025 NNMC Top Three Finalists L to R: Evan Frazier, Adrian Sanchez, and Joud Alkhalifa
2025 NNMC Boston Regional Champion, Adrian Sanchez
2023 NNMC National Champion, Sakura Rosenthal
