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   149

   

   8-25-11

   David H. Lawrence XVII says:

   Answer: Understanding what a monologue is is only half the real Acting Answer. Why it’s important for an actor to have a monologue or two at their fingertips, and what they are used for is the real question. Here’s why monologues are key to a successful acting career..

   
   

   First, let’s get all geeky with the definition of the word monologue. Your first clue is the prefix “mono,” from the Greek “mono,” meaning “alone” or “single.” There’s a similar word in our actor dictionary, “dialogue” – where “dia” is Greek for “two” or “double” (or in our world, “two or more”). And the “logue” part of the word is from the Greek “logos,” or “speak”.

   So, in fact, the word monologue means “speaking alone” or “single speaker.” And that’s a perfect description for what you’ll be doing, all by yourself, with the monologues you learn.

   
   

   In the world of acting, the word monologue (or “monolog” as it’s sometimes misspelled) is used a couple of ways. It can describe a piece of writing that is delivered by a solo performer, with no conversation from another actor, like a speech or an explanation. It’s also used to describe the actual performance of that writing. Either way, it’s you, standing in front of an audience, and creating a character whose whole speech is the passage, or monologue.

   A great example of a monologue is from the film Network, where Peter Finch’s character gets fed up with the state of network television, and exhorts his viewers to reject TV as it stands and “not take it anymore”. Another would be Hamlet’s speech that begins with the words “To be, or not to be…” Shakespeare often uses the monologue to have a character sum up a scene or to prepare the audience for what’s to come.

   Here’s another: John Cusack, in the film Say Anything, where, when asked by his girlfriend’s father at the dinner table what he wanted to do with his life, spends some time talking about what he doesn’t want to do, but ends up declaring that whatever he does, it will be in service to his girlfriend. There are thousands of monologues available for you to look at to see if they might be right for you – just look at the pile of scripts you have, or jump online and do some research. You might also ask your acting teacher or coach to recommend some for you to learn.

   Both of those examples are long speeches, unlike the rest of the scripts in each film, which are mostly snappy dialogue and action sequences. These monologues, however, are designed to let a character take us on a journey of words, to influence us to the character’s point of view, and to let us in on what the character’s deeper thoughts are. Monologues also help set the tone for the rest of the film, or provide a very talky climax, explaining why what we just saw, or are about to see, happened or is happening.

   
   

   But why are monologues something we hear about almost from the very start of our acting career? Because it’s a great way to let a casting person or a potential representative know what your skill level is in creating a character and showing us that character through the performance of the character’s monologue. When having a meeting with an agent, or a manager, or a casting director, and to get a gauge on your acting abilities, you may be asked to perform a scene, with them reading the other character’s lines.

   But you might also be asked to perform a monologue. This isn’t because they’re lazy – it’s because they want to see if you can step out of your skin and into your character’s skin and take them on a journey. A monologue lets them do that without being distracted by being part of the scene themselves – they can keep their eyes on you the whole time.

   Monologues can also be a part of acting competitions, and are the very basis for one-man and one-woman shows – they are nothing but really, really long monologues. And finding monologues is as simple as sighting a long passage in a play or film script and adapting it for your use. It’s important to pick a monologue (or several, actually – you want at least one comedy and one dramatic monologue rehearsed and ready for performance) that suits your brand, your age, your sex, your look. Helping someone who could give you access to a paid acting gig via the performance of a monologue is a grand tradition in the world of acting – and I hope this helps you in that tradition!

   What’s your answer to this acting question? Let me know in the comments below.

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   1

   

   8-26-11

   Peter Katt says:

   The film “Network” has so many wonderful monologues! (By the way, the newscaster was played by Peter Finch, not Albert Finney.) I’ve learned the one made by Ned Beatty’s character, the chairman of the corporation that owns the network, who explains that we no longer live in a world of nations and that the world is really a business. “You have meddled with the primal forces of nature, Mr. Beale, and I– WON’T– HAVE IT!!”

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     149

     

     8-26-11

     David H. Lawrence XVII says:

     Absolutely right, Peter – Peter Finch. Corrected.

     And wasn’t Ned Beatty’s character so right?

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3. 

   5-13-14

   Ed says:

   My 14 years old has been acting for the last year and we are constantly looking for suitable monologues for her age range. Where do I go to find “the perfect monologue”? Any recommendations?

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4. 

   2-22-16

   kristen says:

   Hola! I’ve been following your site for a while now and finally got the courage
   to go ahead and give you a shout out from Huffman Tx! Just wanted to
   say keep up the great work!

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