The Monologue Question
I’m on the look out for monologues. Perusing various plays and other potential sources. I’m lucky to have my roommate and her mother giving me suggestions because they have experience with auditioning and theater. I haven’t put a lot of pressure on myself in this area because I am focused on film and television. In most auditions for F&TV you are given “sides”, a scene or two from the actual script. But you never know when someone will ask to see a monologue, or even just something more/different to get an idea of your range. Being able to do one on the spot speaks volumes about your professionalism and dedication. I’d like to share the best advice I’ve received about monologues.
This advice comes from one of the teachers at the New York Film Academy (Universal Studios branch), I didn’t catch her name and they have no faculty listed on the website (that I can find). So, if you read this and know who it is, please share. I went to a open house they were having and ended up in a room with two of the acting teachers there. They shared info about the program and why they felt the various aspects were important. It was fun and informative, but the piece that stands out in my mind is what the lady said about monologues. These are the points she made (and my elaborations on them):
1. Pick monologues you love. If the monologue doesn’t move you, it’s unlikely you’re going to move your audience performing it.
2. Know how the whole play (movie, episode) goes. Monologues do not exist in isolation, they are parts of a bigger work. If you don’t know the larger work and how your monologue fits into it your performance may ring false to people (the ones you are auditioning for) who do know the larger work. And if you’re doing something from a television show it would be good to be familiar with more than just the one episode because that episode is just one small piece of a larger work.
3. Know your monologue inside and out. Don’t perform a monologue you haven’t studied, broken down, analyzed, and pumped for every ounce of emotion that it offers. If you haven’t spent the time with the monologue to really get inside it and work it frontwards and backwards reciting it can easily fall flat. You won’t do it justice and it won’t serve you as showcase for your talent.
4. Know four or five monologues. Break it down like this: two classical monologues – Shakespeare, Sophocles – one comedic and one dramatic. Two contemporary – take your pick – again one comedic and one dramatic. And the fifth one? If you want find something that speaks to you, that showcases you and your strengths. It never hurts to have a little something extra in your pocket.
This is the advice I have banging around in my head as I look for monologues. Got anything to add? Or maybe you know a great monologue…
