How do I choose a perfect monologue for an audition?

Question

I have an audition coming up and I need two monologues. One needs to be contemporary dramatic and the other needs to be contemporary comdey.

Answer 1

FORGET CHARACTER!!!!! I cannot stress this enough. Auditioners want to see you before you do a character, so find something that really speaks to YOU. If you think it's interesting, your audition will be. If you think it's funny, you will probably play it funny. Be yourself in the situation. Don't do an accent. Please, trust me on this one. Don't listen to the bull.

READ THE PLAY! If they ask you questions you better know what you are talking about. Don't pick something that you just found online. (chances are lots of people use it). I like to find monologues in one act plays because most auditioners won't know the piece and it's a short read.

KEEP IT SHORT. If you have to butcher a monologue with cuts, it's probably not going to make much sense. Find ones that are close to a minute long. Shorter than a minute is better than a little bit over.

BE CREATIVE. Comedic monologues have a little bit more leeway when it comes to the "from a play" rule. I know someone who used a "Dear Abby" letter. Just don't write your own.

MONOLOGUE BOOKS ARE OKAY. As long as they are from plays. But keep in mind they will be commonly used.

FIND SOMETHING NEWER. If you can find something written in the last 5-10 years, auditioners will be impressed that you are keeping up with contemporary theatre.

Answer 2

1) If this is an audition for a particular play - DO NOT take your monologues from THAT play.
2) Keep your monologue under five minutes unless the auditioner specifically requests a longer one.
3) Contemporary dramatic can be found almost anywhere. Just choose something very dark - dont go easy on them - "Agnes of God" is a good one.
4) Contemporary comedy should be light and fun - Neil Simon or Woody Allen are always good.

Break a leg hon.

Answer 3

Choosing A Monologue

Answer 4

First, you should think about the role you are auditioning for. Is the character funny? Serious? A little clumsy? Try to find a monologue similar to the character's personality. That way the director can easily tell if you are right for the role. Try to find one that is about a minute in length. Find one that's memorable, so you can stand out and make the director remember your performance. I always found that humorous monologues are the most memorable, but that's just my opinion. I've seen lots of people audition using poetry, but I wouldn't suggest it. With poetry, you can't really do a whole lot of acting. Make sure to use lots of voice inflection and hand gestures, but don't make it "over the top." I suggest looking online for either original monologues or monologues from plays. (I wouldn't suggest movie monologues) You could even use one from a past play you've been in. Break a leg!

Answer 5

Everyone's right -- play to your strengths, show your range, make sure you can really relate to the monologues you choose.

BUT, depending on the audition, it may also be important to choose a monologue that is going to be memorable. This is going to depend on how many people are auditioning and thus on how jaded the director or casting person is going to be by the time you come up.
Monologues with really unusual characters, or with situations that are truly memorable, and that can reveal this in the course of just a few minutes, have a way of sticking in the memory. Monologues that are about "Sarah wondering whether her husband is having an affair" or "Hallie confronting her feelings about her mother's death" may be well written, and you may relate well and perform well, but the subject matter is so normal that it won't give you an edge. A monologue about a Wal-mart checkout lady who stalks customers on the other hand...you get my point.

Answer 6

The first thing I can tell you, is you really need to study the characters that you are auditioning for and research plays that have similiar characters. Once you know what kind of characters you want to portray, you will have a much easier time. I suggest looking for monologues in actual plays, and straying away from the "Monologue Books", unless of course the monologue is from a play. Try to find something that you have not seen other people audition a hundred times, a lot of directors see the same audition pieces over and over and they get bored right away. Find a piece that is believable and will showcase your range. Good luck!

Answer 7

Monologues are always so tricky because you want to chose something that can exhibit passion but at the same time show emotional versatility. My sister is a play writer who cast for several things and I had the opportunity of sitting on a couple of her audition panels as a judge and one of the things I most liked that won me over about a young sista who was auditioning is how she put her entire self in the monologue. Her emotions had depth and tone was clear she used her motor skills to actually act out the piece and she made strong Stearn eye contact with all of the judges. So that is what I suggest as a dramatic peace. For comedy, use something that has a cwerky humor, something that is subtle but also has some depth. But most of all ask God to guide you in what ever you choose sista. Specific suggestions for the dramatic piece would be an exerpt from "Colored Girls who Consider Suicide when the Rainbow is Enough" I can't recall the author. You can google the title.

Answer 8

I wish you success. I have suggestions.

I'd personally avoid any vulgar, political, religious, or cultural content. You never know when an offense might be assumed, and not taken as humor,,,even contemporary.

Dramatic expressions are so vast in scope, but I'd look for one that spoke passionately, and engage in it to the point of being that person. Cause the same impact as you'd want to with an audience of thousands. Create a situation in which the people judging you remember the character, the play, the scene, the event, or time, and how they felt, responded, and recalled it possibly, the first time they ever experienced it

Comedy/humor is more difficult. What one finds humorous, another may not.

Again, I'd avoid anything possibly slanderous, No jokes about National origins, color, religion, etc.

You might pull this one off by taking a humorous event from your own life. Certainly you already have experienced it, it would be original, not plagerized, and in knowing the topic, you might also project the reality of the situation, and others might relate to it and say,,,"Oh yeah,,, That happened to me too" Remember,,, Humor can be subtle and still effective. It need not cause rolling around on the floor.

In any event, go about this as though you've already gotten through it and are on to the "Call back"

Rev. Steven,,, Exiting stage left.

Answer 9

Here's some input from a website - I don't know how old you are but I used to kill with the Monologue from Kennedys Children as Carla, it's dramatic and it's in the website listed below.

The following is from Actorpoint.com

Find a monologue with a character around your age and one that you can relate to.
Grab a copy of the entire play so you can properly grasp the surrounding circumstances and background of the monologue.
Choose a monologue that is "active" -- one that actively engages the other character.
"Inactive" monologues are less engaging than "active" monologues. Inactive monologues are more like speeches that simply recount a story.

Answer 10

I think there are a few important things to choosing the "perfect" monologue, and what may be perfect for you may not be perfect for someone else. First, decide which character or two you would be most interested in playing. Study the role and figure out what characteristics are central to the character. Think about what you like about the character(s) and how they are like you. From there, find a monologue that complements the type of character you would like to play. Most importantly, choose something that you feel strongly about, and displays your best acting abilities. It is recommended, also, that both monologues be very different so that you can display your acting range.