Debbie Lamedman - The Ultimate Audition Book for Teens, Volume 4. 111 One-Minute Monologues

The Ultimate Audition Book for Teens Volume IV

111 One-Minute Monologues

A Smith and Kraus Book

Published by Smith and Kraus, Inc.

177 Lyme Road, Hanover, NH 03755

www.smithkraus.com

Copyright 2002 by Debbie Lamedman

All rights reserved.

LIMITED REPRODUCTION PERMISSION:

The publisher grants permission to individual teachers to reproduce the scripts as needed for use with their own students.

Permission for reproduction for an entire school district or for commercial use is required. Please call Smith and Kraus, Inc. at (603) 643-6431.

First Edition: November 2002

Manufactured in the United States of America

9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Cover and text design by Julia Gignoux, Freedom Hill Design

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Lamedman, Debbie.

The ultimate audition book for teens IV: 111 one-minute monologues/by Debbie Lamedman 1st ed.

ISBN 1-57525-353-4 (vol. 4)

Summary: A collection of 111 original monologues, all about one minute long, to be used by male and female teenage actors in auditions.

1. Monologues. 2. Acting. 3. Auditions.

[1. Monologues. 2. ActingAuditions.] I. Title. II. Young actors series.

PN2080.L36 2003

812.6dc21

2002030413

The Ultimate Audition Book for Teens VOLUME IV

111 One-Minute Monologues

Debbie Lamedman

YOUNG ACTORS SERIES

A Smith and Kraus Book

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I must offer a very special thanks to Janet Milstein. She provided inspiration and encouragement and really helped pave the way to my writing this book. I extend my heartfelt thanks to her!

To my nephews Jordan Kelley and Max Kelley, who constantly delight and inspire me every day. They deserve a great deal of thanks for helping me work out the kinks in many of the pieces and providing constant support and unconditional loveyou guys are the best!

To Eric Romm, who was the source and inspiration for The Shopping Trip, one of my favorite monologues in this book.

To my family, who taught me to believe in my abilities and to always be willing to take chances, I love you all very much.

And finally I would like to thank my students, both past and present, who continually inspire and surprise me. Its been an amazing journey guiding these young actors and watching them bloom and grow into disciplined, imaginative, and unique artists. I hope you all learn as much from me as I have learned from you!

Introduction

I have to tell you about the time I was preparing for a very important audition. I needed the perfect monologue, one that could really show off my acting skills as well as my personality. I searched for weeks! Stacks of plays and monologue books lined my bedroom floor as I went through the painstaking task of hunting down that flawless yet elusive piece.

Well I finally found it. When I did, it was one in the morning and I was so excited I had to call my acting coach, (who, by the way wasnt too thrilled because of the hour, but was happy for me!). It was everything I had been looking for in a monologue. It reflected my own feelings about the given situation, it had humor and warmth, and it truly was a perfect fit.

A monologue is like a suit of clothing. It really needs to fit you, the actor. Choosing a monologue is a very personal thing because you have to be comfortable with the material. If you only have one minute to make a good first impression, its certainly very important to feel as comfortable and as a confident as you can with your chosen piece.

As I began to work with more and more teenage actors, I realized there was a lack of diverse and interesting pieces for this particular age group. More and more, it seems, agents want to see a monologue as an audition piece. Regional theater companies have always required monologues for their auditions, and so the perfect monologue is in demand. Consequently, if there are a few really good pieces floating around, theyre constantly used and done to death. Another important fact to remember in the actors quest for the perfect monologue is to find one that hasnt been used by every actor in that age group. The people doing the auditioning want to see something new and different.

So here is my contribution to the cause! One hundred and eleven new monologues written specifically for the thirteen- to nineteen-year-old actor. I hope those of you who use this book will find what youve been looking for. Something new and original; pieces that hopefully will reflect your own feelings and emotions, desires, and grievances.

I have written monologues for both male and female actors and have organized the pieces into comedic and dramatic categories. As you go through the book, you will notice that not all the monologues are gender specific, and if you relate to one particular piece, male or female, by all means you should use it!

I feel strongly that monologues should be thought of as dialogues. These monologues are not Shakespeare soliloquies where you are on stage talking to yourself. The characters in these pieces are always talking to another person right then and there, in that exact moment. All these pieces are active because they are happening in the here and now, rather than memory monologues where the character is reminiscing about something that happened to him or her a while ago. Consequently, you will see the direction Beat used quite frequently in the following pieces. Different coaches have different definitions for this word, but for the purposes of this book, it determines when the other character is speaking.

I hope this book provides you with not one but several different pieces for you to build a strong and diverse repertoire. Whatever your needs, remember to choose pieces that fit you like a good pair of jeans. Stay honest and truthful to the given circumstances, make strong and interesting character choices, and perhaps, most important, have fun and knock em dead!

Debbie Lamedman

Female Monologues

COMEDY

GROUNDED

MELISSA has been grounded and is not allowed to go out for a month. Her friend Jenna has called on the telephone. MELISSA is whispering because she doesnt want her parents to know shes talking to anyone.

MELISSA: (Diving for the phone so the ringing wont attract attention.) Hello? I cant talk to you right now, Jenna. Because if my parents hear me talking to you theyll kill me. Im already grounded for the rest of my life. Okay, Im exaggerating. One month. But it might as well be forever. Im missing out on some great parties. And J.J. asked me if I wanted to go to that concert next weekend, and theres no chance. I didnt even really do anything wrong. Just a couple of minor incidents. Okay, so that one thing wasnt so minor, but its not like I got arrested or anything. I thought, at least, my mother would understand. But shes the one who insisted on the one-month prison sentence. They wouldnt even let me watch television last night. I had to read. Can you believe that? READ! Im losing my mind!

(She realizes she has spoken loudly and runs to the door to make sure her parents havent heard her.)

Look, I better go. I cant afford to get into any more trouble. But try to come over in a couple of hours. After the old folks go to bed. Just knock lightly on the window. Ill sneak out and we can smoke a cigarette or something. (Beat.)

I know I dont smoke, but Im feeling the need to be rebellious. So come over later, okay? And dont make any noise!

BRACE YOURSELF

KATIE has just gotten braces put on her teeth, and she is miserable. As her father tries to cheer her up, KATIE refuses to feel better about the situation.

KATIE: Dont look at me and dont make me laugh I look hideous. (Beat.)

I dont care if everyone I know has them. I care that my lips are pushed out so far I could trip over them. I care that I wont be able to eat solid food for the next two years. I care that every school picture will be of some FREAK.