Monologues for MT Auditions

<p>I audition at NYU Steinhardt on Feb. 10 and was wondering if you have suggestions of where to find a good, workable monologue. Singing is my lifelong skill, with acting acquired during high school. I bought a monologue book, but just do not know where to start with it. Hope you can help!</p>

<p>I would say not to use a monologue book unless you have read the play that it was from.. I recently went to a workshop, and when a girl pulled out a monologue book, everyone gasped.. haha, But I would just choose something that you could relate to.</p>

<p>You need to tell us more. I assume you're female from the "chik" at the end of your name? OK. If not, let us know.</p>

<p>Next, what are you good at? Physical comedy? Straight person? Hecuba? Jocasta?</p>

<p>What do you look like? Are you the ingenue type or the character type? Underweight? Overweight? About right? </p>

<p>What sort of piece are you looking for? Light comedy? Schtick? Heavy drama? Does it need to be from a musical?</p>

<p>Most college web sites instruct you not to draw from monologue books. Last week I met with a Theatre professor at a local LAC. I described my son - jock -turned-actor, rebellious, angry, antiwar kid in catholic HS. She gave me some great suggestions: Journey's End, History Boys,Brick in 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof', etc. I just ordered the scripts, as we have been told that you may have to improv the role or 'tested' as to whether you really know the role in the context of the play</p>

<p>briansteffy - While you are absolutely correct that collective wisdom says read entire plays, not monologue books. However, that is not helpful to the original post, which says that her audition is Feb. 10. With the limited time, my suggestion would be to only look at monologue books where the monos are taken from actual plays - choose one (or however many are required), THEN read those plays only. Otherwise, finding "the right" mono can be a months-long process - not the work of a couple of weeks.</p>

<p>I'm in the EXACT same boat! I have an audition for NYU: Tisch on the 18th & I'm not nearly as worried about my singing- only my monologues b/c I've never really done any! I got a book, too, but then I realized they can't be original monologues, written by people for auditions. They have to be from plays. So it makes it tough. I would just go to the book store & look through plays...Neil Simon is a good play writer, I've been told. That's who I've been looking through for my dramatic monologue...as for comedy, I have no idea what I'm doing. But GOOD LUCK!!! & tell me if you get in. =]</p>

<p>BorntoSing I was on Marymount Manhattans web sight and found this <a href="http://www.mmm.edu/study/programs/dfpa/theatrearts/monologues.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.mmm.edu/study/programs/dfpa/theatrearts/monologues.html&lt;/a> Maybe it will help you.</p>

<p>MusTHCC:</p>

<p>Actually, it can be just a weekend day's work in a decent library. Just go to the section with plays and start pulling from the shelves and leafing through, skimming as you go. It's what I used to do, and I discovered wonderful monologues from such plays as Seascape, The Architect and Emporer of Assyria, and many other not-so-well-known plays.</p>

<p>But I DO want to say that too many kids take monologues that just aren't right for them. For instance, briansteffy, Brick is a very difficult role with a fair amount of subtlety. It's also quite a bit older than your son. I might look at Zoo Story or A Hatful of Rain. You might even try The Andersonville Trial. You also might want to look at When You Comin' Back Red Rider?</p>

<p>That's why I asked the OP for some physical characteristics and what she's good at. I've seen too many young overweight ladies come in with Ophelia, and it just doesn't work. It also doesn't work for lovely shy types to do Winnifred.</p>

<p>I am in the same boat as mostly everyone here. Though I have a few monolouges they are not approporiate for college auditions. My voice teacher did give me a nice monolouge from a John Patrick Shanly play, but I do not know if he is overdone. Ive looked through all the sites like Marymount and Skidmore but have not really found anything and the few things I have found i cannot find the plays from. I am about 5'5, slim , brown hair , and I usual prefer dramatic serious stuff but I am so lost. I have an audition on the 17th of Feb.</p>

<p>Defying Gravity:</p>

<p>Why aren't your current monologues appropriate for college auditions?</p>

<p>Thanks for the physical description. That means a number of roles could apply. Are you good at light comedy? Look like you could be a flight attendant? Try April (I think that's the character's name) from "Company." I don't recall the entire thing, but my wife used it to good effect once upon a time. It ends with something to the effect of, "I'm a person too you @#$%head!"</p>

<p>Dramatic? Check into Anouilh's "Antigone." About the right age, and very dramatic. </p>

<p>This is just two, of course. There are many more. Good luck.</p>

<p>I am no expert, but it seems to me that high school kids selecting material for college auditions should definitely keep in mind not just type, but also age! You put yourselves at a big disadvantage if there is too much of a disconnect between the character you are supposed to be and who you are physically, if you know what I mean! You want to be believable, is I guess what I am saying. Right Tarhunt and KatMT, and all of you more experienced peeps? :)</p>

<p>Yup! At least, that's the way I see it. There's nothing more painful to me than watching a high school kid do King Lear. I suppose that, theoretically, if the high school kid can actually carry off the illusion, it would be so impressive that he could get into any school he wanted. Of course, if he's that good, why train?</p>

<p>Hey, I made this kind of mistake myself. It's common. As a white high school kid, I once auditioned for a theater doing a part from "A Raisin in the Sun." Dumb, dumb, dumb. </p>

<p>Live and learn.</p>

<p>I second the above. Find material that speaks to you... that you can relate to... that you like... :)</p>

<p>The monolouge I know best is from "Come back to the five and dime Jimmy Dean,Jimmy Dean" and it is basically about a womens fantasy of her love affair with James Dean. I do not think that would be approporiate for a 17 year old, but I could be wrong. Also most colleges now at least seem to want two monolouges post 1930 so that is what I have been trying to find. I guess I will look through monolouge books and such in the coming weeks. Thank you everyone for your help,</p>

<p>Yes, I am a girl, and I think I MUST decide on a monologue before the weekend. I personally am much more familiar with musical theatre than plays. But I am open to ANYTHING, coming close to panicking, but I am a fast "memorizer." I assume my monologue must be memorized, correct??? Perhaps I can just check the NYU website :)</p>

<p>I am blonde, pale, slim, and 5' 5". I am usually typecast as a romantic lead, and I totally dig the "vintage" vibe of pre-1960. But I can be dramatic to the point of being comedic (if that makes sense) and am good at ditzy airhead types of roles. I'm able to commit to almost anything, provided I just choose something!!</p>

<p>Hope that helps :)</p>

<p>Finding Good Monologues that work for YOU is a life long quest for the actor.
I have been coaching lots of students for their auditions. I require they spend the time researching their own materials. I will also give them suggestions, buta tell them not to depend me to do that. It is the students responsibility to take the time to do the research. If you are a Junior reading this, and are auditioning next year.... Start looking for monolougues NOW! SOme of my students expect they are going to walk in their coaching session with me and I am going to hand them these perfect monologues. It doens't work that way.</p>

<p>I have found many good monologues in monologue books... There are new ones coming in all the time. As long as you read the whole play, these books can be a HUGE assest.</p>

<p>If you are going to auditioning seriously... you should be on a constant lookout for monologues. Every play you see or read. Do NOT wait until the last week to get your monologues together. DON't DO IT</p>

<p>Good luck to everyone.</p>

<p>Any suggestions?</p>

<p>musikchik:</p>

<p>The April monologue I mentioned above should work for you, too. I'm don't know nearly as much about female material as I do about material for males, because I've never been female. I"ll have to work on that.</p>

<p>I mean, I can give you genres. You say you're good at comic overacting, so I might suggest Restoration comedy. I'd recommend the prude role in Les Liaisons Dangereux except that the role is too old for you. </p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

<p>TomBFAcoach:</p>

<p>It sounds like you have some insights into what BFA programs are looking for in an audition. I'd be interested in anything you have to tell us.</p>

<p>Monologue suggestions please......</p>

<p>female 17 year old, brunette, 5'7" slim but for some reason :( have size D's<br>
I have played many roles but would like something "different" (I can do serious or funny). I enjoy the character of Mimi in rent.......any suggestions for college auditions?? THANK YOU!!!</p>