What is a good monologue to use for an audition?

To choose an audition monologue, pick a 1-2 minute piece from a published play that fits your age/type, shows an emotional arc (not just one feeling), has an "action" (something happening), and aligns with the show's style, ensuring you can connect with the character and speak the language comfortably, avoiding accents unless requested. Focus on finding something you genuinely enjoy performing to showcase your personality and skills effectively, as directors look for actors who can genuinely portray a range of emotions and bring a story to life.

What is a good monologue for an audition?

Good audition monologues are authentic, age-appropriate, and showcase your talent, coming from published plays like those by Shakespeare (Isabella in Measure for Measure), Tennessee Williams (A Streetcar Named Desire), or contemporary writers like Tracy Letts, with options available for different genres (comedic, dramatic) and ages, such as teen-focused ones from Drama Notebook.
 

How to find good audition monologues?

Monologue Books

1. Find a piece you like in the book – you identify with a character, the writing appeals to you, etc.
2. Buy a copy of that play and read it.
3. Look for the monologue from your book. ...
4. Look for other monologues by the same character. ...
5. Look for other monologues in the same play by a different character.

What are some good monologue topics?

Monologue topics can range from deeply personal experiences (first love, overcoming a fear) and everyday situations (a disastrous blind date, dealing with technology) to broader themes like family dynamics, social issues (racism, climate change), work-life balance, or reflections on inspiring figures, all offering avenues for exploring character, emotion, and perspective. Focus on a specific moment, emotion, or relationship for a compelling narrative, whether it's funny, serious, or thought-provoking. 

What is a good example of a monologue?

Good monologue examples showcase powerful emotion, relatable situations, or unique perspectives, found in classic plays (like Shakespeare's The Tempest, Ariel's speech), iconic films ("I'm Mad as Hell" from Network, Glengarry Glen Ross's "Always Be Closing"), or contemporary works, offering a range from dramatic breakdowns (like in The Seagull) to funny rants (like those in Dramanotebook for teens). The best ones reveal character depth, drive the story, or explore universal themes like love, loss, or societal critique.
 

What Makes a Great Audition Monologue?

What is the greatest monologue of all time?

There's no single "best" monologue, as it's subjective, but top contenders often cited include Charlie Chaplin's speech in The Great Dictator, Robert Shaw's USS Indianapolis monologue in Jaws, Al Pacino's "Incompetence" in Scent of a Woman, "I'm Mad as Hell" from Network, Robin Williams' "You don't know love" in Good Will Hunting, and Denzel Washington's "King Kong" in Training Day, praised for their emotional power, iconic delivery, or cultural impact.
 

What are some good monologues for beginners?

10 Easy Monologues for Beginners

• “Goodbye Charles” by Gabriel Davis: It's Terrible Being Nice.
• “Second Look” by Joseph Arnone: Cher's monologue.
• “Annie Jump and the Library of Heaven” by Reina Hard: Annie's monologue.
• “Behind the Eight Ball” by Joseph Arnone: Helena's monologue.

What monologue should I use?

Make Sure the Character Suits You

An excellent monologue performance requires a certain understanding of the character you're embodying, so pick a monologue by a character that suits you. This could be – in the obvious way – of a character who is a similar age and casting type, or perhaps from the same place as you.

What are some good topics for speech?

The best speech topics are engaging, relevant, and align with your passion, covering areas like technology (AI, social media's impact), social issues (mental health, gender equality, climate change), personal development (discipline, time management, leadership), current events, or lifestyle (fitness, hobbies, travel), often sparked by your own experiences or a strong opinion on a debate like paid college athletes or banning certain products. 

What if I forget my monologue lines?

Stay calm, breathe and carry on

says “Don't stress about it. It happens. Just play it off and make something up to cover it. The audience doesn't know what your line there was supposed to be so don't let it show on your face that you messed up!”

How do I stand out in an audition?

How To Stand Out At Your Audition

1. Bring a headshot and resume. The main purpose of a headshot is to help the director remember you. ...
2. Dress comfortably and in the essence of the character. Think about the shoes the character would wear. ...
3. Arrive early. ...
4. Warm up. ...
5. Audition form. ...
6. Take direction. ...
7. Be kind.

What are the most overused monologues?

Overdone Male Contemporary Monologues

• Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead by Tom Stoppard (Rosencrantz): "Do you ever think of yourself as actually dead, lying in a box with the lid on it?"
• Take Me Out by Richard Greenberg (Mason): "I've been watching baseball nonstop since the day I was told you were coming to me..."

What are some kid-friendly scripts?

Free Scripts

• Beauty IS a Beast. Beauty IS a Beast by D.M. Larson. ...
• Cinderella (short, for younger kids) Cinderalla by K I D S I N C O based on the story Cinderella by Brothers Grimm. ...
• Dragon Trouble. Dragon Trouble by D.M. Larson. ...
• Holka Polka. Holka Polka by D.M. Larson. ...
• The City Mouse and the Country Mouse.

How to ace a monologue audition?

Monologue tips from Guildford School of Acting audition panellist Joe Richardson

1. Avoid fidgeting beforehand. ...
2. Don't stare down the panel – pick a specific point for delivery! ...
3. Pick from a play. ...
4. Introduce or look for levels. ...
5. Don't go over time. ...
6. Try to find something unique. ...
7. Do your research. ...
8. Show your personality.

What is a creative monologue?

Monologue - A speech given by a single character in which the character reveals personal feelings, actions, and objectives to another character or to members of the audience. Objective - A character's “big want.”

Is a 3 minute monologue too long?

Yes, a 3-minute monologue is generally too long for most auditions, which typically prefer 1 to 2 minutes (or even 60-90 seconds) to keep the audience engaged, although it might work for specific stage performances or if the audition brief explicitly allows it, but it's always safer to cut it down to a powerful, shorter version. 

What are the 5 basic speeches?

While there are traditionally eight parts of speech, the five most fundamental are Nouns, Verbs, Adjectives, Adverbs, and Pronouns, which categorize words by their function (person/place/thing, action/state, describing nouns, describing verbs/adjectives, replacing nouns), forming the core of sentence structure. Conjunctions (joining words), Prepositions (relationships), and Interjections (exclamations) round out the full set, but Nouns, Verbs, Adjectives, Adverbs, and Pronouns are the essential building blocks. 

What are some unique topics?

Top 10 interesting things to talk about

• Dreams and aspirations. ...
• Phases of life. ...
• Life after death. ...
• Hobbies and passions. ...
• Authenticity. ...
• Personal heroes. ...
• New inventions. ...
• Creativity.

What topic is best for a 5 minute speech?

The best topic for a 5-minute speech is something you're passionate about, can explain concisely, and connects with your audience, like a personal story, a specific hobby, a solution to a common problem (stress, time management), or a fascinating but brief concept (AI, unusual history). Focus on a single, clear idea with a strong opening and closing to deliver impact within the short timeframe. 

What are the 10 best audition monologues?

The best audition monologues showcase character, conflict, and emotion, often from modern or classic plays like Good Will Hunting ("You Move Chief"), Glengarry Glen Ross, The Crucible, or Shakespeare's Hamlet, but also popular movie scenes from The Social Network ("You Set Me Up") or A Few Good Men ("You Can't Handle the Truth"). Focus on active speeches that reveal internal struggle, keeping them under two minutes and ensuring the character feels authentic to you. 

What are good monologue topics?

C1 Monologues

• Personal relationships.
• Inspiring person. Talk about an inspiring person who has influenced your life in some way. ...
• Friendship. Talk about friendship and what it means to you. ...
• New technologies and social relationships. ...
• Work.
• Working conditions. ...
• Personal fulfillment and working conditions. ...
• Employment.

How to pick an audition monologue?

The Mono Box: 8 Steps to Choosing a Monologue

1. Read the play. You'd be surprised at how few actors read the whole play that their chosen speech is from. ...
2. Look for active speeches. ...
3. Know the situation. ...
4. The 2-Minute Rule. ...
5. Stay close to yourself. ...
6. Aim to entertain. ...
7. Research your taste. ...
8. Explore your nerves.

What monologues should I avoid for auditions?

For auditions, avoid overdone classics (like Squeaky Fromme, parts of Angels in America, Oleanna, The Star-Spangled Girl), narrative monologues, pieces with heavy dialect unless required, anything too graphic (sex/violence/profanity), or characters wildly outside your age/type, opting instead for fresh, age-appropriate, published pieces that showcase your unique skills and allow for emotional depth, not just telling a story.
 

What is a simple monologue?

A monologue is a long speech by one person, revealing their thoughts, feelings, or telling a story, often to other characters or directly to the audience, used in plays, films, and even real-life (like stand-up comedy or political speeches) to show character or persuade. It's essentially one person doing all the talking, unlike a dialogue where people take turns, stemming from Greek words for "single" and "speech".
 

What are famous examples of monologues?

The 10 Best Monologues in Film

• Don't Kill It, 'Call Me By Your Name' (2017) ...
• In Another Life, 'Everything Everywhere All at Once' (2022) ...
• Cool Girl, 'Gone Girl' (2014) ...
• My Name is Patrick Bateman, 'American Psycho' (2000) ...
• Your Move, Chief, 'Good Will Hunting' (1997) ...
• The Same Spot As You, 'Fences' (2016)