Top 10 Monologue Tips

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Top 10 Monologue Tips

Written by: Dave Andrews

Every actor hates auditions. Its the most awkward feeling standing up there in front of one or

several strangers and pouring your heart out for a role, knowing that youre only one of 50

people doing it. Sometimes in the auditioning process though, you dont have to feel quite so

awkward. You wont be simply one of 50. You can be unique. That time is when youre allowed

to do a monologue.

This is a rare opportunity to actually make the choice yourself on exactly what youll be

portraying to the producer, director, casting director or whomever you happen to be

auditioning to. Here are some crucial tips for choosing and presenting your monologue. These

monologue tips will help you land the role.

1. Choose your monologue carefully.

You have tons of time to choose the monologue. In a cold read, you may have 15 minutes to

prepare for an audition, you may have five. You may even get lucky and have an hour or a day,

although this is not common. With a monologue however, you have all the time in the world.

You can take days, weeks or even months searching for the right one. Then you can take just as

long learning it and making it a part of you. A good monologue will allow you to portray a wide

array of emotions: happiness, sadness, anger, guilt, etc. Choose one that not only complements

you and your abilities, but allows you to really lay it on the line.

2. Give it some gusto!

Have energy in the presentation of your monologue. Too much energy can be irritating, but you

wont find any producer or director who thinks that not enough energy is better than too much.

Having to tone it down is better than having to step it up a notch, so give it your all. That having

been said, keep the energy up, but the volume appropriate. Sometimes youll be auditioning on

a huge stage and at others youll be auditioning in someones office. Even for the loud parts

you need to keep the volume appropriate to the venue.

3. Move around!

Whether youre on a stage or in a smaller setting, you need to be able to move around. How

many people do you know in real life who plant their feet in one spot and stay there for a

minute or two without moving while theyre shifting from sadness to happiness to anger, etc.?

None! When youre emotional, you move, and that needs to be reflected in your monologue. If


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theres a part where you need to sit in a chair, fine, but do NOT sit down for the entire

monologue. You need to be mobile. Again, keep in mind that theyll probably be seeing 50

other people today. Dont be boring.

4. Face the people youre auditioning to.

Dont face the side wall and give them your profile. If you follow tip number three, youll

obviously be moving around, but keep your focus forward, toward those youre presenting to.

5. Dont audition to one person if there is more than one person in the room.

Even if the monologue is intended for one person, which most are, dont ignore anyone. Its all

too common for an actor during a monologue to hyperfocus on one person and give their

monologue to that person. Dont do this! It will make that person uncomfortable and the

others in the room feel ignored. Neither is a good thing. Instead of talking to one person, give

the monologue as if youre talking to a group of friends rather than one. Make eye contact with

each of them, or at the very least, dont focus on one of them. Feel free to look very close to

them without actually making eye contact. Youre not supposed to be acting WITH them, but

TO them. You dont want them to be part of the performance. This is your time.

6. Get up close and personal.

I dont mean to get in the auditioners face so they can smell your breath, but dont get too far

back either. They need to be able to clearly see your face and the emotions you portray. This is

especially important on a large stage setting where you can move around quite a bit.

7. Keep it fresh!

You dont want to choose a monologue that theyve already heard 20 times. This is an invitation

for them to directly compare you to others who have come before. For your monologue, you

need to be both modern and unique. Dont choose a piece thats out-of-date and dont choose

one that theyre likely to have heard others do.

8. If you mess up, keep going!

Youve picked something fresh, remember? That means that they dont have these lines

memorized. If you flub up, just keep going and stay in character. They wont even know you

messed up. People in real life mess up when theyre talking, so if you keep going, theyll think

youre just a great actor and that was part of the act. Above all, never EVER apologize! I mean


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never! Act as if everything went exactly as planned. They wont know the difference and they

dont want to.

9. Be a professional!

Act like you know how to audition and you know the rules of the game. If youre a pro, youllhave a professional headshot, but even if youre new, youll still have a nice 8 x 10 that meets

the basic definition of a headshot. Have a rsum with the headshot, typed with the spelling

checked, double checked and triple checked. If you have no experience at all, at least provide a

cover letter, again typed and spell checked.

10. Know when to say when.

There are two words that will always come out of the mouths of the people auditioning you:

thank you. Theyre not just being polite. In audition speak those words actually mean were

done, so leave in a polite way. Once they say that, dont waste any more of their time. It

doesnt mean they hate you and it doesnt mean they love you, it just means the audition is

over. Theyre busy and thats their cue to you that its time to move along. Thank them and

head out the door with your shoulders high and a smile on your face.

These monologue tips cover the most important aspects of monologue choice and execution, as

well as pointing out the most common mistakes made by actors of all levels. Take them to heart!

As a person who used to be the auditionee and now is the auditioner, I can tell you that

following these tips can make or break you chances at getting that part.


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WIFE TO A FAMOUS MANA monologue from the play by Gregorio Martinez Sierra

NOTE: This monologue is reprinted from The Plays of G. MartinezSierra. G. Martinez Sierra. New York: E.P. Dutton, 1922.

MARIANA: I want you to stop talking. You always lie like a newspaper--it

doesn't matter what sort of tale you tell, no one's going to believe you. But ... just

you look out. Your luck's in for the minute, isn't it ... and you think you're such a

fellow just because a few pesetas have fallen on you out of the sky. Make the most

of them while they last. I'm used to earning what I need for myself and my

children. It's little enough and it's hard to come by ... but it makes me a queen in

this kingdom anyhow. My kingdom's my home. And don't forget this. There's

never been any man let come in it but you ... I love you a long sight more than

you deserve to be loved. But let's have this clear ... there aren't going to be any

women in the case but me either. And if you're not agreeable to that ... well,there's lots of room in the world for us both, and it's easy to take the train as to

buzz through the air. Off you go then ... and we'll meet again on Judgment Day.


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Dramatic monologuesDo you know the book 'Dramatic Monologues' by Colin Mortimer (CUP)? A great little book with 24monologues & accompanying questions &, of course, the tape. The back cover says that 'the monologuesare designed to increase students' responsiveness to implicatory language by helping them to listenintelligently & interpret what they hear.'

Each monologue is centred around a situation - e.g. a bank manager talking to a client whose newly wedyoung wife is spending all of his money, a couple stuck in a lift, someone in authority sacking anemployee, a convict asking to stay in prison over the Xmas holidays rather than being released the daybefore Xmas (my favourite) etc.... There are somehomemade examples on the site.

The way I usually deal with a monologue like this is to play a little bit of the monologue (the first sentenceor first few words) & then ask the students in pairs to discuss what they think is happening, then anotherbit, then more discussion & so on until they work it out or we reach the end of the text. If they still haveproblems, I then give out the text & they listen to the whole text & read at the same time. Then on to thequestions, which they answer in pairs & finally we look at some interesting aspect of the speaking skill orlanguage in the monologue.

The students are not only using their inference skills to work out the situation but there are very rich

conversations taking place when they compare ideas. Listen to the kind of things they are saying & feedin more options for them. A follow up task could be to write the silent person's responses.

The book's monologues provide challenging listening but they can be re-recorded to make them easier &you can easily write your own if you want a monologue on a specific topic to fit into your scheme of work.

Examples to accompany the Teaching Tip 'Dramatic Monologues'

Get a colleague to tape one of the following & try out the procedure in the Tip. Change the monologues

to suit.

Monologue 1

Well, I wouldn't usually ask this, as you know, but it has been playing up lately..I haven't..er.. missed

more than two or three days a year since I started working. I'm not the type to shirk my responsibilities.

I prefer to soldier on & soon it goes away. But I must admit that it is uncomfortable.. ...quite severely, at

times. A warm bath usually sorts it out. I remember you suggesting that a massage might be beneficial

but I've never got round to it. So I thought what with the event coming up & everything...well...er, you

know..frankly it is a special occasion & I wouldn't want to miss it. You're going too, aren't you? Yes, it

should be quite something to remember. If you'd be so kind, I'll be on my way & not waste any more of

your time. It only need be for a couple of days..a cover, sort of....


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Monologue 2

Well, you must know the situation. It's been in the papers & now I'm afraid it's time to take some action.

As you know, it isn't the easiest of decisions to take & it's as difficult for me as it is for you. But someone

has got to do it, just as someone has to be on the other end. One day it might happen to me &

really..er..I'm just carrying out orders.... So, I'm sure you'll find something else before too long & I really

do wish you every success in the future. You have been an important part of the team, I must admit & if

there'd been any other solution you can be sure we'd have taken that but with the situation as it

is....Anyway, that's that & there really isn't anymore to be said. ..... I was looking in the paper last night &

there are several openings for a man of your maturity & experience.

Monologue 3

You must be aware why I've asked to see you. It's not as if this were the first time this has happened....in

fact, if my memory serves me well, this is the seventh time and we are getting a bit fed up. We've got

enough to do without catching him at it all the time. I honestly thing that it's high time that a firm hand

were taken in the home. This is the best solution, really. Do you let him do it at home?...No, I don't

imagine that you do. And do you or your husband? No....Well, possibly you could look out for the telltale

signs; you know, the smell on his breath & his clothes & see if he has any on him. I mean, seven is quite

an early age to start & what with the warnings we're getting these days about it...well, it can't do him

any good, apart from anything else. The other boys see him & want to do it too & you know we can't

have that. You don't er...give him money each day, do you? Stopping that might be a way to sort this out.

Anyway, That's what I wanted to say & if it happens again, we'll have to take much stronger action.

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Top 10 Monologue Tips