<p>Okay, I have been scouring this website as well as the internet and the most up to date list I have found is 2009...can anyone help? Is there a more current one? Could ones that used to be on the list now be off? Many that my D has liked are on the list from 2009. She has found two from Wade Bradford Promedy and Tomorrow's Wish and Scuba Lessons that I am worried are now being overdone. Any suggestions?</p>
<p>I PMed you that “Promedy” does now seem to have entered the “overdone” category.</p>
<p>I can’t tell if “Tomorrow’s Wish” and “Scuba Lessons” have as well. I suspect they are heading that way because I can easily find monologues from these plays–excerpted as monologues–on the Internet.</p>
<p>I’m still wondering what strategy you are using to find monologues. I suspect you may be using one that will end up with you getting an overdone one.</p>
<p>Can your D ask her high school drama teacher for suggestions? We used ours as a resource and also found a monologue coach through the little community theater where my D took classes and performed. In other words ask for advice from a professional who reads/teaches/performs plays for a living as opposed to looking up lists of monologues on the internet or using books of monologues.</p>
<p>austinmt gives good advice.</p>
<p>I will also add that doing a monologue well, by connecting with, and knowing the material, however “common”, trumps doing a more obscure piece poorly. Just something to keep in mind.</p>
<p>If anyone could suggest some good playwrights that write for young females/comedic I would be so grateful <3</p>
<p>Here is a list I found doing a quick search on the web:</p>
<p>[Overdone</a> College Audition Monologues - My College Audition](<a href=“http://www.■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■/1/post/2012/12/overdone-college-audition-monologues-by-coach-chelsea-cipolla.html]Overdone”>http://www.■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■/1/post/2012/12/overdone-college-audition-monologues-by-coach-chelsea-cipolla.html)</p>
<p>Thanks…that’s the one from 2009 and has been very helpful…I guess I have been doing things backwards and need to find plays that have young female characters, read them and then find the monologue…If anyone could suggest those types of playwrights I would greatly appreciate it. I don’t know much about plays so I don’t know where to start. The list helps me know where not to start LOL</p>
<p>Actually, the student needs to read the plays and connect with the characters. It’s not really something you can do for them IMHO.</p>
<p>She will be doing the reading of the plays, not me…we just don’t know what playwrights read…sorry if I was unclear :)</p>
<p>If you are hiring a coach, or have a teacher or director she works with, they will be able to guide her. My kids just started reading plays they found at the library and at B&N. They read and read until they found shows that they connected with. I knew this was the part of the process I was not going to be helpful with at all.</p>
<p>Bisouu my D has found good monologues from monologue books. Now, before people jump all over me for using monologue books, we purchased our monologue books from The Drama Book Shop in New York City that has a huge selection. The last time I was in I think I looked over 8 shelves of books. Some of these books are specifically for younger actors, or for women. These are not common books that you can find in regular book stores.
My D reads the monologue books and looks for a monologue that she likes. After she finds one she checks with her acting teacher that it is a good fit and not overdone. Then she reads the play.<br>
So maybe something in our process will help you.</p>
<p>Thank you dramamom! It seems backwards to me to read hundreds of plays hoping to find one with a monologue that fits. Seems like she should find a monologue that she likes and then research the play it is from…would you mind pming me the name of the book she used?</p>
<p>If she is six foot tall and red haired, you might think about looking over Jessica Chastain’s CV and seeing if any of her roles resonate. (She’s done a lot of Chekhov and Ibsen…maybe too heavy or not what you are looking for.) Just a thought. [Jessica</a> Chastain on Stage and TV](<a href=“http://www.chastaincentral.com/content/jessicastage.html]Jessica”>http://www.chastaincentral.com/content/jessicastage.html)</p>
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<p>I’ve seen Jessica onstage and there’s no way she’s anywhere close to six feet tall! :)</p>
<p>bisouu, it may seem counterproductive to search for monologues by reading plays, but kids who are planning a career in the theatre should be reading plays and familiarizing themselves with all types of plays, exclusive of the monologue searching process. It’s also an opportunity for them to start/add to their collection of plays. Another idea is for her to think of all the plays she’s done and seen to see if there’s anything that piques an interest. Perhaps a favorite playwright?</p>
<p>She’s tall though, isn’t she? </p>
<p>Agree that it’s good to read plays. My S just got his main textbook for intro to drama at CCPA. It’s the Bedford Introduction To Drama and has, I think, 90 plays in it…it was $100, but a fantastic resource. </p>
<p>[The</a> Bedford Introduction to Drama: Lee A. Jacobus: 9781457606328: Amazon.com: Books](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1457606321/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1]The”>http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1457606321/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)</p>
<p>Sorry it has 54 plays in it, not 90. </p>
<p>Still a lot and a good variety.</p>
<p>Even with my modest research skills, I was able to hunt online for well-reviewed or award-winning plays with adolescent/young adult characters; look in the NYT, read through the list of Pulitzer winners, etc. We also checked past seasons of schools my son was interested in attending. It’s easy to call up the cast list and see if there’s a major character that’s the right configuration. Look on the distributors’ websites (Samuel French, Dramatists, etc.) for plays with the right kinds of characters. And definitely look for playwrights whose language and ideas you love (with “you” being the actor, not the parent, obviously!). The hunt itself is part of the learning process, in my opinion. My son figures he read over 100 plays, and I’m sure there are plenty of kids who’ve done more. He ended up getting one monologue from a play we found with this method and another one was suggested to him by a T.A. (undergrad student in the BFA) at the summer precollege program he attended. He also chose a couple of Shakespeare monologues. He had four total, but some people recommend 6 or more.</p>
<p>RE: Reading plays</p>
<p>My S did not read too many plays on his own, but read a bunch while at his summer program last year (same one Times3’s S went to!), then read more when he came home and throughout senior year. He just went to his orientation and the College of Fine Arts kids all sat around talking about plays with their soon-to-be-professors. My S felt very behind in the play-reading category! LOL! These teachers expect the kids to have a working knowledge of plays and playwrights, and a lot of theatre kids read plays religiously! </p>
<p>So to the OP - your D should really be reading plays!</p>
<p>Bisouu - she has about 15 different monologue books right now and sometimes looks through the ones her teacher has too. I couldn’t send all the titles - what I meant was to see if you can find a resource near you where you could buy or borrow some books. But go with an industry resource like the drama book shop or an acting teacher or professor, or you could end up with an overdone monologue book.
My D also has several anthologies of plays and is reading those for monologue ideas and for background.
It is definitely not an easy process, so you are right to ask questions.</p>
<p>Thanks guys…I appreciate your patience and willingness to help… :)</p>