Choosing the Best Monologue for Your Success

Picking a monologue is one of those subjects that you always hear actors talking about, especially younger actors, who struggle to find monologues in their age ranges. Let’s be honest, choosing a monologue is hard, considering that whether or not you get hired can hang on those thirty second bits of dialogue. That’s a lot of pressure and because so many actors struggle with this problem, I thought I’d come up with a way to help them solve it. So let’s get down to nitty-gritty with this problem and make a system by which you can turn the ordeal of monologue choosing into a simple and hopefully a short experience.

How do we solve the problems? First, let’s identify them, then we answer them:

Should I choose in my own age range? – This is a huge question when it comes to younger actors, because there are so few really good monologues for their age ranges. The answer really differs from person to person, but I think the best rule of thumb is never to stray too far from your own age. If you’re eighteen, it’s okay if you pick a twenty-five year old, but it is not okay to choose a sixty year old. It’s a common sense thing really, but just try to stay pretty close to your true age. If you’re an eighteen year old actor, I’d steer clear from trying to play Stanley Kowalski; why not try Edmund Tyroneinstead? Don’t make the mistake of doing a monologue that’s too old for you, it will make your audition look amateurish. Pick the monologue that’s closer to who you actually are and use it to blow the roof of the theatre!

To be or not to be? – Don’t, oh God, please don’t choose a monologue as well know as “To be or not to be.” It’s a great soliloquy, but Shakespeare wrote a lot of great soliloquies. When you are auditioning, you will be trying to show off what you can do to a director who doesn’t know you or your talent from Adam. Don’t choose a monologue that the director has seen performed a million times and maybe even directed! The problem with monologues like Hamlet’s is that everyone knows them and everyone has their favorite performance of it. And none of those are your performance. There are so many great monologues that aren’t world famous. Pick one of those.

Should I use a monologue book? – Monologue booksare both a blessing and curse for the actor. They are great resources to locate many monologues in one compendium. The problem is that they are not great resources for good monologues. They are worth looking at, but be very stingy in your consideration. In one monologue book you may find only one or two monologues that are passable. Not good. Passable. As an actor, you’re better off going through your script library to find something that works for you. You should always try to read as many scripts as you possibly can and now you see why. Getting a great knowledge of plays can present you with an endless number of possibilities when you go to choose a monologue.

Should I read the play that my monologue is from? – Yes, a thousand times yes. You’re going to want to have read the entire play from which your monologue has come. And not just one quick read through. I mean read it a few times over. You’ve got to pack an entire history of your character into a thirty-second performance. That means that you’re going to want all of the help you can get from the playwright. Not to mention that you must know what has happened that has directed to start speaking.
Can I choose a monologue from a movie? – No. Not even a little bit.

Can I cut my monologue? – Yep, cut the crap out of it. When it comes to the length of your monologue you have two things you need to consider about your cutting. Is it short enough to do in the time you have available? And does it make sense? You must have a beginning, middle and an end. If you have those three things. Then you’ve got a good cut.

If you’re a girl, especially a teenage girl. – If you’ve chosen a monologue that involves your character getting dumped by her boyfriend/significant other or contemplating suicide, choose something else! I wish I didn’t have to point it out, but so many girls choose monologues, usually from a monologue book, that involve a heroine whining about her boyfriend leaving her, or about how she wants to commit suicide, or both! Make a bolder choice! Leave the high school crap in the dust!

If you aren’t sure of your success, pick something else. – If you don’t think you can truly have success with this monologue, then dump it and find something easier. The point of an audition is not to challenge yourself with the hardest monologue you can find to try to grow as an actor. The point of a monologue is to blow the doors of the theatre and to get hired because you’re so damn talented! Grow during rehearsal, or on your own time. The audition is the time to shine. If you don’t think you can succeed, find a monologue with which you can.

When you got it, keep it. – Once you’ve found three or four monologues that work for you, that you are truly comfortable with, keep them for as long as you can. You should always have at least three or four monologues that you can perform on the spot at any given moment. Have one comedy, drama, classical and Shakespearian monologue each at the tips of your fingers so that you are never again at a loss for material. Find what works and change it only when it ceases to work.

So there you have it, a method for choosing monologues that will bring you success every time. In the future I’ll write up a list of monologues for all ages and genders, but for now this is a great method for choosing one for yourself. As always, remember that if you’d like to add to this list you can submit your thoughts at the link at the top of the sidebar. So go out and claim your success and as always, Sin Boldly!

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