last month public TV goers were treated to lesie Odum Jr starring in Azie Davis's pearly Victorious on PBS the Broadway production was directed by Kenny Leon in 20121 his true colors theater initiated a national monologue competition for students that was held at the Apollo Theater in New York a student representing the Milwaukee Rep won second place this year Rachel West a singer at Marshall High School brought home the goal she won first prize in the National contest here is her monologue one second by Rachel Lynette look at you you look like a walking insta filter of a person and I'm 90% sure I have fomit on my collar this is not my finest moment sorry sorry I'm okay honestly the vomit isn't even from drinking it's from accidentally drinking a milkshake and I'm not supposed to have dairy so you should go seriously I'm okay honestly I just it feels very stupid to say that getting older feels like a trap like one day I'll wake up and I'll be 35 working my corporate job looking outside my window thinking these were the good days and I'll I'll be forced to wear heels and business suits and smile when I feel empty inside and just if I'm doing that now do I want a lifetime of that right there should be a way to pause like I don't want to I'm not thinking about but there should be a pause button you know I'm overwhelmed I'm tired I feel like I am carrying this weight that was meant for someone so much stronger than me and I am collapsing under the weight of it's going to get better this really because I've seen the news everything just keeps getting worse and there's no way to pause and collect yourself from the last B thing because the next one's already here and there's just no way to say stop I cannot handle this right now is anyone anywhere actually okay how do we know we're going to be okay the world's on fire I'm watching people younger than me die by the hands of the police we are stuck in the middle of a panorama trying to pretend like normal is something we've ever actually had I haven't had a normal in 18 years have you I'm not going to do anything okay I'm not at risk or anything I just want a second you know so that's why I'm hiding in my room at my party I just want one second to not have to be anyone to not have to do anything to just catch my breath can you give me that and Rachel West joins us now Rachel thank you for being here congratulations uh talk about that monologue why did you choose it um well the monologue is something that it deeply relates to me um it talks about a girl U many who is getting out of high school soon you know she's debating with life and how life is going to take her and things are changing for her very rapidly and it's essentially for her um it's a cry for help for her of how you know things are changing and she just doesn't feel prepared for it um life moves fast it doesn't wait for anyone and you know that relates to me as I am you know just starting out my adult life um getting out of high school and just you know getting ready for what is to come and preparing myself for that and that is something that I can understand and I relate to so talk about this competition uh a lot of people from around the country uh what was your mindset going into it did you think you could win I didn't no I didn't um so this a lot of talent to people they all competed um first place second place it was first place and second place we go to New York and then um they come from all over there we came from people from New York um people from Boston from all over they've all extremely talented young individuals and I truly didn't think that I would be able to win first place for both the Milwaukee regionals and for New York City so I was very grateful and very honored that I was able to do that clearly very talented so talk about your start in theater how did you get into it I've recently um just about a year ago actually I've uh just started with theater um it's you know something that I've always been attracted to um but not until about a year ago have I actually you know decided this is what I'm going to do with my life and with my career this is the career choice that I'm going to make and it's been great so far so we're going to keep on going with that um and I have very high hopes for the future speaking of a future what's next for you um I'm going to go to school I'm going to go to school I'm going to um you know I'm going to focus on my acting career as well but with you know with acting it's always extremely flexible you have to be extremely flexible and I am 100% open to whatever you know whatever opportunities would come my way um but just for right now I'm going to focus on career and see where that takes me from Marshall High School raach thank you so much for joining us thank you [Music]