It takes great courage to not only pour one’s own beliefs into a piece of writing, but to share it verbally with an audience of strangers. Thankfully, this rare attribute is possessed by many students at Neuqua Valley, who participated in the annual Monologue Show.
The 2026 Monologue Show occurred on March 6-7, featuring a variety of students’ beliefs, perspectives, and stories. The limitations set by the director of Monologue Show, Neuqua Valley English teacher Michael Rossi, are next to none, allowing students a full range of creative expression.
Rossi has been directing the Monologue Show since its inception in 2005, each year encouraging students to get out of their comfort zone, onto the stage, and share their thoughts, whatever they may be. “[The Monologue Show] reflects… the full complexity of Neuqua,” Rossi said, “and all the different voices, and all the different concerns and things that people are interested in.” Performers in the Monologue Show compose a draft on their own as an exploration of their curiosities, audition, and then work to refine the piece with Rossi.
Every student has a different story to tell, and each night of the Monologue Show features a different cast of students, guaranteeing audience members a wholly unique and memorable experience.
The performance takes place in the black box theater, a smaller stage in the fine arts hallway, which offers a personal and vulnerable experience to both the performers and the audience. This year, more than 20 students performed in the show, which was spread out over two days.
Shannon Lee and Vernika Sinha, two sophomores at Neuqua, are novices to the Monologue Show. Lee, during the process of fine-tuning their piece, commented on her experience so far.
“I feel excited to work with my friend, Vernika, to write a piece that really showcases our emotions,” Lee said. “The Monologue Show has been really fun so far, and we’re enjoying our time working on this production.”
When asked about auditioning for the Monologue Show next year, Lee responded with a resounding, “Yes!”
It is not just two students enjoying their experience in rehearsals for the show. A freshman participating in the show for the first time, Eleanor Melton, was initially wary of auditioning, but finally solidified her participation in the Monologue Show after a stroke of creativity mixed with true passion permitted her to compose an entire poem in one day.
“I signed up very quickly, which led me to have some doubts of whether or not people would want to hear what I had to say,” Melton said. “After some support from those around me, I signed up again. Now, I am so happy to have a place where my voice can be heard and to be a part of such a welcoming community filled with incredibly talented and passionate people.”
The Monologue Show does not just serve as entertainment. T he experience of being able to share one’s thoughts, instead of going about life feeling as if one is an NPC in someone else’s game, is a rare freedom ensured by participating in the Monologue Show.
By not performing, or at the very least attending one of the performances, one misses out on a rare opportunity that promises both an enlivening community and the privilege to speak out in a world not entirely in one’s control. So, next year, when the Monologue Show rolls around, write a piece and audition! Or, at the very least, check out one of the performances!
