<p>I totally understand the suggestion that one needs to read a lot of plays in searching for their monologues. But could we get some suggestions of plays to read that would include young men characters?</p>
<p>The problem my son is encountering is one of time constraints. We live quite away from a library that has an extensive collection. Our local library is SERIOUSLY lacking. He has read everything there. Over this past summer, we have driven an hour into Milwaukee and spent time in library there which is just the opposite and overwhelming to us with its choices. Since we are not residents of the county, we cannot check out possibilities to read later. So I scan the shelves (with absolutely no clue) for plays that might have young characters; he tries to skim quickly to see if it is something that interests him and if by chance, it might work, he makes copies of pages. We can spend hours, between the drive back and forth, and blindly searching; and come home with one possibility or nothing at all. He works 2 jobs during the summers and continues with one of them over the school year. And with my job schedule and all other activities, it was hard to schedule more than 3 or 4 of these type of library searches. </p>
<p>He is still not satisfied with his choices (he DOES have a few) and would like to continue the search. We cannot continue in this way, though. It seems like searching for a needle in a haystack. </p>
<p>He needs to narrow his search. He would like to pick out his own monologue and continue to read plays; but would like some guidance in narrowing that search with some suggestions of plays to read. Any help would be really appreciated as he starting to get nervous about this particular aspect of his preparations.</p>
<p>I know a lot of people frown on monologue books, but in your case it might e a place to start. With the money you would save on gas you could purchase several of these. (Amazon.com is a good place to look.) Just make sure the monologues are from plays and not written as just monologues. Also, does your son’s high school have a drama teacher? I know my son’s drama teacher has shelves full of monologue books. Good luck.</p>
<p>Theres a series of monologue books all from published plays called “The Best Men’s Stage Monologues”. They have them each by year. They also have the Best Women’s Monologues and The Best Teen’s Monologues. The teen monologues kinda suck though, so I would try reading through the men’s stage monologues. I found both of my monologues in there. I’m doing Zach from “The Taxi Cabaret” (really really funny) and this other one about watching his brother get murdered.</p>
<p>Now about this not-being-able-to-check-out-books thing, I’m also not allowed to check out books at my library because if I do, I have to pay over $100 in late fees :P. So, truthfully, I take the books. I’ve only taken 2 though, and it was for a good purpose :D. I don’t recommend that though, unless it’s your last option. Photocopies work well enough.</p>
<p>Oh, and people also recommend reading the plays of which your monologues are chosen. Thats a good idea. I’m having REALLY REALLY big troubles finding the scripts of my plays, though. They’re really unpopular, I guess…</p>
<p>freedom, i have a copy of the taxi cabaret-- i bought it at the drama book shop in nyc. i’m pretty sure you can call them and have it sent to you.</p>
<p>A note to Freedom and other prospective college students:</p>
<p>There are many people who read this and other public forums who may have the power to make an admissions decision in your future. Remember that although there is some anonmyity when you post, there is a chance that what you write will be read by someone who figures out who you are.</p>
<p>BTW, I had over $100 in library fines when I was a kid too. Many libraries do have an amnesty time when they will forgive fines. You might call your library, and ask if that is possible. And make sure you have returned the overdue items!</p>
<p>AZK, I sympathize with you and your S. Even though we have access to libraries, this was the hardest part for my S, especially comedic monolouges. If you are using a monolouge book to start with, Stageplays.com is a good place the get plays as well as The Drama Book Shop in NYC, these stores have good websites and they also have lots of monolouge books to start with. I would like to recomend one play to you, its “With Their Eyes” by Annie Thoms. Its a collection of essays from high school students from a HS that was two blocks from the world trade center. Ms. Thoms took these essays and wrote a play based on them, it is essentially a play of monolouges and most of them by high school students, lots of monolouges for guys. Very powerful and moving. My S used some of the monolouges for college auditions and he also won two scholarship competions with them. Good Luck</p>
<p>It is NOT an easy task, finding the right monolgues. It is continuous…I have news for you , it doesn’t stop after admissions to a program.</p>
<p>Go on DPS and Samuel French websites and request catalogues. Read through them and through them. Begin a list and then research the plays. Begin ordering them and then read them. It’s an investment…but you will have a valuable library and become acquainted with different playwrights and their styles.</p>
<p>Every few months I do this with my senior MT sons in mind…if we end up getting plays with monologues with older men…then so be it. Eventually they will be that old.</p>
<p>I am very saddened and disappointed to read someone would help themselves to library property and keep the playbooks as their own. I hope you reconsider and send them back…even if it is annonymously. A good actor is honest and genuine…it begins at your core. I’ll leave it at that.</p>
<p>Start reading early…and don’t stop…it’s best to keep at it!</p>
<p>Thank you so much everyone. We actually were in Milwaukee this morning for a session with his vocal coach and we read the message with Mary Anna’s monologues link just before we left. My son was frantically reading off the list to me while I copied down some of the suggestions. We did stop at the library and grabbed 3 or 4 of those plays on the list to skim through/read synopsis and did find one more monologue to add to his collection. Thank you, musicmom!! </p>
<p>SRW, I am familiar with the 911 essays and will make sure he reads that. I actually think that may be available through an interlibrary loan within our county’s library system. It would be nice to actually read through leisurely rather than skimming quickly knowing the parking meter is about to run out and digging for change to make copies.</p>
<p>Good luck to everyone out there also searching for “just the right song/monologue!”</p>
<p>I was going to suggest to others in the same boat…bad library system that many times if you have a student i.d. and live near a university you can obtain a library card and check out materials there. When my D was a junior she was aboe to do that at UCI for a paper she was writing. Many universtity libraries have scripts.</p>
<p>“Oh, and people also recommend reading the plays of which your monologues are chosen. Thats a good idea. I’m having REALLY REALLY big troubles finding the scripts of my plays, though. They’re really unpopular, I guess…”</p>
<p>Have you tried the publishing houses? Dramatists Play Service, Dramatic Publishing, Samuel French, etc.</p>