How to Prepare a Monologue for an Audition

As an actor, you will probably be called upon many times to deliver a prepared 1- to 3-minute monologue. It is a standard part of auditioning for a stage play or showcase. An agent or casting director meeting you for the first time might ask if you have anything prepared, and monologues are often part of the application process for advanced acting classes. Here are some tips that will help you prepare a monologue for any situation.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Full text of play
• Note paper
• Writing instrument
• Recording device
• Timer

1. If you are preparing for a specific audition, make sure you meet all the requirements. Is there a time limit? (Your monologue should not run more than 3 minutes, but sometimes a monologue as short as 1 minute is called for.) Is your monologue genre-appropriate? (If you are auditioning for "Othello", don't perform an excerpt from "The Odd Couple".)

2. Familiarize yourself with the entire play. Unless you know where your character is coming from before the monologue and where they are going afterward, you're likely to miss layers of meaning. In a great monologue, the subtext is as important as the text.

3. You can read detailed summaries and explanations of many classic plays at sites such as www.cliffnotes.com or www.sparknotes.com. These can be helpful if the play is difficult because of archaic language or complex themes, but use them in addition to, not in place of, the complete original work.

4. Write down several adjectives describing your character as he is at the beginning of the monologue. Is he proud or humble? Wise or ignorant? Naive or jaded? Weak or strong? Sincere or treacherous? Don't limit yourself to these terms; be as descriptive as you can.

5. Identify to whom your character is speaking and write a brief description of their relationship. (How do they feel about each other? Who has the power in the relationship?) Even if the character is alone on stage at this point in the actual play, put someone in the scene for them to talk to. If it is an internal monologue, externalize it. Imagine them arguing with their conscience or their id as if it were another person.

6. Write down the objective of the monologue. What is your character's goal? Is she trying to convince someone of something or to stir another person to action? Sometimes a character's motives can change in the middle of a monologue as she comes to a realization about herself or someone else, but what specifically does she want to begin with? If you cannot identify one powerful motivation to start with, you may have chosen the wrong monologue.

7. Find the "beats" in the monologue. A beat is a dramatic shift in emotion, intention, or power. A character may begin a speech by insulting someone, and end up confessing undying love. This represents a change of emotion (hate to love), intention (insulting to wooing), and power (domination to submission). Your performance of the monologue should convey all these changes, which may or may not happen simultaneously. Write down what the beats are and the specific point or points at which changes occur. If you cannot identify any beats, you may have chosen the wrong monologue.

8. Write down several adjectives describing your character as he is at the end of the monologue. Is it different than the list you made in Step 4? If so, make special note of the differences, as these suggest that your character develops in the course of the monologue. If the list is exactly the same, look at the monologue again to try to find points where the character deviates at least momentarily from one or more of these adjectives: for instance, the proud man humbles himself before reasserting his pride.

9. 
   Recording and writing out your monologue will help in memorization.

   Memorize the words. You will not be able to perform a monologue effectively if you are searching for words. One technique is to record yourself reading the monologue and play it back repeatedly, saying the words along with or slightly ahead of the recording. Also try writing out the monologue in longhand and then make sure your written version matches the printed text word for word.

10. After you have memorized the monologue word for word, rehearse it until delivering it seems as natural as talking to a friend (or enemy).

11. Adjust your levels. Sometimes a monologue calls for a moment of overwhelming anger or overwhelming grief, and those can be quite powerful if done well, but no audition panel wants to be subjected to 3 minutes of screaming or sobbing. Know what moments to keep small and what moments, if any, must be played big. Sometimes a tightly controlled emotion seething just beneath the surface is much more powerful.

12. Record yourself performing (not reading) the monologue.

13. Listen to the recording while reviewing the notes you made in Steps 5 through 8. If the character traits, relationship, objective, and beats you described come through in your performance, or if you have identified new and stronger choices, great! If not, go back and try again.

14. Incorporate a limited amount of movement in the scene. Standing in one place with your hands at your side is boring, but a constant whirlwind of activity is distracting and can be unintentionally comical. Every movement, whether crossing the stage or making a small gesture, should have a real motivation in terms of character. Nothing should be arbitrary or added just for effect.

15. Remember you are not alone. That character you identified in Step 5 is sharing the stage with you. Talk to him. Establish eye contact with him. Look away from time to time. (Chances are you would never stare into someone's eyes for 3 minutes.) Know where he is at all times. Let him change position or move across the stage when it is natural for him to do so. (But keep in mind that the audition panel is more interested in seeing your face than the top or back of your head.)

16. 
    Let someone see your monologue peformance and give you feedback.

    Perform the monologue for someone whose opinion you trust. Don't ask them if they liked the monologue or not. Ask them if they can describe the character, motivation, relationship, and goals. If any of these weren't clear to them, or if any part of your performance seems artificial or contrived, go back and try again. If you can convey all of those things in a way that seems natural and organic, you've succeeded in preparing a monologue that can be part of many successful auditions.

Tips & Warnings

• You can download many classic plays (including all of Shakespeare's works) for free from the Internet. Just search for "Hamlet"+"full text" (using the actual name of the play, of course).
• You may, however, prefer to use a professionally published version that includes explanatory notes, especially if you have chosen a difficult play.
• For popular contemporary plays, check your local libraries and bookstores.
• Samuel French stores (in Los Angeles and New York) are among the best places to shop for less well-known plays and other helpful tools for actors.
• If you can't find the text of the play locally, you can order it from its publisher as long as it's still in print. The two main U.S. publishers of plays are Samuel French (www.samuelfrench.com) and Dramatists Play Service (www.dramatists.com).
• Revisit your monologues often. If you haven't used one in an audition for a while, run through it on your own to make sure you haven't forgotten the words or gotten hazy on the motivation.
• Don't do a phony accent or character voice unless auditioning for a part that specifically calls for it. Let the audition panel hear how you really sound. (If in doubt, ask. Even plays set in foreign countries are often presented with the natural accents of the performers.)
• Don't use props, real or pantomimed. Use your voice, body, and face to create the scene.
• Don't sit down throughout your monologue. It generally leads to a weaker and less interesting performance, and there may not even be a chair available at the audition.
• Disregard any printed stage directions regarding movement, posture, gestures, expressions, or delivery. Make your choices based on what feels real to you.

Resources

• How to Choose Monologues for Auditions
• How Perform a Piece by Shakespeare
• Samuel French Inc. (publishers)
• Dramatists Play Service (publishers)