Date: 05.03.2020

On December 19, the results of the second monodrama competition ‘Monodrama-2019’ were summed up at the Russian State Art Library (RSAL).

Submitted to the competition were 275 plays: comedies, tragedies, and dramas, of which the RSAL jury selected 21 for publication in a special collection.

On that evening in the Museum of the Reader, from various cities gathered authors whose works had been shortlisted, representatives of Moscow libraries, theatre experts, directors, and RSAL’s readers.

Opening the evening was RSAL Director Ada Kolganova. She noted the importance of holding a competition for the best work in the monodrama genre, to search for new talented works in contemporary drama. The first competition, organised by the library in 2016, proved its relevance and helped promote stage plays.

Winners of the 2019 competition were presented with diplomas by RSAL, the Monodrama Competition 2019 collection, and mini Christmas trees. Excerpts from the three winning plays were performed by professional actors.

Andrey Volchansky, editor-in-chief of the Modern Drama journal, noted the rarity and complexity of the monodrama genre, where it is necessary to put the entire text into a monologue with which a single actor should hold the audience’s attention. Editors of the journal selected four plays for publication in the pages of Modern Drama.

The opening continued with a lively discussion of the exhibits by library guests.