THE GRAND (Monologue) SLAM

The Grand Theatre is thrilled to announce our first-ever Monologue Slam, taking place on Monday, March 30, 2026 on the iconic Auburn Stage.

This exciting new event invites performing artists aged 16+ from London and surrounding areas to step into the spotlight, showcase their talent, and celebrate the power of performance. Whether you’re an emerging artist or a seasoned performer, this is your chance to share your voice, connect with fellow theatre makers, and receive constructive and positive feedback in a supportive, creative space. Showing up to cheer on others is just as vital—being part of the audience fuels the event and builds a vibrant creative community—making this both an exciting performance platform and a powerful development opportunity.

Join us for an evening of inspiration, artistry, and community as we shine a light on London’s incredible local talent!

How it Works:

To participate, artists age 16+ from London and the surrounding areas are invited to submit a video recording of a monologue performance. The Grand’s artistic team will review all submissions and select a shortlist of participants to perform live on the Auburn Stage on March 30, 2026.

Shortlisted performers must attend a working session with Apprentice Artistic Director Nicole Wilson, where they’ll receive personalized feedback and prepare for the live event. This working session will take place a week before the live performance.

At the Monologue Slam event, each performer will present their monologue before a panel of professional theatre artists and a live audience. After the performances, the panelists will highlight standout pieces and share what inspired them.

The evening will conclude with a live working session featuring the highlighted performers and Nicole Wilson, offering audiences a rare opportunity to witness the creative process in action and celebrate London’s vibrant theatre community. Performers may choose to work on their monologue or take part in an open speaking and development session with Nicole.

What do you get?

A night full of community connection and the opportunity to perform your piece publicly on the Auburn Stage. After the event, each performer will receive an email with six pieces of constructive feedback and six pieces of positive feedback from the panelists — designed to celebrate your strengths and support your continued growth. Three standout performers will be invited back onstage to keep the work going — either in session with Nicole Wilson or through live conversation.

How to Apply (Please read carefully!):

1. Record and upload your monologue to YouTube or Vimeo.

2. Fill out the application form here and include the link to your video: Register Here

Eligibility

1. Participants must be aged 16+ by the submission deadline (February 23rd, 2026).

2. Participants must be from London or surrounding areas.

Important Rules and Guidelines

Monologues must be from published plays that have been produced, television, or film.

Monologues must be between 2-4 minutes in length.

Our mission is to provide a space for performers to develop and showcase their craft. We encourage artists to explore storytelling that engages different perspectives, pushes boundaries, challenges our worldviews, and speaks to our deepest and most compelling truths – this is what art is about. If you are unclear about any of the rules or have questions concerning the content of your performance, please contact us for clarification.

NO hateful or discriminatory speech.

NO nudity or explicit sexuality.

Filming Instructions

We understand that recording a monologue might be a new experience for some participants. Please know that we’re not judging the technical quality of your video — our focus is entirely on your performance and the story you bring to life. The background, lighting, and sound setup won’t affect your submission.

Please label your video as follows: YOUR NAME – MONOLOGUE SOURCE, CHARACTER NAME. For example, ‘Jane Smith – Whiplash, Nicole.mp4’.

Upload your video to YouTube or Vimeo and share the link in your application form.

At the Grand we are committed to creating and practicing a company culture that ensures an accessible, equitable, inclusive, and welcoming space for artists, audiences, donors, board members, and staff. We actively encourage submissions from artists who self-identify as being part of underserved communities. Access and inclusion are important to us. If you have any questions regarding the Grand's accessibility policies and initiatives, or any requests relating to the submission process, we encourage you to reach out to Apprentice Artistic Director, Nicole Wilson at NWilson [at] grandtheatre.com (NWilson[at]grandtheatre[dot]com).

Selection Criteria

When selecting monologues for the shortlist, the artistic team will be looking for performances that demonstrate a clear, expressive voice; a strong sense of purpose; real connection and listening; bold, varied choices; authentic presence in the moment; and physical storytelling that brings the character to life.