Q&A for How to Write a Monologue for a Play

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  • Question
    How can I make my monologue come to life?
    Ben Whitehair
    Acting Coach
    Ben Whitehair is a Social Media Expert and the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of TSMA Consulting. With over a decade of experience in the social media space, he specializes in leveraging social media for business and building relationships. He also focuses on social media’s impact on the entertainment industry. Ben graduated summa cum laude from The University of Colorado at Boulder with BAs in Theatre and Political Science as well as a Leadership Certificate. In addition to his work as CIO, Ben is a certified business and mindset coach and Executive Vice President of SAG-AFTRA. He is also a successful entrepreneur as the Co-Founder of Working.Actor, the premier business academy and coaching community for actors.
    Acting Coach
    Expert Answer
    Really consider who the character is addressing in the monologue so you can get a more believable performance.
  • Question
    How should I end a monologue?
    Aarya Handa
    Community Answer
    Here are a few ways to end a monologue: Give your monologue a cohesive rounding. Link back to the beginning. Round up by explaining your points again. Use short sentences for dramatic effect. Include something that will leave the audience thinking. Ask a rhetorical question.
  • Question
    How do I write an introduction for a monologue?
    Community Answer
    Use a hook to grab your listener. Something like, "I didn't know that meeting him would change everything." If you're going for more of a comedic monologue, then start with a joke, or maybe something like the example above, but with a humorous twist.
  • Question
    How can I write a monologue without a play to give it context?
    Community Answer
    You will have to imagine the context. Use the four W's to come up with a plot: What, When, Where, Who. What is happening to whom and when/where? Then imagine how your character might react to whatever is happening and write your monologue based on that.
  • Question
    How many instructions must a monologue contain?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    Most monologues contain no instructions at all.
  • Question
    How long should a monologue be for an audition?
    Community Answer
    One minute to one minute and a half tops. It’s better to have a well acted short monologue than a long, poorly acted one.
  • Question
    What do the other characters do when delivering a monologue?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    Typically the other characters stand or sit and listen to the monologue, or they continue quietly doing whatever they were doing when the monologue began.
  • Question
    How do I write a monologue for a character in a play?
    Community Answer
    Think of a specific scene you want to make a monologue for. An example would be that the character is on their death bed they can have a monologue explaining how they died. Keep it relevant to that character and try to intertwine pieces of their personality into it.
  • Question
    In a monologue, can the main character who is talking reflect to themselves in their head without actually speaking?
    Torpi
    Top Answerer
    Yes, in a movie you can use a voiceover to present a monologue this way. Indicate this by putting (V.O) next to the character's name for these lines. Be sure to include something of visual interest, though (many voiceovers are given over montages, for example). And for obvious reasons, all monologues in a play must be spoken aloud.
  • Question
    Can I write my own monologue to an audition or it must be from a play or movie?
    Torpi
    Top Answerer
    No, your audition monologue should not be original. The people in charge of casting want to see how well you interpret somebody else's writing, not how passionate you are about your own material.
  • Question
    When presenting a monologue, how should I present the necessary emotion, despite playing a shy character?
    Community Answer
    You can still show emotion when playing a shy character; it might just be not as noticeable. Even a slight chance in facial expression, physical movement or a vocal change (e.g. different tempo, different pitch) can make a difference in the delivery of emotion.
  • Question
    Can I do a conversation between two people?
    MichelleF2
    Community Answer
    If you were to write a conversation between two people, it would no longer be considered a monologue.
  • Question
    How do I create a historical monologue? Do I have to know what the person is saying or do I make it up?
    KY_GirlatHeart
    Community Answer
    You can do both if you wanted. For instance, you can include a quotation that the person has said that has been recorded in history. As long as what the person says fits the time frame and is historically accurate (you don't want your character talking about Ben and Jerry's ice cream if he lives in the 1700s!), then you should be fine.
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