Q&A for How to Perform a Monologue

To make your voice sound serious, imagine yourself in a situation where you're facing someone who has wronged you and hurt you deeply in the process. (You could also imagine any other scenario in which you would need to be serious.) This should help you sound more serious and convincing.

Practice your part when you're at home. Look at monologue videos, and gain some strategies from those. Imagine there's people where you're practicing so you won't feel shy.

Learn to shake off any mistakes and focus on learning from them. If something does go wrong, just try and cover it up and make it seem natural. Whatever you do, don't break character.

Find something in the room or place to stare at besides your audience. Never rush through a performance, and speak naturally and fluently.

Stare until your eyes water into the audience. Remember that you are trying to portray emotion. You may find it helpful to read How to Cry On the Spot .

Do some research and character analysis to find out more. If you can't find out more, choose a different monologue, or create your own.

Casting directors like it better when you do not look at the script, but if you forget you can peer down at the script a few times.

Often you won't get the script, just a general idea of the concept of the show and the character you are auditioning for. You will often be expected to prepare something in the same style as the show for your audition (a comedy for a comedic show, something dramatic for a drama etc). Also, consider the character you are auditioning for. You don't want to act as an old lady in an audition for a teenage girl. Mostly you will not actually see the script unless you get a callback and they want to see how well you do the real thing. It's easier to stop spoilers getting out that way.

When you have started to memorize your monologue, start thinking a lot more about the words and the character and mood you are trying to portray. Often actions start coming naturally as you get into character. It is best not to sit down and make the actions up, because that can end up with you looking like a mime as you say your monologue, doing big exaggerated movements. Actions should be subtle and natural.

In specific situations, you may need to introduce a character name and state what play the monologue is from so that whoever you're performing in front of has some context. If it's a self-written monologue, you may need to introduce the character and give some context regarding what the monologue is about.

Make sure you're confident and really get into the character. Sometimes I like to dress up as the character so I can play him/her better.

Firstly, be confident. Walk in with purpose. If the casting directors have questions for you, answer like you're sure of yourself, even if you aren't. If you make a mistake while reading the script, don't stop.

Just breathe and tell yourself that you are okay and there is nothing to be afraid of.

You can perform your monologue in this way, but it is not recommended. Monologues are meant to show off your ability to stay in character and interact with other people and events onstage, so it's best to pretend that there are other actors playing the other characters. You can even tweak your monologue to make it clearer; for example, if a character you're not playing tells you to go to the store to buy milk, instead of replying with just "Yes, I'll do that," you can adjust your line to be "Yes, I'll go buy some milk."