We recently connected with Soul Soirée and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Soul thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

Soul Soirée was founded as a cultural collective in 2021. Originally, we hosted a variety of social and creative events as we tried to establish our brand. However, one event quickly stood out: The Monologue Slam. Not only was it instantly impactful, but it also grew rapidly in a way we didn’t expect. First launched in May ’22, The Monologue Slam is a high-energy theatrical showcase where established and emerging artists share original and published works from plays, TV, and film.

In July ’23, we announced our second Monologue Slam, which fell in the middle of the writers’ and actors’ strike. During this time, tension and anxiety ran high—film and TV actors were out of work, and uncertainty loomed. We anticipated an audience of 100, but to our surprise, 250 creatives came out. It’s tough to describe the magic that was in the room that night. The atmosphere felt like a sanctuary for actors. It was timely, healing, inspirational, but most importantly, authentic. Twenty-four established actors graced our stage. From that point on, Soul Soirée’s Monologue Slam took off. We now average over 500 attendees per event. Last fall, we expanded the series to LA. Now, we have multi-city programming, hosting 4 shows in NY and 3 in LA this year.

Recently, we partnered with Ralph Lauren to bring our signature slam to their HQ for a BHM show. Community members constantly tell us how important the work we’re doing is. We created a safe stage for actors to share a piece of themselves with our audience in the form of a monologue. We are passionate about our work—from the way we inspire artists to keep pursuing their dreams to uniting the community and showcasing talent. Our actors book projects directly from their stage performance. This year, we’re diving into youth education and have further unannounced collaborations in the works. The community we’ve built truly has a family atmosphere.

Follow us on Instagram at @soulsoireeco to learn more about our story.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Soul Soirée is an innovative live event and digital entertainment platform centered around The Monologue Slam, a high-energy theatrical showcase that has grown over 100% year-over-year. The event features a time-based performance format, with 2-3 minute monologues per segment, ensuring a dynamic and engaging experience for both audiences and performers.

When our slam initially took off during the actor’s strike in 2023, we didn’t fully realize the magnitude of our creation in that moment. However, it soon became clear that we had built a stage that allows BIPOC artists to express their most authentic selves—no competition, no industry gatekeeping, just the love of art. Meanwhile, the audience eagerly awaits to see their favorite actors bring the words of notable theatrical works and screenplays to life. Our rapid growth is a testament to the power of the people. We believe in serving the community, and as a result, we have provided our peers with working opportunities that act as catalysts for advancing their careers. In the near future, we will be bringing our monologue slam to streaming. Our camera team is incredible. Visit Instagram.com/SoulSoireeCo to view some of our best performances in 4K.

Meet Our Co-Founders:

Chi Mancho is an actor and writer, with extensive experience in tech and business development. Francis is set to star in an upcoming episode of Law & Order (NBC) and take on a recurring role in Power Book III: Raising Kanan (Starz). Additionally, he can be seen alongside Aaron Eckhart in the film Ambush (Prime).

Mister Fitzgerald is an actor and producer with a background in event coordination and sales management. He recently appeared in Ohio State Murders on Broadway alongside Audra McDonald, and in the TV series The Penguin (HBO). He also stars in The Night Agent season 2 (Netflix).

Shomari Love is an actor, producer, and director with experience in business development within the tech space. He recently starred alongside Jordana Brewster in the film On Our Way. Additional notable credits include The Chi (Showtime) and Black Lightning (CW).

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The work we are doing is impacting lives. As mentors, we developed an ‘intro to acting’ curriculum, exposing urban youth to the arts. We have also established an internship program for professional development for individuals interested in show production. Seeing is believing – as leaders, we’re inspiring others to create a path for themselves. Lastly, as entrepreneurs, we’re employing our peers. When it comes to employment our industry is inconsistent, and it is a blessing to be able to hire fellow actors to perform at corporate monologue slams. Soul Soirée started with a conversation on a bus traveling to Lagos while the three of us were in Portugal. Four years later, we’re in discussions to partner with some of the biggest global brands.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

It’s important to find your voice, which will translate into attracting the right audience. The more specific you are with your content and branding, the easier it is for people to understand the product or service. Consistent, engaging content is essential for growth. Find different themes for the days of the week to create content pillars for yourself (e.g., Monologue Mondays, where we post weekly performance clips).

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.soulsoiree.co/
• Instagram: SoulSoireeCo