For some, this is a terrifying scenario. Acting is a arduous profession, fraught with hard work and struggle, uncertainty and rejection. You may even ask yourself whether supporting such an endeavour is the right thing to do—knowing how difficult your child’s life may turn out to be. But even if this is the case: it is still their dream. And odds are you are gearing up to help them with all the support you can muster. This article speaks to a number of pathways that can help your child pursue a career in acting after high school. None of these pathways are guaranteed, nor are they mutually exclusive. Some will be more helpful—and accessible—to some than others, depending on factors such as age, maturity level, confidence and (as always) financial security. But the most important takeaway for you, as the parent of an aspiring actor, should be that there is no one correct path forward. Know what is out there, keep your child informed, and cheer them on as they navigate the rest.

Drama School

For most, this will seem like the obvious pathway. Drama school promises formal training, socialisation with like-minded peers, as well as structure at a time in your child’s life when freedom can sometimes be a drain on productivity. They will learn a methodical approach to acting, gain experience from in-house productions, and start to make connections with industry figures that will help them after graduation. Most drama schools will also cover some of the more mundane aspects of acting life—expect your child to have some tutelage in areas such as self marketing and basic business skills.

Of course, drama school is no guarantee of an acting career; one of the downsides of studying acting full-time for two or three years is that your child may come out the other end, lose the structure that has been propelling them forward, and immediately feel isolated and insignificant. While this is no reason not to study at such an institution, it is something that will serve you well to remember: life after graduation can be challenging. Have a plan in place to help your child hit the ground running.

If your child wishes to go to drama school, the best thing you can do is to help them prepare audition material early; help them learn and understand their monologues (or hire an acting coach) and, if possible, speak to recent graduates about how they weathered the selection process. If they are not accepted, remember that most institutions keep tabs on students who re-apply: tenacity and self-improvement is often looked upon favourably.

Tertiary Study

In contrast to the “specialisation” of drama school, tertiary study in the form of a college or university is often regarded by parents as the safer bet (“You should get your teaching degree, just to fall back on!”)—as well as a cop-out to young actors who feel as though three years of study in the field of commerce isn’t getting them closer to the screen or stage. Neither school of thought is completely correct. 

While your child won’t receive the same kind of focused training a formal acting school might offer, some tertiary institutions nonetheless boast excellent performance studies programs. Your child will leave with a more rounded education, and a line on their CV that looks better to non-creative industry employers. As with any selection process, make sure you and your child research the institution, as well as what its alumni have achieved.

The other consideration that makes tertiary study an excellent path for young actors is the existence of social clubs and societies on most campuses. These offer performance opportunities and the possibility of making friends and future contacts; as they are less formalised than drama school productions, your child may also get the opportunity to produce, design, or direct a work in these societies as well. This makes for a fine diversification of skills that can be invaluable when they work in early-career productions that require participants to fulfill multiple roles.

Youth Theatre Companies

Involve your child in a theatre company (YTC) that works specifically with young people. If possible, do this early and let them grow in this supportive environment. YTCs will usually support themselves by offering after-school and holiday teaching courses, which can give your child some firm foundational skills at a younger age. These classes are yet another way to help your child build their ‘creative community’, and allow you to speak to parents of like-minded children—wellsprings of advice on how to help your own child achieve bigger and better.

As YTCs are often staffed by teachers, or industry professionals with teaching experience, having your child audition for and work on a production at this level is a terrific learning opportunity in a safe, nurturing environment. And, as YTCs are professional companies, they can help you forge pathways forward for your child with their industry clout: recommending drama schools, alerting you to other performing opportunities, even giving you advice on acting agents!

Independent Creativity

This aspect of your child’s development as an actor is a less direct pathway; however, it is still something to be utilised and encouraged on their creative journey. If your child expresses their wish to create their own career opportunities—writing or producing their own play, film or related media—this can be a terrific way to help them build confidence and experience! Invariably, all actors end up producing or creating work for themselves (look to our article on How To Write A Vehicle For Yourself for more detailed information); encouraging such entrepreneurial activity is always beneficial, and is a great way to combat the post-study blues when they are robbed of all institutional direction.

The trick with independent creativity is to impose structure; if your child wishes to produce their own films or plays to act in, help them set deadlines and goals that make such projects viable. “A vision’s just a vision if it’s only in your head,” wrote Stephen Sondheim. “If no one gets to see it, it’s as good as dead.” Help find ways to bring their work to life.

See Lots of Theatre

As simple as it sounds, take your child to see everything you possibly can. Give them an understanding of what kinds of shows are produced, and the kinds of actors that are starring in them. Help them develop literacy in the field of theatre, and understand how the history fits together. This is often glossed over in formal institutions; most young actors, as a result, lack some basic knowledge when they step in a rehearsal room that requires of them more than their bare acting skills. While not a means to becoming an actor directly, immersing your child in plenty of theatre is nonetheless a vital part of their development as an artist, in conjunction with any other pathway listed above.

Help Them Define What ‘Acting Career’ Means

Just as there is no clear path to becoming an actor, there is no clear definition for what an actor truly is. Help your child build an understanding of this, and ask them to think about what their life as an actor might look like: are they expecting fame and fortune? Are they eager to give up their day job? Are they an actor once they graduate drama school? Or is it when they finally book that first paid gig?

Your goal, here, is to make them realise that being an actor is defined by only them. The sooner they get this, the sooner they will make peace with the fact that not every role will be career-defining. At times, they may find themselves working a crappy job to pay the rent or teaching drama at a theatre company they’d much rather be performing with than working for. But it’s all legitimate, and it’s all part of the actor’s life. If they (and you) are lucky, they’ll see this for the blessing it actually is: an actor’s life is uncertain and difficult. And yet it’s also greatly varied, unexpectedly rewarding, and branches into new excitements without any hint of warning.

Conclusion

There is no ‘right way’ for your child to pursue acting. Once you make peace with this, find reassurance and comfort in the fact that there is no ‘wrong way’ either! The best thing you can do to help your child become an actor is to be supportive, assist them in identifying their options and normalise the ups and downs that come with the actor’s life. Help them celebrate victories, and understand that their failures seldom mean they, personally, are at fault. Be the voice of reason and encouragement—they’ll have self-doubt and second-guessing more than covered without you. And whether it’s on-stage at the Oscars, at their students’ showcase, or simply in a quiet moment you both share, know that they’ll thank you for everything one day. 

The post How to Help Your Child Become an Actor After High School appeared first on StageMilk.

Writing material for young people takes courage: it requires you to step out of your comfort zone and be prepared to sound a bit naïve, or misguided, or even silly. But you should do so at every opportunity you have because there are some fantastic stories to be told—just as there are fantastic young people bursting to tell them.

Talk to Them

If you are writing for a particular group of young people—a class, or youth theatre ensemble—start by talking to them. Ask them what they’re interested in, and what issues in the world they are worried about: what is not being talked about that they wish they could lend their voices to? You will find yourself floored by the sophistication of young peoples’ grasp of the threats to their own futures. It is likely, in such a tumultuous age, that they have had to grow wiser much faster than previous generations. Asking them what is important to them will make them feel heard, and help build their confidence and trust in what you are doing.

Of course, this isn’t always possible: not everybody has access to a drama class full of acting students they can mine for material. If this describes your situation, look to role models of young people making a difference in the world and think about their areas of concern. What is being spoken about on the news? What issues are going to affect the world in twenty years time that today’s youth might be worried or passionate about?

Work to Themes…

Younger performers are always going to respond more positively if their show is ‘about something’. This validates the experience for them, especially in contexts such as a drama class in school where participation might not be 100 percent voluntary. Give them a topic to care about and fight for. Make sure what they say has relevance beyond the theatre or classroom. Consider exploring topics such as mental health, gender, race, politics and climate change. If you tackle a more ‘grown up’ subject, students will take this as a sign that they have your respect and will work accordingly.

The only theme worth complete avoidance is that of ‘growing up’. All plays for young people are about this in some way or another, and so works that foreground it tend to feel forced and condescending. Don’t make young people stand on stage and talk about wanting to be older—by doing so, you imply that their voices are not yet worth listening to, their concerns less valid when not informed by age. You actually invalidate the worth of your own material in the process.

…But Layer the Issues

On the subject of condescension: try not to hit your actors or audience over the head with the themes of the play; layer your ‘issues’ into work that doesn’t see students yelling at the audience to make a point. This is another of those tricky balances to maintain: you need to keep the issue clear enough so that your actors feel the material is important, but not so much that they feel more like protesters than performers. Some great tools to combat this are metaphor, allegory and Black Mirror-style speculative/science fiction.

Finding the Voice

This can be seen as one of the trickier aspects of writing for young people. Nobody wants their characters to sound fake—either by writing them like adults, or dropping a “How do you do, fellow kids?” for the sake of sounding relevant and in-the-know. Luckily, there is a pretty easy rule to help you navigate the issue: always write slightly above the given age, understanding and level of sophistication of your play’s characters. When in doubt: write up. Give your cast voices they can aspire to: better versions of themselves that are within their reach should they inhabit these characters. Don’t just make them feel as though they are your equal, write in such a way that they can tell you admire them; make them feel as though you saw these characters in them all along. If you are lucky enough to work with the young people you write for, this will almost certainly be the truth.

Spin the Unexpected

Which is a fancy way of saying: be creative! Opt for strange characters and situations; throw your cast off by casting them as different clones of the same person, or setting a mundane story about bullying on a lunar colony. Writing material for young people is one of the few fields where you can get away with more heightened storytelling—whatever you do, don’t waste this opportunity by setting your play in a school in the here-and-now. In the best possible way, you’ll confound your young actors’ expectations and wrench them out of their comfort zones. In such situations, the best work is always done.

Don’t Pander

Another easy stumbling block: while you want to write material that young people will enjoy and engage with, be careful of crafting stories and characters that are nothing more than wish fulfilment for those involved. Don’t get lazy, and never write anything for the sake of being ‘cool’ and ‘edgy’. Consider swearing: in a piece about contemporary youth, it would be strange not to use some of the coarser words in their vocabulary. That said, the dramatic power of a well-placed “f*ck” will be diluted by multiple appearances, and completely wasted if your goal is simply to shock or titillate. And don’t think that young people can’t tell when this is the case—giggles or not.

Be Democratic

No matter how finely crafted your script ends up becoming—no matter how intriguing the characters or finely tuned the plotting—you are going to run into some serious problems if there isn’t some equality to the distribution of scenes and lines. Try to spread the good bits as evenly as you can. This is less of a hard-and-fast rule, but it can cause some unwanted tension between your cast, as some young people begin to question their value in light of the bigger (therefore better) parts they failed to secure. It’s not ideal, but it does happen.

Rather than thinking about the restrictions this might place on your output, consider a democratic approach to characters and line distribution as a creative stimulus: how can you make each character engaging and exciting? How can you craft a moment they can each be proud of? You may find this is a practice you end up bringing into your other work; such an attitude often results in the creation of a stronger story overall, as you don’t let yourself give in to the knowledge that some parts may be less central, and therefore less worth your time when developing.

Celebrate Them

We tend to have a panicked view of youth. Even when setting aside the stereotypes of young people being immature or uncontrollable or apathetic, the youth of our generation is constantly criticised for either being overly sensitive to the flaming wreck of the earth they’re inheriting, or indifferent at times when they should be exhibiting maturity, decisiveness or even anger.

When we write about young people, we are given two precious opportunities. Firstly, we have the opportunity to celebrate their passion and resilience: we get to share with the wider world how special they are, and how bravely they are facing an uncertain future. Secondly, we get to reinforce these very ideas to them directly—and with them directly—so that they know that their contribution is valued and counted. When you write for young people, celebrate them. Give them your trust, encouragement and respect and your work will feel genuine and joyous for it.

The post Writing Material for Young People appeared first on StageMilk.

Watching them take this step in their career can be something of an emotional roller-coaster. Obviously, you get to experience all the joy and excitement—not to mention the pride (and, let’s be honest, the associated bragging rights). But it can also be a time fraught with stress and uncertainty: the pressures they’ll be feeling are undoubtedly new to them, and they’re occurring in a world you may have limited, or no, experience in navigating personally. There is plenty you can do to prepare yourself and your child for acting in their first play. While not without its challenges, their introduction to the creative arts can be an exhilarating, life-changing experience. Here’s what you need to know to best support them, and ensure their play is as positive an experience as it can possibly be.

Workload

After the initial excitement of casting, take some time to talk with your child about the scope of the commitment. Talk through their part in each stage of the production: the rehearsals, learning lines, tech week and the show’s run itself. Make sure they have an understanding of what is required of them, and how you’ll be supporting them along the way. Your goal, here, is not to terrify them, but to impress upon them that this will be unlike anything else they’ve ever been involved in. They will be working. Hard. So the more you can prepare them, the less the increased workload will take them by surprise, or detract from the fun to be had.

A great strategy you can employ early on is to work out a routine in conjunction with the rehearsal schedule. Do your best to normalise the commitments of the play in your child’s day/week, especially when it comes to the business of learning lines, or songs for a musical. Consider making a particular hour of the afternoon a “play prep session”, so they do not fall behind on their individual commitments. Most plays involving children will include evening or weekend rehearsals; so make sure your child has some time to relax before and after, and they are eating nutritious, energy-loaded meals.

The other increase in workload to consider is your own: be prepared for late pick-ups, long hours and to eat meals at odd times. If you have more than one child, think about a discussion with the sibling/s of your young actor: they will likely feel the displacement as well but without any of the positives or attention being paid to them. Keep checking in, keep communicating.

Responsibility

Be assured that your child’s first gig will play a formative role in how they tackle responsibility. While most children react positively to the notion that their contribution is valued and counted, it is always worth reinforcing that they are an integral part of a team that requires them to be ready to give their best.

Missing a rehearsal is not like staying home sick from school. An unexplained or last-minute absence will likely throw the schedule into complete disarray—don’t forget that there are strict limitations on the hours young people can work that ensure rehearsals are always running under immense time pressures. Talk with your child about the responsibility of this commitment. Again, your goal is not to terrify them or guilt them into compliance. You want to build a sense of empathy for their colleagues in the production and remind them of their status as a player in a larger team.

Make sure they are on time and prepared, with an understanding (if the schedule contains this kind of information) of what they will be covering each rehearsal. Outside of the theatre, liaise with the production team and do your best to action any documents/bio/headshots/requirements as quickly as they arise. Try to be the parent the production team loves to deal with—and remember that any grumbling or disrespect you exhibit for the support team may be mirrored by your child when in the rehearsal room.

Bigger Fish In A Bigger Pool

One of the more difficult things your child will need to navigate is how they deal with not always being the centre of attention. They may have a smaller part than other actors (even those their own age) or be part of a larger ensemble of children; if cast in a major stage production, it is likely they will share their role with other children who will perform on alternating nights. Be ready for your child to compare themselves to everybody, and be shaken by their discovery of the enormous discrepancies between levels of experience, acting proficiency and the all-important factor of confidence. Check-in with them on how they feel about their cast-mates: make sure they’re not putting themselves down because they didn’t star in a commercial as a toddler, or begin acting classes at age four.

Remind your child that, for all the differences between them and the others, they were cast in the same play and have the same important job to do. And if they still feel inadequate, remind them that this is only the beginning of their acting journey—they can get more experience as they go, and that not every role can be a starring role, but that doesn’t mean they are any less valuable.

Building A Community

This actually relates to one of the most positive aspects of your child’s involvement in a play: you will get to witness them create their very first community in the arts. Strong friendships will form, borne of shared thrills and hard work, and some of these can carry over years and into the professional realm. Encourage your child to befriend their cast-mates (especially those who intimidate, or are intimidated by them), and do what you can to support and strengthen these relationships. Talk to their new friends’ parents; get to know where they might do other classes or shows—you will find opportunities for your own child when you talk to those on similar journeys.

In an industry as competitive and difficult as the creative arts, it is vital that actors forge strong support networks with those they trust and respect. Your child’s first play is an excellent chance to reinforce the importance of this practice early in their career: there is no need for them to ever feel as though they must embark on such adventures alone.

Celebrate Hard Work, Stop To Enjoy It All

Finally, take the time to celebrate their efforts, and acknowledge the hard work they are doing. Plan some favourite meals after rehearsals, and make weekends spent at the theatre fun by organising something special before or after. When opening night comes (and goes), be ready for the rush of hard work and anxiety and excitement to wipe your child out completely. And when the play is complete, plan some relaxation time and fun activities to combat what is called the “post-show blues”.

It can be a major adjustment for a young person to put so much effort into something that is gone in a matter of months; do make sure you encourage them to stop and enjoy the journey. Along the way, you might want to ask them to keep a journal or a scrapbook of things to commemorate the experience. This is also an excellent means of validating their hard work and helping them realise how far they have come.

Conclusion

Ultimately, your job is to create and maintain balance: between hard work and relaxation, schoolwork and rehearsal, the theatre and the real world. While there is plenty your child will have to learn and struggle with, remember that the many positives of this adventure will more than outweigh the negatives; the hardships will shake out and, eventually, be forgotten. Applaud their courage and reward their efforts—in the end, your goal is to help them nurture talent and passion, not learn a trade. And if you are the kind of parent happy to see your child pursue their acting goals into adulthood and beyond, know that you’re starting them on that journey with the best possible attitude and support. Power to you.

The post Your Child’s First Play: What To Expect appeared first on StageMilk.

Stay in school

First point, stay in school, having a good education is actually really important for an actor’s career. You actually need to be able to do surprising amounts of research. Think about playing Ivanov in Checkov’s play of the same name. You’ll need to be across Russian life in the 1800s that is going to take some good research skills. Let alone something set in World War Two or Vietnam. Having a good knowledge of history, research skills and an interest in art, music and English studies is going to be really useful.

Also, take Drama as an elective! This seems super obvious but really get in and around the theatre at your school. If your school doesn’t have a drama program, have a google around and see if you cant find a local drama or theatre group to join. At this stage, it’s just great to get as much experience as you possibly can, working with good people with experience in the arts that can help you as you move forward.

If it wasn’t for the drama program at my school I would have probably dropped out at 15. Fortunately, I had an incredible drama teacher who really inspired me to pursue a career in the arts. By the end of my last year of high school, I had pretty much moved into the theatre, I took all my meals there and learnt so much in the process.

Do some acting!

Get involved in your high school play! Audition, rehearse and perform as much as you possibly can! As I mentioned above if your school doesn’t have a theatre or performance program there are millions of youth theatre groups scattered around the globe that do great work for young performers. In Sydney, The Australian Theatre for Young People (ATYP) are an awesome organisation that run regular classes and put on shows in central Sydney. There is probably an equivalent organisation in your town, have a look around, ask some friends and see if you cant get a group together to all go!

If you can’t find anything in your area, consider signing up for the StageMilk scene club! To get you started on some on-camera acting.

Read and watch

This cannot be underestimated, read all the plays you possibly can and watch all of the acting you can. Get to live theatre, get there as often as you can. Especially as a young actor the world is literally your oyster and there is so much wonderful theatre and performance out there just waiting for you to discover. The great Larry Moss, who has trained DiCaprio, Hillary Swank and Helen Hunt amongst many others says actors should be reading three plays a week! This is a great time to get into good habits.

Also watch the classics and great current performances as much as you can. Not just to chill out with your friends but to examine what those actors do, and how they go about doing it.

Start looking at Drama Schools

Now look, we here at StageMilk have written about drama schools until were blue in the face. Seriously we are all over it. Here is a selection, here is a list of acting schools, here is how to prepare for your audition, here is how to audition for acting school. Importantly, consider what you are committing yourself too. Acting school is 40+ hours per week of intense training, it is truly unlike any other experience and is quite honestly, beyond challenging. Simply put it is not for the faint-hearted. However, it does give you an extraordinary experience and process to build your acting career on. Also know before you audition that it is very unlikely that you will get in the first time you audition. It may take you a few years of auditioning to get in. So consider going to study something related, or something else you find interesting, while you do short courses, work on short films and improve your craft for the next intake at that school.

Get some life experience

One of the best things I ever did in my life to date was to take a year off after school and go working and travelling for a year. I learnt more about myself in that twelve months than I did the previous twelve years at school! I gained an independence and sense of self that has become the foundation of who I am as a person. The thing is that acting is all about being yourself under imagined circumstances, if you do not know yourself and who you really are it is going to be challenging to have an immersive acting experience.

So get out there, see the world, have a variety of experiences and really start to ask yourself the big question: do I want to be an actor? Or do I just want to be famous?

Fame, fortune and the work

If you want to be an actor because you want to be famous and go to cool parties then you should really consider being an investment banker. If you want to be an actor because you want every family in America to know your name, you are better of taking up a lucrative career as a serial killer or cult leader. Acting is not about fame. Fame can sometimes be a by-product of acting, but acting talent is rarely a by-product of fame, see Paris Hilton’s truly horrific acting work in House of Wax. If you love telling stories, you have a voice that needs to be heard, you want to represent a certain part of society not seen on our stages or screens or you just love the craft of it then you are in the right place.

If you have no idea what you want and you are just trying to figure it out, then welcome to adulthood my friend, there are a bunch of us here and we have your back.

Know that it’s all going to be okay!

It really is, I promise. End of school exams can seem like the end of the world but they are just a speedbump on your journey, by the time you get where you are going you won’t even remember them. This is one of many opportunities in your life, so stay cool, be kind to yourself and find some time to pursue what you love.

The post Acting Tips for Teens appeared first on StageMilk.

Updated 29th November, 2022.

This specific list of monologues for young adults will help you find an appropriate monologue for your age range. This list is generally for actors from around 17-25. Enjoy!

Note: some of these monologue are from published plays. We list these small extracts here for educational purposes and encourage you to always credit the playwrights and acquire the correct permissions if you wish to perform these publicly. At the very least, try to purchase a copy of the play you’re working with: it’s always important to read the whole thing for context.

More: Monologues for Teenagers
More: Monologues from Movies

Female Monologues for Young Adults

Shakers (By Jane Thornton & John Godber)

Age Range: Twenties.
Place: Shakers Cocktail Bar, in any major city.
Time: The 1980s.
Synopsis: Nicki, aged about 20, has always wanted to act: in her speech she tells the others about her chosen audition piece.

Nicki:
It is something that I’ve put together myself. Er… I’ve written all the words down on a bit of paper so you can test me. Yeah. Right. It’s called The Smile.

Right I’ll start shall I?

I’m a bit nervous, so it might be a bit shit. She’d been in hospital for about four days. She was seventy. She went into hospital for an hysterectomy; the operation had been a great success. I went to see her and she looked great, she even showed me the stitches. She’s my gran, by the way. So at work, I was having a laugh and a good time. Then they rang, the hospital, said she’d had a stroke. So I went on the bus to the hospital, I felt sick, travelling all that way on a bus. She was on the sixth floor, I remember that, in a side cubicle in a ward full of old ladies. I walked into the room. My mam and dad were looking out of the window, looking across the parkland of the hospital. And my uncle and auntie were there, looking out of the window; they were crying. My gran was laid in bed; half of her face was blue and deformed, her mouth was all twisted and taut, one eye was closed. She looked at me, and tried to smile. I remember the crying in the background. She tried to speak, but said nothing. She just laid there. ‘Hello gran,’ I said. ‘Hello. What’s all this bloody nonsense about having a stroke? Eh?’ And she just smiled at me. She just smiled.

Low Level Panic (By Clare McIntyre)

Age Range: Twenties.

MARY:
Maybe if I’d been wearing trousers it wouldn’t have happened. I was only wearing a skirt because I’d just come from work and it’s the kind of place where they like to wear a skirt, that or smart trousers. Well I haven’t got any smart trousers so I have to wear a skirt. You’re better off on a bike in trousers I know. It’s obvious. But it’s not as if I was going on a marathon. It takes ten minutes to cycle home at the outside. More like five. If that. I’m not really comfortable on bike in a skirt: it just makes people look at your legs. But who’s around at the time of night to look? Anyway I wasn’t even on a bike: I was going to get on it. I was going to. It’s not as if I was cycling along with a skirt up round my ears. I wasn’t. I don’t do silly things like that. I could have been getting into a car in a skirt. Would that have made a difference? I could have cycled to work wearing a pair of jeans and had my skirt folded up in one of the panniers but then it would have been all squashed and that wouldn’t have gone down well at all with the management. Or I could have come to work on the bicycle wearing a skirt and could have changed into trousers to go home given you’re meant to be alright in the daylight but you’re not safe at night. Or I could have walked to work and got a taxi home and I could have worn whatever I liked. But I’d still have been there, on the edge of the road at midnight, about to get on my bicycle or into a car or just been stuck there waiting for a taxi whether I’d been in a skirt or not, whether I had good legs or not, whether I was fifteen or menopausal or lame, I’d still have been there.

Low Level Panic (By Clare McIntyre)

Age Range: Twenties.

JO:
If I could grow six inches and be as fat as I am now I’d be really tall and thin. I could stretch out all the fat on my legs till they were long and slender and I’d go to swanky bars and smoke menthol cigarettes and I’d wrap my new legs round cocktail stools and I’d smooth myself all over with my delicate hands and I’d have my hair up so you could see my neck. I’d save all the pennies I see lying about on the streets in an old whisky bottle then I’d go out and buy silky underwear with lots of lace on it and suspenders and that’s what I’d wear. I wouldn’t wear anything else because that would spoil it. I’d wear that and a lot of make-up and I’d snake my way around bars and hotels in Mayfair and I’d be able to drink whatever I like. I’d have cocktails and white wine out of bottles with special dates on them in tall glasses that were all dewy with cold and I’d smile a lot. I wouldn’t laugh. I wouldn’t guffaw. I’d just smile and show my teeth and I’d really be somebody then.

They’d see me approach. Just my feet in ‘fuck me’ stilettos and the door would open like magic and uniformed men would be bowing. They wouldn’t look at me: their eyes would be averted. I’d be able to get through doors without even turning the handles.

I wouldn’t need anything, I wouldn’t even have a bag. I’d have my lipstick on a chain round my neck. I’d play with my drink a bit, wiping the dewy bits off the glass and feeling my way up and down the stem with my fingers. Then I’d go to the loo and do my lipstick.

The Crucible (By Arthur Miller)

Age Range: Mid-to-late teens.
Place: The town of Salem, Massachusetts.
Time: 1692.
Synopsis: Abigail, 17, is trying to coax the man she had an affair with to stop rejecting her.

ABIGAIL:
Why, you taught me goodness, therefore you are good. It were a fire you walked me through, and all my ignorance was burned away. It were a fire, John, we lay in fire. And from that night no woman dare call me wicked any more but I knew my answer. I used to weep for my sins when the wind lifted up my skirts; and blushed for shame because some old Rebecca called me loose. And then you burned my ignorance away. As bare as some December tree I saw them all—walking like saints to church, running to feed the sick, and hypocrites in their hearts! And God gave me strength to call them liars, and God made men to listen to me, and by God I will scrub the world clean for the love of God. Oh John, I will make you such a wife when the world is white again! You will be amazed to see me every day, a light of heaven in your house, a…..Why are you cold?!

Away (By Michael Gow)

Age Range: Late teens.
Place: A beachside holiday town on the Gold Coast, Australia.
Time: Christmas, 1968.
Synopsis: Meg confronts her mother Gwen about purposefully leaving the Christmas presents home when leaving for their holiday.

MEG:
I saw the carton. I saw it in the hall.
I saw it. It was near the telephone table, wasn’t it?
You saw it too, didn’t you? You saw the box sitting there.
You must have it. It was sitting next to your vanity case.
Everything else that was in the hall got packed in the car. You did see it.
You were the last one out. You’re the one who shuts the door, after you’ve made sure the stove’s off and the fridge has been left open. You saw the carton and you left it there on purpose.
You left it behind.
And you knew what it was. You knew what was in it and you left it there.
Why did you do that?
Why would you do a thing like that?
I want to know why you did it.
Tell me why you deliberately left that box behind.
We have a game we play every year. We sneak presents home, we hide them, we wrap them up in secret even thought we can hear the sticky tape tearing and the paper rustling; we hide them in the stuff we take away, we pretend not to see them until christmas morning even when we know they’re there and we know what’s in them because we’ve already put in our orders so there’s no waste or surprise. And Dad always hides his in a pathetic place that’s so obvious it’s a joke and we laugh at him behind our backs but we play along! You knew what was in that box. You left it behind. I want to know why.
What were you trying to do, what did you want to gain?
Did you want to have something we’d all have to be sorry for the whole holiday? There’s always something we do wrong that takes you weeks to forgive.
You have to tell me.

Pretty Theft (By Adam Szymkowicz)

Age Range: Late teens.

Suzy:
Well I wouldn’t shut up, would I? When you don’t shut up, the boys notice you. Course, eventually you realize no one was really listening. And you stop speaking up in class—realize maybe you weren’t saying anything anyway—not something someone else couldn’t say better–usually a boy. And the boys who seemed to be listening to you weren’t quite the right boys.

(Stuffing her pockets.)

So you stopped talking. But then you realize if you lift up your shirt there are boys that like that too. But maybe those aren’t quite the right boys either because then later those boys want to see what’s in your pants. And want to put themselves in you even if you’re not ready and maybe those aren’t the right boys either but at least they need you for a few minutes.

(Stuffing her bag.)

Then you go after your friend’s boyfriend because it’s wrong and it’s fun and because your friend is pretty. And you get him but once you have him, you realize he’s no good. And your friend hates you. But you do it again anyway to another friend. And the girls all begin to hate you. They call you a skank and they call you a whore. But some of the boys like you some of the time. But they think you’re a slut. So you embrace it because what else can you do? You buy a t-shirt that says “Fuckdoll” and a series of short skirts and you try on provocative lipsticks.

This Is Our Youth (By Kenneth Lonergan)

Age Range: Late teens, early twenties.
Place: An apartment on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.
Time: March, 1982.
Synopsis: Jessica confronts Warren about the night they’d just spent together.

JESSICA:
Well…OK…It’s just – This is getting a little weird now, because when I talked to Valerie, she asked me if anything happened with us last night, and for some reason, I guess I didn’t really tell her that anything did. So now she’s gonna talk to Dennis and I’m gonna look like a total liar to someone I’m just starting to be close friends with and who I really care about! But honestly, Warren? I really don’t care who you told, or what you told them, because people are gonna think whatever they think and you know what? There’s nothing I can do about it. I should just really listen to my instincts, you know? Because your instincts are never wrong. And it was totally against my instinct to come over here last night, and it was definitely against my instinct to sleep with you, but I did and it’s too late. And now my Mom is totally furious at me, I probably ruined my friendship with Valerie, and now like Dennis thinks I’m like easy pickings or something! And it’s not like I even care what he thinks, OK? Because I don’t actually know him. Or you. Or Valerie for that matter! So it really doesn’t matter! I’ve made new friends before and I can make more new friends now if I have to. So let’s forget the whole thing ever happened, you can chalk one up in your book, or whatever – and I’ll just know better next time! Hopefully. OK?

Spike Heels (By Theresa Rebeck)

Age Range: Twenties.

GEORGIE:
Yeah, right, he “gave” me the damn job. I fucking work my ass off for that jerk; he doesn’t give me shit. I earn it, you know? He “gave” me the job. I just love that. What does that mean, that I should be working at McDonald’s or something, that’s what I really deserve or something? Bullshit. Fuck you, that is such fucking bullshit. You think I don’t know how to behave in public or something?
Jesus, I was a goddamn waitress for seven years, the customers fucking loved me. You think I talk like this in front of strangers; you think I don’t have a brain in my head or something? That is so fucking condescending. Anytime I lose my temper, I’m crazy, is that it? You don’t know why I threw that pencil, you just assume. You just make these assumptions. Well, fuck you, Andrew. I mean it. Fuck you.
I mean, I just love that. You don’t even know. You’ve never seen me in that office. You think I’m like, incapable of acting like somebody I’m not? For four months I’ve been scared to death but I do it, you know. I take messages, I call the court, I write his damn letters. I watch my mouth, I dress like this – whatever this is; these are the ugliest clothes I have ever seen – I am gracious, I am bright, I am promising. I am being this other person for them because I do want this job but there is a point beyond which I will not be fucked with! So you finally push me beyond that point, and I throw the pencil and now you’re going to tell me that that is my problem? What, do you guys think you hold all the cards or something? You think you have the last word on reality? You do, you think that anything you do to me is okay, and anything I do is fucked because I’m not using the right words. I’m, like, throwing pencils and saying fuck you, I’m speaking another language, that’s my problem. And the thing is – I am America. You know? You guys are not America. You think you are; Jesus Christ, you guys think you own the world. I mean, who made up these rules, Andrew? And do you actually think we’re buying it?

Wasted (By Kate Tempest)

Age Range: Mid twenties.

CHARLOTTE:
I’m stood at the front of the class and I feel like I’m drowning. I’m staring out at them, and I’m thinking who the fuck are you lot anyway? I look at them, but I can’t see children, I can just see the colour of their jumpers, smudges where their faces should be. Behind me, today’s date is written on the board. I’m trying to pretend I don’t know what it means. It’s hot and the classroom stinks, and the clock’s broken and the work stuck up on the walls is old and the corners are coming away and the kids are screaming. I’m trying to remember why I wanted to do this in the first place. You can’t inspire minds on a timetable like this. I think I’m miserable, Tony. I mean, I stand in the staffroom in between classes and smile along with the others, but they’re all so bitter, Tony. They’re all so fuckin’ hateful. Thirty years in the job, and they hate everything about it, but it’s too late for them to get a new job and I’m pretty sure that secretly they hope the kids’ll come to nothing. I mean it. You should hear the way they talk about them. No wonder the kids are killing each other over postcodes, or getting sick at the thought of not being famous. The classroom’s hot, and I’m staring at the kids, and I’m remembering us lot when we was at school – moving through the corridors like we was the fuckin’ Roman empire. I’m remembering how it felt to be fifteen, us lot, in a​ ​party, feeling like the world was ours, like we fuckin’ owned it. I’m remembering how we cared about each other, how we got in fights for each other and robbed Tescos and built fires and got off our faces, it was exciting, wasn’t it? It felt real. What even happened to us? We go parties now, and we’ve got nothing to say to each other ’til we’re fucked. And even then. We spend hours talking about parties from before, things that happened to us once, we spend life retelling life and it’s pointless and boring.

Male Monologues for Young Adults

This is Our Youth (By Kenneth Lonergan)

Age Range: Late teens, early twenties.
Place: An apartment on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.
Time: March, 1982.
Synopsis: Warren, 19, speaks to Jessica after spending the night together (which she greatly regrets) and telling his friend Dennis.

WARREN:
I don’t really get what you’re upset about. I thought we had a really good time together and I was actually in a fairly Up state of mind for once.

Well, I didn’t mean that in any kind of lascivious way, so I don’t know why you want to take it like that. I really like you.
I’m sorry I said anything to Dennis. I definitely caved in to the peer pressure. But I also definitely said as little as possible and was totally respectful of you in the way I talked about you. Even though I was pretty excited about what happened last night, and also about like, maybe like, the prospect of like, I don’t know, like going out with you – Which I would be very into, if you were. But if you want to think the whole meant nothing to me, then go ahead because that’s not the case.
It’s totally weird, like, taking all your clothes off and having sex with someone you barely know, and then being like “What’s up now?” You know? Like it’s such an intense experience but then nobody knows what to fuckin’ say, even though nothing really bad actually happened. You know?

I really like you… I don’t really agree with most of your opinions…but I don’t meet a lot of people who can actually make me think, you know? And who can hold their own in an interesting discussion. And who I’m totally hot for at the same time. You know?

It’s a fairly effective combination.

Fences (August Wilson)

Age Range: Mid twenties.

CORY:
I live here too! I ain’t scared of you. I was walking by you to go into the house cause you sitting on the steps drunk, singing to yourself. I ain’t got to say excuse me to you. You don’t count around here any more. Now why don’t you just get out my way. You talking about what you did for me… what’d you ever give me? You ain’t never gave me nothing. You ain’t never done nothing but hold me back. Afraid I was gonna be better than you. All you ever did was try and make me scared of you. I used to tremble every time you called my name. Every time I heard your footsteps in the house. Wondering all the time… what’s Papa gonna say if I do this?… What’s he gonna say if I do that?… What’s he gonna say if I turn on the radio? And Mama, too… she tries… but she’s scared of you. I don’t know how she stand you… after what you did to her. What you gonna do… give me a whupping? You can’t whup me no more. You’re too old. You’re just an old man. You crazy. You know that? You just a crazy old man… talking about I got the devil in me. Come on… put me out. I ain’t scare of you. Come on! Come on, put me out. What’s the matter? You so bad… put me out! Come on! Come on!

Unbearable Hotness (By Gabrielle Davis)

Age Range: Early twenties.

BRANDON:
I just fuckin’ killed Chuck. I think. I mean, he’s just laying out there. He’s not moving. I don’t think he’s breathing. I mean, there I was just up on the roof with Marissa – talking, laughing, having a great time. I tell her she reminds me of Sandra Bullock. I tell her I loved “Hope Floats”. Who knew those would be the magic words? Next thing I know her clothes are off and we’re loosening roof shingles like there’s no tomorrow. And then there’s biting and kissing and touching and suddenly someone starts beating on me, I mean, just pounding on me and growling. Yeah, growling. And I look up and there’s Chuck. And I’m like, “What’s the problem?” and he says “The problem is, dude, you’re fucking my girlfriend.” So I look at Marissa and I’m like “You’re someone’s girlfriend?” And she says “No.” Then it comes out Chuck just wishes she’s his girlfriend but actually she’s his cousin or something, so he’s got these feelings of guilt about wanting her … and then he starts crying. So that ruined the mood. Marissa puts her clothes on, and she goes back down through the window, back into the party. And I’m left with Chuck. Blubbering, whining, crying Chuck. And he starts in on how he’s just this total fuck up and maybe he should just throw himself off the roof. And for a split second I’m thinking “YES! Throw yourself off the roof! Do it!” But I don’t say that. I say “You’re going to get a girl, buddy, just maybe not your cousin, huh?” And then I give him a friendly pat on the back. A nice manly slap on the back. And he looked heavy, I mean, who knew he’d go flying. Who knew he’d go flying right off the roof?

Orphans (By Lyle Kessler)

Age Range: Mid twenties.
Time: 1983.
Place: A run-down house in Philadelphia.
Synopsis: Two orphan brothers live together: Teat (the elder) and Phillip (the younger). Treat has chosen to keep Phillip closed off from the world, convincing him that he has a condition that will kill him if he’s exposed to the outdoors. Meanwhile, Treat comes and goes from the home, making his way through the world as a violent pickpocket and thief. One day, Treat kidnaps a middle-aged businessman named Harold, who manages to turn Treat’s life on end by enlightening young Phillip. In this moment, Phillip finally rebels against the tyrannical rule Treat has had over him for so long.

PHILIP:
I took a walk tonight. I walked over to Broad and Olney. I was breathing okay, Treat. I didn’t have no allergic reaction like you said I would. I took the subway, Treat. Harold told me the secret. You can stand all day at the turnstile putting in nickels and dimes, you can say Open Assasime and all kinds of words, but it won’t do any good unless you have one of these magical coins. If Harold hadn’t given me one I never would have been able to take that ride. You never told me about them token booths! You never told me nothing! You told me I would die if I went outside. I can breathe, Treat. Look! My tongue ain’t hanging out. My face ain’t swollen! (Pause) I walked over to Broad and Olney tonight, Treat. I seen people walking, and I heard children laughing. I wasn’t scared no more ‘cause Harold gave me something. (He takes out a map.) He gave me this! You never gave me no map, Treat. You never told me I could find my way! Nothing’s gonna happen to me, Treat, ‘cause I know where I am now. I know where I am, and you ain’t never gonna take that away from me. I’M AT SIXTY-FORTY NORTH CAMAC STREET, IN PHILADELPHIA, TREAT! I’M ON THE EASTERN EDGE OF THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA! I’M ON THE NORTHERN AMERICAN CONTINENT ON THE PLANET EARTH, IN THE MILKY WAY GALAXY, SWIMMING IN A GREAT OCEAN OF SPACE! I’M SAFE AND SOUND AT THE VERY EDGE OF THE MILKY WAY! THAT’S WHERE I AM, TREAT! And you’re it, Treat.

Balm in Gilead (By Lanford Wilson)

Age Range: Mid-to-late twenties.
Place: An all-night coffee shop in New York.
Synopsis: Strung out Fick, a heroin addict, speaks to his sex worker friend Tig.

FICK:
I mean, I was just walking down the street and they came up on me like they was important, and they start pushing me around, you know. And they pushed me into this alley, not an alley, but this hallway and back down the end of that to this dark place at the end of the hallway and they start punching at me, and I just fell into this ball on the floor so they couldn’t hurt me or nothing. But if I came down there with a couple of fighters, a couple of guys, like my friends, it wouldn’t have to be you or anything, but just a couple or three guys, big guys, like walking down the street, you know. Just so they could see I got these buddies here.

See I’m on H, I mean, I’m flying and I gotta talk man, but I’m serious now; just a few guys and they’d leave me be, maybe, because they’d think I had these buddies that looked after me, you know; cause I – you know – they kicked me up, if I wasn’t on H, man, they’d be pains all through me – you know – walking down the street by myself – I start looking around and wondering who’s out there gonna mess me up, you know. I get scared as hell, man, walking down around here, I mean, I can’t protect myself or nothing, man. You know what I mean? You know what I mean? You know what I mean? You know? I mean if I had these couple – of big buddies – fighters – you – you know – if I had a couple of guys – like – big guys – that – you know, there’s like nothing – I could – like, if you walked around with these buddies, I mean you could do, man – you could do anything…

Boy’s Life (By Howard Korder)

Age Range: Twenties.
Synopsis: Phil is a New Yorker who is an innocent, vulnerable, anxious and nervous self-dramatizer; he’s tired of not being taken seriously.

PHIL:​
I would have destroyed myself for this woman. Gladly. I would have eaten garbage. I would have sliced my wrists open. Under the right circumstances, I mean, if she said, “Hey, Phil, why don’t you just cut your wrists open?” Well, come on, but if seriously… We clicked, we connected on so many things, right off the bat, we talked about God for three hours once. I don’t know what good it did, but that intensity… and the first time we went to bed, I didn’t even touch her. I didn’t want to, understand what I’m saying? And you know, I played it very casually, because, all right, I’ve had some rough experiences, I’m the first to admit, but after a couple weeks I could feel we were right there, so I laid it down, everything I wanted to tell her, and… and she says to me, she says… “Nobody should ever need another person that badly.” Do you believe that? “Nobody should ever…!” What is that? Is that something you saw on TV? I dump my heart on the table, you give me Dr. Joyce Brothers?

“Need, need,” I’m saying I love you, is that so wrong? Is that not allowed anymore?

And so what if I did need her? Is that so bad? All right, crucify me, I needed her! So what! I don’t want to be by myself, I’m by myself I feel like I’m going out of my mind, I do. I sit there, I’m thinking forget it, I’m not gonna make it through the next ten seconds. I just can’t stand it. But I do, somehow, I get through the ten seconds, but then I have to do it all over again, cause they just keep coming, all these… Seconds, floating by, while I’m waiting for something to happen, I don’t know what, a car wreck, a nuclear war or something, that sounds awful but at least there’d be this instant when I’d know I was alive. Just once. Cause I look in the mirror, and I can’t believe I’m really there. I can’t believe that’s me. And I don’t know who I am, or where I’m going. And I wish I’d never been born. Not only that, my hair is falling out, and that really sucks.

Love (By Patricia Cornelius)

Age Range: Early twenties.

LORENZO:
The moment I saw you I thought, you are beautiful, really beautiful, so beautiful, and small. Beautiful and small. I loved you. I saw you and I couldn’t keep my hands off you. Wanted to touch you, pick you up, feel your beautiful little body in my hands. Something about how little you were, how I could hold you, how I could lift you right off the ground, made me feel a big man. And a good man, a really good man. I wanted to look after you. Never wanted that before. Now look at you. Fuck. Look at you, you’re nineteen and you look like an old crow. Fuck. Look at you. You used to have some pride in the way you looked, dressed up you looked beautiful. It felt good to be seen with you. Like, feast your eyes on this, and she’s mine. Now who wants you, looking the way you look, who’d come near you? You’re a slag, an old rag. Get up. Fucking get up would you, you fucking useless scrag. Get up!

Romeo and Juliet (By William Shakespeare)

Age Range: Mid-to-late teens.
Time: 16th century.
Place: In the gardens of Juliet’s family’s estate, beneath her bedroom’s balcony.
Synopsis: Romeo has fallen completely in love with Juliet, despite their families being at war with each other. Watching her as she stands at her balcony, he speaks to her loveliness.

ROMEO:
But, soft! What light through yonder window breaks?
It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.
Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,
Who is already sick and pale with grief,
That thou her maid art far more fair than she:
Be not her maid, since she is envious:
Her vestal livery is but sick and green
And none but fools do wear it; cast it off.
It is my lady, O, it is my love!
O, that she knew she were!
She speaks yet she says nothing: what of that?
Her eye discourses: I will answer it.
I am too bold, ’tis not to me she speaks:
Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven,
Having some business, do entreat her eyes
To twinkle in their spheres till they return.
What if her eyes were there, they in her head?
The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars,
As daylight doth a lamp, her eyes in heaven
Would through the airy region stream so bright
That birds would sing and think it were not night.
See, how she leans her cheek upon her hand!
O, that I were a glove upon that hand,
That I might touch that cheek!

The Glass Menagerie (By Tennessee Williams)

Age Range: Early to mid-twenties.

TOM:
I didn’t go to the moon. I went much further–for time is the longest distance between two places. Not long after that I was fired for writing a poem on the lid of a shoebox. I left St. Louis. I descended the steps of the fire escape for a last time and followed, from then on, in my father’s footsteps, attempting to find in motion what was lost in space. I traveled around a great deal. The cities swept about me like dead leaves, leaves that were brightly coloured but torn away from their branches. I would have stopped, but I was pursued by something. It always came upon me unawares, taking me altogether by surprise. Perhaps it was a familiar bit of music. Perhaps it was only a piece of transparent glass. Perhaps I am walking along a street at night, in some strange city, before I have found companions. I pass the lighted window of a shop where perfume is sold. The window is filled with pieces of coloured glass, tiny transparent bottles in delicate colours, like bits of a shattered rainbow. Then all at once my sister touches my shoulder. I turn around and look into her eyes. Oh Laura, Laura, I tried to leave you behind me, but I am more faithful than I intended to be! I reach for a cigarette, I cross the street, I run into the movies or a bar, I buy a drink, I speak to the nearest stranger–anything that can blow your candles out! For nowadays the world is lit by lightning! Blow out your candles, Laura – and so goodbye…

Mr. Jenkins and my Mother (By Alexander Lee-Rekers)

Age Range: Twenties.
Time: The present.
Place: A therapist’s office.
Synopsis: Gus sits in his therapist’s office, speaking more to himself than the professional listening.

GUS:
I never told you about Mr. Jenkins?

Mr. Jenkins was my favourite teddy bear growing up. He had this smart, tartan bowtie and a short, shiny coat of fur. Very dapper. Always talked about working in the Bank for Bears, and growing his petunias. He could talk, you see. Not really talk, just a voice my mother would do for him. She gave him a nice English accent, and he always spoke in this hurried, half-whisper. They’d tuck me into bed every night, Mr. Jenkins and my mother, and make feel safe. That was until she killed him.

One day, a few weeks before my seventh birthday, I left the garden gate open and our dog Sampson escaped. That night, after my mother spent the day searching for the dog and bringing him home, she came up to my room alone. “Where’s Mr. Jenkins?” I asked her. “Oh, sweetheart… The excitement of the day was too much for Mr. Jenkins. He was an old
bear and he- His heart just gave out.” It was my first experience with death. My mother never said anything … but I knew it was my fault. Worst part is she left him—his body, I suppose—on my pillow for when I woke up. Like the horse’s head in The Godfather. He looked different. Lifeless. I never forgot the garden gate again

The post Monologues for Young Adults appeared first on StageMilk.

Before we get into it, let’s first dispel some common misconceptions about acting.

Common Acting Myths for Young People

“Acting can be learnt overnight”

The craft of acting, like most arts, is a beautiful and elusive thing, and the process is different for everyone. There are multiple different ‘method’s of learning how to act, and how to create a character. But in it’s simplest form, acting is storytelling. It is inhabiting a character, and presenting a narrative. The goal is for that character and the narrative to be truthful, authentic and entertaining for an audience – and this, can take years and years to master. There is no set formula, and whilst some people are natural born storytellers, most people need to train and learn to hone their craft in order to have a sustainable career in this industry.

“You have to be outgoing, extroverted and unique to be an Actor”

Nonsense. Some of the best actors I know and admire are incredibly introverted. The only thing you need to be an actor is passion and dedication for the craft, a willingness to learn and most importantly perseverance. If you are shy, but still love acting, you are not alone!

“Acting is just like modelling, it’s about how good you look on camera”

I would argue that acting, and modelling are completely different industries. Acting is about truth and storytelling, and modelling is about selling a product and looking good whilst doing it. That’s not to say that if you are a model, you cannot be an actor, and vice versa. But it’s important to separate these 2 professions. Whilst the film and television industry is harsh, materialistic and superficial, there are so many opportunities to do great work, and be fulfilled, regardless of how you look.

Tip: don”t ever try to look like anyone else. It is your uniqueness that will get you work as an actor. 

Before you get started

Just like choosing any career path, it’s important to figure out why.

So why acting? Everyone will have their own personal reasons, and I’d recommend writing them down. There are no right or wrong answers, but sometimes we don’t even know why we are pursuing something until we stop, think about it, and put pen to paper. I’ve also found that career counsellors aren’t always the best people to turn to for advice. Often they don’t have much information on drama schools, acting training and the industry as it stands. So it’s up to you to do that research, and decide for yourself the best path once you graduate high school.

Tip: if you don’t have anyone to turn to, StageMilk.com is a great start. Hundreds of great articles and videos, which are all totally free. 

Question for parents to ask their child:

As a parent, if your child comes home one day saying “I want to be an actor!”, I’m sure you have many uncertainties and concerns, and that’s ok. You can either hope they forget about it by next week, or give them the opportunity to try something and find out for themselves whether they like it or not. So, what should you ask your child when they tell you they want to be an actor?

1. Do they enjoy it?

It’s honestly as simple as that. Send them to an acting class in the afternoons, and if they love it, then there’s your answer. All you need to do is support them, and help them understand that acting, like anything, is a commitment that requires a strong work ethic and a very thick skin.

2. Why? 

Sometimes it is hard to articulate why we love something, but I encourage you to help your child figure that out. If they want to be an actor because they want to be on Stranger Things and be famous (trust me, we get this a lot) then that doesn’t mean they should stop. It just means they have some learning to do. Getting on Stranger Things, or any prime TV show or Film for that matter, does not come easily. There are so many young actors out there and to book a role on Stranger Things is a one in a million chance. I also think there is a difference between wanting to be rich and famous, and wanting to be seen and heard. All performers have a desire to be seen and to share their work in a public sense, and that is completely normal. Help your child to find their true motivation for pursuing acting – it might take some time, but they will figure it out.

The important thing for parents to remember is that this is ultimately their child’s decision, and if they enjoy it, then there is no harm.

Questions for teenagers to ask themselves:

1. Do I enjoy it? 
Whatever your passion is, I say follow it full-heartedly. Acting isn’t an easy career path, but if you love it, then it’s worth it.

2. What about acting am I most intrigued by, or interested in?
This will help you define what kind of training you should go into, and when. You might love sketch comedy, and so then should think about doing improv classes as well as acting classes. You might love independent films, and so weekly acting classes working on film and tv scripts are going to be your jam.

3. What does ‘success’ look like to me? 
Be careful not to define success with terms such as ‘fame’ and ‘fortune’. If you’re in this game because you relish every moment you get to act, then fame and fortune shouldn’t come into it at all. And what you should be working towards is telling stories you’re passionate about, collaborating with other creatives, and eventually getting some financial reward for all your hard work (which could take years).

4. Am I prepared to work for it? 
If you think that acting is all fun and games, doing a few classes, getting an agent, and bam you’re on the next 13 Reasons Why, then I’m sorry but I have to deflate that balloon of yours. Ask anyone, ask any actor in the world, and they will tell you that they are where they are today, because they worked for it, and kept at it for many years. They took rejection after rejection, they made sacrifices, and it was all worth it because they’re doing what they love. Make sure you are prepared to put in the hard yards, take the rejection and be patient.

The craft, and the business

Okay, so you have committed to becoming an actor. Now what?!

Start training

You wouldn’t expect to become a doctor without doing 7 years of training at medical school, and the same goes for acting. Don’t go straight into getting an agent and auditioning. You’ll need to learn about story, voice, character, script, physicality, and much more, as well as gain confidence in all these areas in order to sign with an agent. You have a couple options here:

Drama School

Drama school training is 3 years of intensive acting training, and you can bet by the end of it, you’ll know whether or not acting is for you. Drama school is the best thing that ever happened to me, and although I’ve got nearly $50K in student loan debt, the things I learnt about myself and about acting, and the connections I made there – it was all worth it. Going to a reputable drama school will also give you a solid chance at landing an agent once you graduate. So when you graduate high school, go to some open days, audition for some drama schools in your country and see if this is something you want to commit the next 3 years of your life to. But trust me on this, no actor has ever regretted training at a reputable drama school.

[Video Guide] Getting into Drama School

More: How to audition for acting school

Acting classes

Weekly acting classes are also a great place to learn and meet other actors. Although it might not be as comprehensive as studying full time at drama school, it is an opportunity to learn and to act nonetheless. Find some good classes in your area, you can always ask to audit a class before you sign up, to make sure it’s good for you. Getting up in front of your class and acting every week is invaluable. You’ll receive constructive criticism, you’ll learn from watching others, and you’ll have a mentor, your teacher, whom you can turn to for advice when you need it.

Also, don’t be afraid of signing up for adult acting classes. I’ve consistently found myself to be one of the youngest throughout my training as an actor, and whilst terrifying, it has been incredibly beneficial for me to learn from older actors. It forces you to mature, and take class seriously, because everyone around you will be.

Masterclasses and Workshops

There are some incredible masterclasses and workshops out there, from different practitioners who all have a lot to offer for actors at different stages in their career. I’d recommend doing weekly acting classes or drama school before signing up to something like a week long intensive or 2-day masterclass. You’ll find these courses to be from 1-6 days long, with 8 hours focusing on a particular method or technique. For some of these you are also able to audit, and take notes, whilst you watch other actors get up and do their work. This is much cheaper than participating, but very valuable. It also gives you a chance to see if this type of work is for you, and you can join in next year. If you ever get a chance to do a workshop in your city with Larry Moss, Patsy Rodenburg, Susan Batson, Ivana Chubbuck or Anthony Meindl – do it! There are many more wonderful practitioners out there, and I encourage you to try them, and find what type of work resonates most with you.

Extra learning

Read books on acting, read books on psychology, read books on science – fill your brain with knowledge, opinions and ideas. Life experience and secondary knowledge is the well in which all actors will draw from when they work. Watch films, TV series, web series, short films – expose yourself to creativity, and you will learn from it. Make notes if you like, or get together with some friends and discuss it with them. There is no end to creative learning, and I plan on doing it until I die.

Find a Mentor

As you’re just starting out, you might need to find someone to guide you through these first couple months. And as a parent, if you’re not an actor yourself, you might find it harder to help and support your child with a limited knowledge base.

Find someone with experience, and whom you trust. They might be your drama teacher at school, they might be the head of acting at your drama school, or someone you know who is an actor, who has a bit more experience than you. If all else fails, the content we put up on StageMilk is honest, practical advice from actors themselves, and we’re always here to help.

More: Why you should have a mentor

Build your toolkit…

Now it’s time to look at the business side of acting. Unfortunately, talent can only take you so far these days.

Headshots

An actor’s headshot is their first point of contact in the industry. Casting directors, Agents and Director’s will click on a tiny thumbnail photo of you, and make a split second decision about who they think you are and what you’re about. So it’s important for your headshot to accurately represent you. It doesn’t mean getting a photo that makes you look really pretty, thin and unique. You are pretty enough, you are inherently unique and all you need to do is relax, and leave the rest up to the headshot photographer. Please, please, please hire a professional headshot photographer. Do some research, find someone whose work you like, and within your budget. But you cannot be an actor, without a professional headshot – it is completely necessary.

More: The complete guide to getting a great headshot

Showreel

A showreel is a short video collection of your acting work. No more than 3-4 minutes long, it is an edited clip of you doing either a monologue or a scene on camera. This can be in the form of a self-tape, or a produced showreel scene, or from actual produced work you have done e.g. clips from student films or web-series you have worked on.

A showreel becomes more important when you’re applying for representation and begin auditioning, but if you’re just starting out, this can wait until you’ve completed most of your training.

When you’re ready, here’s why you need a showreel, and here are our top tips for a great showreel.

Online casting profiles

Fact: all casting directors use online casting platforms to cast their projects. In order to book work, you need to be on them.

An online casting profile is like a digital CV for your acting. You pay a small fee to the platform in order to display your headshot, showreel, your credits and training. If you do not have any training, or credits, then I recommend saving your money and waiting until you do before setting up your profile. Another option is to sign up for a free platform, where you can apply for acting work yourself. BE WARY. Most of these jobs are unpaid, and often produced by amateurs, or people who don’t have a budget and so cut corners. Check the brief thoroughly, and trust your gut – if anything feels wrong or strange, do not go to that audition. It is not worth it. If you’re unsure, get someone to come with you. Or you have every right to get in contact with the producer of the project, to ask them more questions.

For which ones to go with click here, and for how to nail your profile, look here.

Branding and social media

You don’t really need to be too concerned with branding and social media at your age, but I also believe there is no such thing as being too prepared! So have a browse through these 2 articles we’ve put together on branding and social media, and just start to think about how other people might perceive you, what values you have and what kind of artist you’re striving to be. The point is not to go changing anything, or re-inventing yourself, it is simply being aware of how these things come across in your headshot, showreel, and when you go in for auditions. It’s complicated and a bit confusing, it took me a few years to truly understand the meaning of a brand, so don’t stress, and come to it when you’re ready.

More: 
Ultimate guide to Social Media for actors
Branding for actors

The idea here is to build your toolkit, at the same time as training as an actor. This is where the craft (acting training) and the business of acting (your toolkit) comes together. Unfortunately, you cannot do one without the other, they work in conjunction with each other. Once you have done some training, have built your toolkit, you can begin to look at representation.

Getting an Agent

What is an acting agent?

Your agent, or in some cases your manager, helps you to get work, and once you do, handles all the contracts and takes payments for you. In return for getting you into audition rooms and administration, they take a small percentage of your wages as an actor. You should never have to pay fees in order to sign with an agent. If they’re asking for upfront fees, run for the hills! If you’re unsure, make sure you go over the contract thoroughly and get some legal advice if necessary.

Where do you find these agents and managers? You can do a simple Google search in your area, or you can head to imdb.com/pro, create an account, and search the top agents in your city, who is on their books, and also find their contact details.

How to land a great agent.

Make sure your toolkit is in order, and train first. Wait until your ready, there is absolutely no rush. You’re young, and there’s so much to learn, so give yourself the best chance at landing a solid agent by doing your acting training first. Often agents won’t even consider actors who haven’t trained. Once you’re nearing the end of your training, you can start to assemble your toolkit (headshot, showreel, online casting profile) and then begin approaching different agencies. Alternatively, most drama schools hold a graduation showcase, and invite agents for you, so you might find yourself being approached by an agent on that evening.

When you go in for a meeting with an agent remember you are interviewing them as much as they are interviewing you. You want to sign with someone you connect with, and can work with – it’s a collaborative business. Don’t settle for the first offer you get, if you have the chance to shop around, definitely do so, and find the one that fits with you.

More: 
How to get an agent 
How to approach an agent
What to avoid in an acting agent

Auditioning

It is highly unlikely you will start auditioning straight away, unless you have already signed with an agent. However in saying that, without an acting agent, you can still get auditions. All you have to do is be proactive. Find general audition listings on reputable websites, through free casting platforms, and sometimes casting directors do call outs on Facebook pages or in Facebook groups. Please be careful here, and trust your gut instincts, if something seems fishy, it probably is.

Once you do have an agent, they will start to send auditions your way. You might find a couple coming every week, or more likely 1 every 3 months. Unfortunately, that is the nature of the industry – it will never be constant, and standards are continuously shifting. This just means you need to stay on top of your game, so that when that audition comes through, you’re ready to go.

Auditioning tips for young actors

Here are our top tips when it comes to auditions for younger actors:

1. Prepare, prepare, prepare. You cannot rely on charm, or cuteness! Impress the casting director and their associates by being prepared. Being prepared will also help with managing nerves. This means, knowing your lines, being comfortable off script, doing some rehearsals at home beforehand, and making some choices.
2. Make choices. It’s important to bring your own, unique point of view to the script and to the character – that’s what actors do! Make it your own, dig deeper, and find something in the script which ignites and excites you. There is no such thing as ‘right‘ when it comes to acting. There is your interpretation, someone else’s interpretation, and so it goes on. Don’t try to please the casting director, because a lot of the time they’re not even sure what they’re looking for. If your interpretation isn’t quite what they’re looking for, then they’ll ask you to adjust your performance, so be prepared for that.
3. Be flexible. It is imperative that as an actor, you can take direction. If a casting director asks you to change something up on the fly, it’s most likely because they need to see if you can be flexible and respond to direction on set. If you’re too rigid in your choices and in your performance, then you’ll be too much hard work for a director on set, and you won’t book the job.
4. Have fun. Like I said at the very beginning, if you’re not enjoying it, then what’s the point? How wonderful is it to watch old home videos of you and your family or friends making a fool of yourself or running around like headless chooks? It’s riveting to watch. Casting directors will enjoy watching you, if you’re having fun in there. This doesn’t mean pretending to have fun – the script might be tense, and dramatic, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t fully immerse yourself in the work and enjoy the process.
5. Let it go. There are more actors than there are roles – that is a fact. Go in, do your best, have fun, and then go home. Don’t think too much about it. You won’t be receiving a call to let you know you didn’t get it. You won’t hear anything at all, and you’ll just presume you didn’t get it. It’s okay to do a bit of reflection on how you think it went, and what you might do better next time, but after that, move on with life.

Conclusion

It’s a tough industry. There’s no denying it. But it can also be a really fulfilling, exciting and a wonderful creative outlet for young actors. There is no ‘right’ way to becoming an actor, every person will have their own path laid out for them. For some it takes years, and other mere months, trust in yourself and trust in the universe.

At the end of the day, I encourage all of you to give it your absolute best shot, work hard, and keep at it as long as you’re still enjoying it. There will be people out there who will discourage you, and maybe even take advantage of you because you’re young. But use your better judgement, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Good luck!

The post Guide to Acting for Young People appeared first on StageMilk.

Preschool aged children are among some of my favourites to teach. At this age, they are just beginning to socialize and are chalk full of curiosity. Sure, they might not be putting on Hamlet any time soon, but a drama class can be a great way to explore concepts of storytelling while having lots of fun!

The most important skill you’re teaching this age is creativity. What’s the difference between this and playing in the sandbox? Well, to be honest, very little! The main thing is that you’re conducting it and we have an overall objective: tell a story.

Working With This Age

If you’re new to teaching preschoolers, you’ll quickly learn that patience is key. You are taking part in shaping the classroom experience for them, so lots of reminders to stay focused and following instructions are important. I like to take a very lighthearted and patient approach: remind yourself that you will have to get their attention many times in a session and they will get tired and cranky. Your job is to support them. If you are lucky enough to have an assistant to take care of a teary toddler or potty breaks, it is always useful and can take pressure off of you so that you can focus on facilitating the activities.

Starting Your Class

I always do something to get the blood moving so that they feel physical and ready for action! Songs like “head, shoulders, knees & toes,” are great, along with side stretches and touching your toes. Once we’ve finished our stretching I have them repeat after me, “Today I’m going to try my best!”

Movement Qualities

Freeze Dance is fun and loved by all. If you can get your hands on some scarves for them to use when they’re dancing around, even better! Play some music and have them dance around with the scarves. Get them to really move the scarves around. This will emphasize a smooth quality! Then pause the music and they have to freeze still like a statue! When they are closer to age 3 I don’t like to play with outs, but if they are older they might want to play with elimination. The freezing emphasizes a sharper quality of movement. Plus it’s super cute!

Story-Telling

It might be hard to get this age group to speak words out loud. That’s where this activity comes in handy. I recommend writing a simple story that you can cater towards your theme. In this example, I’m using a story about going to the Zoo. Other great ideas include: going to the Circus, or the Ocean. You can also go to your local library and find children’s books about these subjects if you prefer; there’s lots out there!

Tell them you are going to read them a story, but that they will be the pictures! I like to shape the story in the context of a day. Waking up, getting ready, exploring as different animals, and then saying good night and going to bed.

The Story

Music: Put on music without words. Circle of Life from Lion King is great for this one. Have this music on really low volume. Remind them that we all have to be lying down before the music can start and the show can begin!

Script:

It’s the morning and the sun is rising at the Zoo!
I’m so excited to see all the animals!
All the animals do a big yawn and a stretch.
There are monkeys
And Elephants
And Giraffes
And more!
The Giraffe eats leaves from the tall trees for breakfast
Look, the tigers are brushing their teeth!
The elephants spray a shower from their trunks!
Look at the monkeys being so silly
The swans are graceful, like ballerinas!
The turtles are sooooo slooowwwwwww!
Look how fast the Cheetahs go! Oh my!
Look at the flamingos standing on one leg!
The Lions let out a big roar! “ROAR!”
I just love it here at the Zoo! But oh no, the sun is going down!
We say goodnight to the Lions as they go to sleep
The monkeys settle down
The elephants let out a big yawn.
Goodnight Zoo! What an exciting day

Have them stand up and take a big bow and give them a cheer.

It can be helpful to ask prompting questions if they are confused. “Can you show me what a monkey does?” “What do elephants look like?”

When you’ve finished your class for the day, have them stand in a circle and take a bow and thank you and your assistant.

Try to keep any coaching to attention-focusing and not telling them how to do their moves. They might need help though, so have you and your assistant do the actions along with them. If you are doing this class as part of a series, this can be their final performance that they practise each week. Try and work on consistency and facial expressions, with lots of encouragement with an overall focus of having a blast. All in all, this is a pretty simple and straightforward class, but it can be extremely fun!

Happy Safari-ing!

The post Acting Classes for Young Kids appeared first on StageMilk.

Read through a whole range of monologues before deciding on one and see which of these most resonates with you. Did you get excited about the idea of performing a certain monologue? Pick that one! Does one seem particularly interesting or challenging? Give it a go! If you’re teaching a group of students, try to give the teens a few options maybe three or  four; don’t overwhelm them with choice.

NB: A lot of the monologues are stand-alone and don’t come from larger plays. This means you get to create the given circumstances surrounding the monologue! Our advice is to keep it simple. If they do come from a play or book, always read it for the larger context.

Female Monologues for Teens

Girls (TV)

Hannah:
I came here to say that I don’t think we should see each other anymore. I don’t think we should see each other anymore, and it makes me feel stupid and pathetic to get a picture of your dick that I know was meant for someone else, and you didn’t even bother to explain, because I made you think that you don’t have to explain. So… I’m not asking anything. I’m really not asking you for anything. I have never asked you for anything. I don’t even want anything, okay? I respect your right to see and do whoever you want, and I don’t even want a boyfriend. I just want someone who wants to hang out all the time, and thinks I’m the best person in the world, and wants to have sex with only me. And it makes me feel very stupid to tell you this, because it makes me sound like a girl who wants to, like, go to brunch. And I really don’t wanna go to brunch, and I don’t want you to like, sit on the couch while I shop, or like, even meet my friends. I don’t even want that okay. But I also don’t wanna share a sex partner with a girl who seems to have asked for a picture of your dick. And also, I don’t want a picture of your dick because I live very near you, so if you wanted me to look at your dick, I could just come over and look at your dick. And I don’t really see you hearing me, and I don’t really see you changing. So.. I just summed it up for you. And I’m sorry that I didn’t figure it out sooner, and you must think I’m even stupider than you thought I was already. But consider it a testament to your charms, because you might not know this, but you’re very, very charming and I really care about you. And I don’t wan to anymore, because it feels too shitty for me. So I’m gonna leave.

Mean Girls (Film)

Regina George:
Why were you talking to Janis Ian? She’s so pathetic. Let me tell you something about Janis Ian. (as if this is shocking) I was best friends with her in middle school. I know, right? It’s so embarrassing, I don’t even… whatever. Then, in eighth grade, I started going out with my first boyfriend, Kyle, who was totally gorgeous but he moved to Indiana, and Janis was, like weirdly jealous of him. Like, if I blew her off to hang out with Kyle she would be like, “Why didn’t you call me back!?” And I would be, like, “Why are you so obsessed with me?” So then my birthday was an all-girls pool party and I was like, I can’t invite you, Janis, because I think you’re a lesbian. I mean, I couldn’t have a lesbian there. Girls were going to be in their bathing suits. I mean, right? Then her mom called my mom and was, like, yelling at her. It was so retarded and then in the fall when we started high school all her hair was cut off and she was totally weird and now I think she does heroin.

The Lovely Bones (Film)

Salmon:
I was slipping away. Life was leaving me. But I wasn’t afraid. There was something I was meant to do. Somewhere I was meant to be. I was in the great blue horizon, between heaven and earth. The days were unchanging. And every night I dreamed the same dream. The smell of damp earth. The scream that no one heard! I would hear them calling, the voices of the dead. I wanted to follow them, so I could find a way out, but they would always lead me back to that same door. And I was afraid. I knew that if I went in there I might never come back out again. Nobody – nobody notices when we leave. I mean the moment we really choose to go. At best you might feel a whisper, or a wave of a whisper, undulating down. My name is Salmon. Like the fish. I was fourteen years old when I was murdered on December 6th 1973. I was here for a moment, and then I was gone. I wish you all, a long, and, happy life.

Easy A (Film)

Olive:
Let the record show that I, Olive Penderghast, being of sound mind, ample-ish breast size and an occasional corny knock-knock joke do enter this video blog in the case against me. Since I’m being judged by a jury of my peers I will attempt to insert ‘like’ and ‘totally’ into my confession as much as possible. I will also end statements with a question mark? So here it goes. I confess I’m, in no small part, to blame for all the gossip that has turned my varsity letter scarlet. But for any guy hoping that the sizzling details of my sordid past will inspire you to lock the bathroom door and ‘do it to it’ with your sisters moisturising lotion – you’ll be gravely disappointed. Not to mention unsatisfied. And smelling like hibiscus. Look, I just need to set the record straight and what better way to broadcast my thoughts then here, on the internet. So here it is, Part 1: The Shudder-Inducing-and-Cliched-However-Totally-False-Account-of-How-I-Lost-My-Virginity-To-A-Guy-At-A-Community-College. And Lost my Anonymity Along the Way. Let me just begin by saying that there are two sides to every story. This is my side. The right one. Like, totally.

St Jane’s School for Ice Cream (by Patrick Cullen)

Jane stands up on a chair in front of assembly: 

Jane:
Attention everyone! I have an announcement! After months of meetings and talks between us the students, the cafeteria and the parents association I am pleased to announce as your class president that starting today, we will have ice cream and jelly after every meal! When I ran on an icecream platform for the job of class president a lot of people thought I was crazy. They said ‘Ice cream? For Lunch? At our school? No way!’ or ‘I’m lactose intolerant, I can’t eat ice cream!’ and even ‘How is ice cream going to help my grades?’ But we showed them! You believed in me and I believed in you! And now we have finally achieved our dreams! No more will we head back to class after lunch feeling tired and sad – because this is no longer St Margaret’s School for girls but St Janes School for Ice Cream! So please form an orderly cue over here and remember a vote for Jane is a vote for freedom!

Mimco and Impulse Instant-Crush  (by Patrick Cullen)

Alyssa scrolls through Instagram on her phone, and confides in her best friend:

Alyssa:
I cannot believe everyone likes her! What the hell is so great about Cassandra anyway? Sure she has perfect teeth and a beautiful smile and hair that looks like it’s straight out of a Pantene commercial but she is so fake! It’s all a front! A disguise! You see, I know her. I know her from kindergarten and let me tell you, when we were little, she was different. Really different. She was the first one to go play in the dirt, and she’d always come back with worms or bugs or other gross stuff and we were close! We had sleepovers and our moms were friends. But then she goes to a summer camp and comes back like this… plastic version of a human being. I know my friend is in there somewhere, or at least I hope she is. Wrapped up in Mimco and Impulse Instant-Crush body spray. Honestly I just hope she’s happy or at least that she comes to her senses soon, before it’s too late…

Whistle Down the Wind (by Mary Hayley Bell)

Swallow (12) is living in a village where they are taught Jesus will return to the world. There is a criminal on the run near her village and Swallow finds a sick, homeless man in her father’s barn who she thinks is Jesus. In this monologue she tells some other children about the man. 

Swallow:
Can you keep a secret? A really big secret? You’ve got to hold up your hand and do the ‘See this wet’ routine:

See this wet, see this dry,
Cut my throat if I tell a lie…

This is a great and fabulous secret known to none but those within these walls. You have to join a society to be allowed to know the secret, and all who know must swear never to divulge. Will you absolutely swear? If you ever breathe a word something ghastly will happen to you… alright… That’s Jesus… We have proof. We were in here messing about. There was a sort of knock on the door and I opened it. He stood there smiling at us, and said, ‘Knock on the door and it shall be opened unto you’… And I said, ‘Who are you?’ and he stood staring round this place, not answering at once, and then suddenly said, rather loud: ‘JESUS’… just like that… His legs were all cut and his boots and socks crammed with mud and he kind of lurched. I asked Him if I should get someone and He said ‘Don’t tell them till I’ve recovered’… He’s ill… too ill to talk. He’s been asleep for six hours!… In the daytime!… The grown-ups may not believe… suppose they try and take Him away… after all they did last time… But we can have a gigantic meeting, we can tell them all… swear them all to secrecy. There’s hundreds of children around here and every child knows other children. We can bring them a few at a time to see Him and hear His words. Little by little we can spread the news to children all over the country that the first people to know Jesus has come back will be the children. And… if the grown-ups try to take Him away again, we’ll defend Him… Hundreds of us!

The Same Old Clothes (by Adra Young)

Teen Girl:
After class today, my favorite teacher, Ms. Childs asked me to stay in my seat when the bell rang. I knew exactly what she wanted. I had missed a whole week of school. Now, I have never really been the type to skip class. Except for this one time when me an Amber didn’t want to take Mr. Landry’s chemistry test. (Quietly giggles and looks around to see if anyone heard. She then sighs and takes on a more serious tone.) Well anyway, Ms. Childs did what any concerned teacher would do, I guess. So, when she asked me, I went on and told her the truth. I told her that my mother could not afford to wash our clothes last week ‘cause she didn’t have any money left after paying all the bills. Do you actually think that I would come to school wearing the same old dirty clothes? (Tugs on collar or sleeve of shirt) I’m in high school. Would you do it? (Points to audience) Just ask yourself that question! After I explained myself, the teacher seemed to feel sorry for me. She didn’t even lecture me or anything! She didn’t even say that she was going to call my mother! She gave me a pass this time. (Looking relieved) Now don’t go thinking that I don’t like school or that I am dumb. ‘Cause I do and I am not! I just don’t like to come to school when my clothes are dirty. But it looks like I’ll be missing school from time to time.

A License to Date

Jordan has asked April to go out with him to the movies. She is so excited. The only problem is that they need a ride. Here, she tries desperately to get her sister to agree to drive them.

April:
Guess what?! Jordan asked me out! (She squeals.) I’m so psyched! We’re gonna go to the movies tomorrow. There’s just one thing. His brother can’t drive us cause he has a date. So, I was wondering… (Beat.) Oh, c’mon Lin- da! I’ve been waiting for Jordan to ask me out for like my whole life. (Beat.) Okay, so three weeks — but it feels like my whole life! All we need is a ride. (She lifts her hands like paws and pants like a dog. Beat.) Oh, I already did. Mom can’t take us cause she has her Pottery & Emotions class. Please? I’ll do your chores tomorrow? (Beat.) All week?! What do I look like, Cinderella? Then I guess that makes you my ugly stepsister. Kidding — I’m kidding! Okay, I’ll do it. But promise me you won’t tell Jordan how much I like him. (Beat.) Well, if you do, I’ll tell Mom you broke her Happiness frog.

Crawling to Paradise

Tracy has had a major crush on Robby for “a long time.” Tracy’s best friend has just announced that Robby asked her to the dance.

Tracy:
Whoa. Hold it. Stop right there. I know you didn’t say what I thought you just said. Robby asked you to the dance? Robby? As in my Robby? As in, Robby who I’ve been in love with since I could crawl? How can you do this to me? You’re supposed to be my best friend! You know I have plans to marry him. (Beat.) So what if he doesn’t even notice I’m alive — that’s not the point. The point is you backstabbed me. You are unbelievable! You can’t even — what? David wants to go with me? David, as in, tall, blue-eyed, major babe David? Get out! Really? How cool! We can double date! Oh my God, can you imagine?! (Beat.) Of course, I’m not mad at you. You’re my best friend! You and Robby are meant to be. Really, you are. Besides, I’ve been in love with David since I could crawl.

Acting Class (M. Ramirez)

Angelique:
I took an acting class and the teacher was this weird creepy guy who was going bald and who wore tight pants and didn’t pronounce my name right ONCE. ANGELIQUE. My name is ANGEL-EEK. Not “Angelica,” not “Angie”… Angelique. It’s French for “Like an Angel” or “Born from Angels” or “Touched by an Angel”… something. I dunno. It doesn’t matter. He didn’t get it right once. He made us do all these weird creepy breathing exercises and all I could think of the whole time is MY MOTHER IS NOT PAYING FOR YOU TO TEACH ME HOW TO BREATHE, WEIRD CREEPY BALD GUY WITH TIGHT PANTS… MY MOTHER IS PAYING YOU TO TEACH ME TO ACT. ’Cause that’s what I’m good at. Acting. Like I’m really good at swimming and I paint too and my sister and I made State Jazz Ensemble but what I’m REALLY good at? Is acting. “Breathe in”… “Hold”… “Breathe out”… “Feel your inner animal reaching through”… Inner animal? Are you kidding? I Google-d the guy when I got home, whatever, I know it’s weird, but I had to. I HAD to know what this guy’s done that makes him so special. Know what this guy’s done, this guy who’s supposedly gonna teach me how to act? Three episodes of Ghost Hunter Deluxe and a deodorant commercial. DEODORANT? Is this a joke? What’s this guy gonna teach me to do? NOT SWEAT?!

Unchatty Cathy (by Gabriel Davis)

Dry Land (by Ruby Rae Speigel)

Ester:
I’ve been sleeping in my swimsuit. I’ve been sleeping in my swimsuit. For superstitious reasons. I haven’t taken it off for a week. Because of this thing tomorrow. Swimming for the coach. One day he’s going to come watch me at a meet, and the next he wants me to come swim my best while he’s taping me from under the water, like invading all that space. And I’ve only seen his face once on a website, like a weird confusing blue website. And this is the only place I’m getting recruited for because a year and a half ago I had this thing where I couldn’t swim for like three months so all the other schools dropped me. And I have a rash. Like a really bad rash. I think. I haven’t seen it. I mean whatever. I’m not trying to make you feel bad for me, I’m just saying that I’m not like physically fit and smiling. I just. My mom is out of town, and her boyfriend is a car salesman with a kid. Who I hate. And I haven’t spoken to my best friend who might be my ex-best friend, I don’t know, we haven’t spoken in a week and she’s not coming to practice so, I told you. Do you feel special?

Dry Land (by Ruby Rae Speigel)

Amy:
I used to hang out a lot at the Rock Shop. You know the store by the freeway where you can crack rocks that look like regular dull rocks but actually have this crazy dyed crystal stuff on the inside? I used to hang out there all the time and crack rocks. And hang out with the boys who worked behind the counter and then I went through puberty and they told me that I couldn’t crack the rocks anymore. That it was weird for someone my age with the way I look to be cracking rocks while kids had birthday parties. So you know what I did? I replaced some of the rocks with regular rocks, like from my yard. I never went back to see what happened but I bet they really had to explain when the birthday boy or whatever cracked this big rock and all there was, was more rock. That there wasn’t anything special hiding underneath that it was just more rock.

The Diary of Anne Frank (by Albert Hackett & Frances Goodrich)

Anne:
Look, Peter, the sky. What a lovely, lovely day! Aren’t the clouds beautiful? You know what I do when it seems as if I couldn’t stand being cooped up for one more minute? I think myself out. I think myself on a walk in the park where I used to go with Pim. Where the jonquils and the crocus and the violets grow down the slopes. You know the most wonderful part about thinking yourself out? You can have it any way you like. You can have roses and violets and chrysanthemums all blooming at the same time? It’s funny. I used to take it all for granted. And now I’ve gone crazy about everything to do with nature. Haven’t you? I wish you had a religion, Peter. Oh, I don’t mean you have to be Orthodox, or believe in heaven and hell and purgatory and things. I just mean some religion. It doesn’t matter what. Just to believe in something! When I think of all that’s out there. The trees. And flowers. And seagulls. When I think of the dearness of you, Peter. And the goodness of people we know, all risking their lives for us every day. When I think of these good things, I’m not afraid anymore. I find myself, and God, and I… We’re not the only people have had to suffer. There’ve always been people that’ve had to. Sometimes one race, sometimes another, and yet…I know it’s terrible, trying to have any faith when people are doing such horrible things, but you know what I sometimes think? I think the world may be going through a phase, the way I was with Mother. It’ll pass, maybe not for hundreds of years, but someday I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are really good at heart. Peter, if you’d only look at it as part of a great pattern. That we’re just a little minute in the life? Listen to us, going at each other like a couple of stupid grownups! Look at the sky now. Isn’t it lovely?

A Property of the Clan (by Nick Enright)

Jade:
I play the song for you…every time I come. The paper said somebody nicked your flowers. People are really off. But they’re planting a tree for you at the front of the school tomorrow at lunchtime. But you probably know that now. I bet you know a lot of things now. I should have been there with you Trace. A few times that night I thought I might sneak out. I really wanted to. Mum was reading in her room and I was just watching TV, I could have just left it on, sneaked out, come and found you. But I didn’t. And I keep thinking, if I had, would it have been different? Nobody seems to say anything straight. All these rumours go round and I just want to yell out, “this is Tracey you’re talking about! She was here last week – working at the Pizza Hut, going to netball, catching the ferry. She was one of us!” I wish I kept them earrings. I woke up that night, faces looking down at me. I should have known. When I went round your place on Sunday and I saw the cop cars and the guys from Channel – I should have realised. You were calling to me. That nightmare, it wasn’t one, it was you calling. The faces – they were guy’s faces, and I knew them all. The cops came round our place too, Mum was spewing. They’re going to interview everyone who was at the party. 70 kids they’re gonna talk to. But no one can talk to you. You can talk to me. Tracey – please talk to me.

Romeo and Juliet (by William Shakespeare)

Juliet:
Shall I speak ill of him that is my husband?
Ah, poor my lord, what tongue shall smooth thy name,
When I, thy three hours’ wife, have mangled it?
But wherefore, villain, didst thou kill my cousin?
That villain cousin would have killed my husband.
Back, foolish tears, back to your native spring.
Your tributary drops belong to woe,
Which you, mistaking, offer up to joy.
My husband lives, that Tybalt would have slain,
And Tybalt’s dead, that would have slain my husband.
All this is comfort. Wherefore weep I then?
Some word there was, worser than Tybalt’s death,
That murdered me. I would forget it fain,
But oh, it presses to my celebration,
Like damnèd guilty deeds to sinners’ minds.
“Tybalt is dead, and Romeo banishèd.”

The Little Foxes (by Lillian Hellman)

Alexandra:
Mama, I’m not coming with you. I’m not going to Chicago. I mean what I say with all my heart. There is nothing to talk about. I’m going away from you. Because I want to. Because I know Papa would want me to. Say it, Mama, say it. And see what happens. That would be foolish. It wouldn’t work in the end. You only change your mind when you want to. And I won’t want to. You couldn’t, Mama, because I want to leave here. As I’ve never wanted anything in my life before. Because I understand what Papa was trying to tell me.

All in one day: Addie said there were people who ate the earth and other people who stood around and watched them do it. And just now Uncle Ben said the same thing. Really, he said the same thing. Well, tell him for me, Mama, I’m not going to stand around and watch you do it. Tell him I’ll be fighting as hard as he’ll be fighting some place where people don’t just stand around and watch. Are you afraid, Mama?

Silent Disco (by Lachlan Philpott)

Tamara:
I look around and see everyone in their own little world smiling- everyone dancing to their own tune not giving a fuck what anyone elsehas playing in their ears. For one whole song everything like that. You and me dance like everyone else, no-one tells us we shouldn’t be there, no one tells us we are dancing the wrong steps or we don’t know shit. The Carnie winks at me and I look back at you Squid. We face each other in the silent disco. I look at your eyes-your tough eyes aren’t tough aren’t hard they’re smiling. Right there and then-everything else blown away-just you and me Squid. You so close I feel you breathe. We’ve never danced like this before. You reach out and pull me closer to you. The way you pull me in-makes me feel like I’m the best thing in the world.

Male Monologues for Teens

Daybreak (TV)

Sam:
Sunflowers are polymorphs. They can be more than one thing at once. They’re food, medicine, and they can even absorb heavy metals and radiation.

We, you and I, Josh, we’ve gotta be sunflowers. This is the time we’re supposed to experiment, find who we are. But how can I when I am terrified that some arsehole out there is going to post a comment that shreds my soul?

I should be able to fuck whoever I want, whenever I want without judgement. Before today, you thought I was a virgin, and now I’m what? The neighbourhood bicycle? Queen Guinevere, the Skunked of Avalon? Why do you get to be a stud if you bang me, but I’m an easy fuck oven if I have sex with anyone else?

You want a girly-friend. A sweetheart. A blow-up doll who will do the things that you want her to do. Well guess what, Wheeler? I might wanna be polyamorous. I might wanna join a thruple, or be asexual, or demi, or gyne. The dusty, old names like “virgin” and “slut” were made by men to put women in barbie doll packages with easy to read labels.

Well, I’m no queen. I am not a queen. I am not a queen. Not a queen, or a slag, or the saint that everyone seems to think I am on social media. I’m a kid. I don’t know who I am…

Josh:
I know who you are.

Sam:
Who am I?

Josh:
You’re Sam Dean.

Daybreak (TV)

Josh:
Why didn’t you fight for me to stay with you? Did you not want to be with me? Am I not worth being with? Don’t worry, I know why you’re not answering. It’s not because you don’t love me. It’s because I wasn’t here. This never happened. I didn’t come on this hunting trip. I stayed in LA. And you went alone. Forty four years of tradition. And I broke it…to hurt you. And then you died. Uh… I understand why I’m here now. I get why I pushed Angelica, and Wesley, and Sam away. So I wouldn’t hurt them. And so they wouldn’t hurt me. The same way that you hurt me.

I just… I don’t get why you didn’t want me to be with you. You know? Maybe you didn’t like being a dad. Maybe you know you were dying. Maybe you just didn’t want me to see you get sick. I guess… kids never really get to know their parents. You should know that you did a good job. Yeah, I can fish, and hunt, and rig solar panels, and purify water from my own urine. Which is grosser than it sounds. I survived because of you. I love you.

Misfits (TV)

Nathan is standing on the rooftop, gun in hand. It’s raining.

Nathan:
She’s got you thinking this is how you’re supposed to be, well it’s not! We’re young! We’re supposed to drink too much! We’re supposed to have bad attitudes and shag eachother’s brains out. We are designed to party! THIS IS IT! Yeah, so a few of us will overdose or go mental. But Charles Darwin said you can’t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs. And that’s what it’s all about. Breaking eggs! And by eggs I do mean getting smashed on a cocktail of drugs. If you could see yourselves! It breaks my heart – you’re wearing cardigans! We had it all! We fucked up bigger and better than any generation that came before us! WE WERE SO BEAUTIFUL! We’re screw ups. I’m a screw up. And I’m glad to be a screw-up until my late twenties, maybe even my early thirties. And I will shag my own mother before I let her, or anyone else take that away from me!

Cool girls and Dungeons and Dragons (by Patrick Cullen)

Billy comes running up to his best friend to talk about a conversation he overheard between the girls in his class

Billy:
Andy! Dude! You are not going to believe what I just overheard! Okay so, I am walking back from the library right, I just checked out the Dungeons and Dragons Monster Manual, I know you can get a PDF online but you know how I feel about books – anyway! So – I am walking back out of the library right, and I see like Alicia and Breanna and Kylie all the ‘cool’ girls walking towards me and they’re like talking and laughing and stuff like that. So I do what any of us would do right? I hide! I duck myself between a watercooler and a classroom door and a I turn to face the door like I am reading the class list on the front of it and they walk right on by! And as they’re going past I am ready for them to make fun of me or to like say something super witty and cutting but what I heard instead blew me away. As they walked past I heard Kylie say ‘Yeah, like I am so sick of playing a Barbarian, I think I want to make a new character.’ and then Alicia said ‘No way babe! I love Torben the Barbarian, she’s amazing!’ (a beat) Dude. The cool girls at our school are playing Dungeons and Dragons. The cool girls at OUR SCHOOL are playing Dungeons and Dragons! I wonder if they need a halfling wizard?

Man in Motion (by Jan Mark)

Fourteen year old Lloyd has recently moved with his mother and sister to the city. 

Lloyd:
Yes. I have got something on my mind…. There’s this boy I know, Keith Mainwaring; I met him down at American football practice, and we got friendly. I mean, we were friends right off, and his dad gives me a lift home afterwards. He’s really friendly … but he says things, they both do…. Racist things. All the time, like without thinking. Every time they see somebody Asian, they say something … and I don’t say anything. I don’t know what to say. I keep thinking they don’t really mean it, especially Keith, because he’s nice, really, I mean, otherwise he’s nice. He rings up and asks how I am, and paid for my lunch and that. I really like him, except for what he says…. That’s why I’ve stopped going to practices; to avoid him. I don’t think he really means it, I think it’s just because of what his dad says. Like my friend Vlad – from school, like he said; if you’re sexist it’s because you’ve been brought up to think like that, you never get the chance to work it out. And I don’t think Keith knows any Asians. He lives up at the Highbridge end…. It’s funny … ODD … calling somebody a racist. It doesn’t sound real. We have this lesson at school, Social Awareness Studies, only we call it Isms. Because that’s what it is, all the time; sexism, racism, feminism. And last week we had this discussion on racism, somebody brought in a cutting from a newspaper, and everyone said how awful it was, only we’ve got these two girls in our class, Farida and Farzana, and nobody thought about them. They just sat there, and nobody took any notice or asked them what they thought, I mean, they never say much anyway, but that wasn’t the point. Racism’s just something half of us argue about while the other half do our homework. It’s just a word. It doesn’t mean anything, because it doesn’t happen to us…. I think most of us are against it…. It’s the first time I’ve had to do anything about it. Where we lived before, everyone was white anyway. If I’d met Keith there I’d never have known what he thought because he’d never have said anything. Racism was just something on the news….But it’s not for me. Not any more.

Clay (by Peter Whelan)

Jimmy is 16. Here he is talking with a family friend who has asked him about the figures he moulds from clay

Jimmy:
I haven’t got any. I got rid of them. There’s so point in it is there? Not now. Who’s going to see it? There won’t be anyone left to see it. They’ll be wiped out. Everyone’ll be dead. How can anyone see it? There won’t be any eyes. People are in a dream about it. They think there’s going to be life – there won’t be any life. There won’t even be any worms. They’ll be cooked in the ground. That’s what makes it difficult … making the figures. I mean … you know what to do if someone’s going to see them. But if no one is … how d’you go about it? There’s no precedent for that. I don’t destroy them. I don’t break them up … I bury them. On the moor. I read about that Chinese Emperor whose tomb they’ve been digging up. They’ve found all these clay soldiers, full height, a whole army of them that he’d had buried to protect his tomb. They’ve dug out, I don’t know how many, nine hundred of them and they’re still finding more. I didn’t want to make soldiers. I mean they’re not to protect anything. Just people. Ordinary. Sitting up or leaning on one hand … looking. I tried to think where else there was where someone had made something not to be seen. I knew Navajo Indians make patterns in sand for their ceremonies and then destroy them after it’s over, but that isn’t the same. That’s like saying: the spirits see them, which is like saying: God sees them. But if you believed in God … if you believed in the Bible, then you’d know it had all got to end… like in the Book of Revelations. It ends. There’s a day when it ends. Isn’t there? … So I thought … go back before Christ, and there’s those people’s shapes they found at Pompeii. Those who were dying in the ash from the volcano. That got covered in a hard crust of ash … so you could pour in plaster and fill the shape they’d left behind, the moment they suffocated and died. Now, if you thought of them as figures … statues … not people … then they were not made to be seen! So what I do is I shape figures like them … so that they’re looking into the blinding flash just before they die. Then I give them a first firing. What you call ‘biscuit’. And then, I bury them out there so the sudden heat from the blast will be the second firing. Well no one’s known temperatures let loose like that. The stones round them could vitrify and turn into glass. Then even if the clay shatters into dust the shape will still be there. In glass! (He falters. Stops.) I’ve only made twenty-three. Twenty-three! You’d have to make millions. The whole human race!

Massive High

COMEDIC It is the day before Cody and his best friend start high school. Suddenly, his friend becomes quite worried. Here, Cody attempts to psych him up and rid him of his fears.

Cody:
Nervous? Don’t be nervous. What’s there to be nervous about? We’ve been waiting to start high school for like ever. It’s gonna be so awesome! Just think how many mega-babes are gonna be walking through those halls and in our classes! And we’ll finally have bigger lockers, and a decent gym and multiple floors! Just like a mall! And tons of people to meet, parties to get invited to, real football games, new teachers who don’t hate us yet! New faces everywhere you look! It’s huge! I mean, we probably won’t even see each other (Realizing as he speaks.) the whole…day… long. (Beat.) You’re still gonna eat lunch with me, right?

Zimmer: One Act Play (by Donald Margulies)

Zimmer:
(On the telephone.) Hello, is Wendy there? Tell her Zimmer. Zimmer. Ira, yeah. Hi. How come, is she sick? Look, I’m sure if you told her I was on the phone… Could you? Could you just tell her it’s me, she won’t mind getting out of bed, I promise. Ask her. Give her the choice. I’m not being smart, Mrs. Siegerman… Thank you. (To himself) Jesus . . . (Pause) You sure your mother doesn’t work for the S.S.? Hi. So what happened? You were supposed to meet me at the Fillmore, you okay? You sure? You sound funny. Yeah, you do. So where were you? Yeah, I was worried, what do you think? I mean, it wasn’t pleasant standing there by myself, thinking I was seeing you every ten seconds. There are so many Wendy clones with light brown frizzy hair, you would not believe it. I kept on asking these freaks to hold my place in line so I could call my grandmother to see if you’d called to say you were late or dead or something. I decided you were dead. Murdered on the QB. I am not morbid. What did you think I’d think when you stand me up like that?! I mean, Wendy, come on!, how was I supposed to know you didn’t feel like it? We had so much fun when we waited for Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, didn’t we? Well? Why not The Who? If you didn’t really like them… Don’t you even want to know if I got us tickets? Yeah, I did. Don’t you want to know where? Fifth row. So what’s the matter? Don’t tell me nothing. What did I do, you’re mad at me. Yes you are, why else are you acting so weird? Okay!, so you don’t feel well!, what’s the matter with you!? (A beat; nervous smile) Yeah, right. (Long pause; quietly) Right there in his office he did it? Did it hurt? (Pause) Why didn’t you tell me? I mean, don’t you think you should’ve told me? I mean, I got you into this, you could’ve told me… No wonder your mother was so… (A beat) You didn’t tell her it was me? It was me, wasn’t it? I mean, I was the one, wasn’t I? I mean, don’t I even get credit for that? I mean, shit, Wendy, why the fuck didn’t you tell me in the first place? You knew all this time and you knew what you were gonna do about it and you never even told me?! What am I to you anyway? (Pause) I’m gonna let you go now. Uh, look, don’t worry about the ticket. I’ll get Richie or somebody to come with me. So, take it easy, I hope you feel better. Yeah. ’Bye.

The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn

Huck:
Well, I got a good going-over in the morning from old Miss Watson on account of my clothes; but the widow she didn’t scold, but only cleaned off the grease and clay, and looked so sorry that I thought I would behave awhile if I could. Then Miss Watson she took me in the closet and prayed, but nothing come of it. She told me to pray every day, and whatever I asked for I would get it. But it warn’t so. I tried it. Once I got a fish-line, but no hooks. It warn’t any good to me without hooks. I tried for the hooks three or four times, but somehow I couldn’t make it work. By and by, one day, I asked Miss Watson to try for me, but she said I was a fool. She never told me why, and I couldn’t make it out no way.

I set down one time back in the woods, and had a long think about it. I says to myself, if a body can get anything they pray for, why don’t Deacon Winn get back the money he lost on pork? Why can’t the widow get back her silver snuffbox that was stole? Why can’t Miss Watson fat up? No, says I to my self, there ain’t nothing in it. I went and told the widow about it, and she said the thing a body could get by praying for it was “spiritual gifts.” This was too many for me, but she told me what she meant—I must help other people, and do everything I could for other people, and look out for them all the time, and never think about myself. This was including Miss Watson, as I took it. I went out in the woods and turned it over in my mind a long time, but I couldn’t see no advantage about it—except for the other people; so at last I reckoned I wouldn’t worry about it any more, but just let it go.

Anthony (by Donald Margulies)

Anthony:
They called the cops. You should have been there. Flashing lights and everything. And the honking, and all the bright headlights, and the kids and everybody in the street: “Jump! Jump!” Everybody was out of their house. There was a big crowd. My father, he let me get up on his shoulders so I saw everything great. I was the highest kid there and I could see everything. I saw the hair of every- body in the crowd. And my little brother, Edward, he cried because he wanted to see, too, but my father wouldn’t let him, he only let me. Because I’m older, and also because when he saw what was really going on, he said to my mother, “Irene, take Eddie upstairs, go on.” Harlene’s mother was on the roof and she was screaming. She took her shirt off so all you saw was her white skin and black bra. She was screaming and she was crying but she was too far up to hear and everybody was talking so loud until she screamed, “Tommy!” Everybody got quiet. “Tommy! Tommy!!” She was screaming. Tommy’s the super. Then Tommy got up there on the roof and you could see him by his T-shirt sometimes because it looked white. He was talking but you couldn’t hear him. She yelled and called him bad names. He said something else, also, you couldn’t hear what. She like walked to the edge of the roof, you could see her standing there. She yelled, “I’m gonna jump, don’t go near me!” Everybody got real quiet listening. Then, her shirt fell off the roof. Everybody went: “Oh,” all at the same time and some of the older kids climbed the fence and took it out of the tree like they were at a ball game. Harlene’s mother looked down at us and everybody looked up and it got quiet again and Billy laughed. And then you saw it: a cop came out of the dark on the roof and grabbed Harlene’s mother and pulled her back in- to the dark and you couldn’t see her anymore. Some of the older kids went: “Boo!” and some of the grown-ups got angry and some of them clapped. Everybody started to go home. My father bent down to get me off his shoulders. He told me I was breaking his back.

Addict (by Kristen Dabrowski)

Teen Boy:
I just don’t see the point of going outside anymore. I have all I need in here. Basically, my whole life is in my computer. All my friends are here, all my activities… There’s really no point in school or anything like that anymore. That’s the past. This is the future. You can stay at home and learn all you want on the net. And you can be whoever you want. Like, see, here’s KandiKane88. She thinks I’m six-three and a quarterback on a college team. I’ve been a pilot, a model, an actor, a musician— Basically, I can be whatever and whoever I want. No one questions me. It’s brilliant. And I can get anything I want. Girls take off their clothes for me. I admit, I have a little … problem with that. If you think that kind of thing is a problem. Thankfully, my mom is completely ignorant about the computer. But I really like the porn sites. I see it as research. The human body is a natural thing, right? I’m a young guy. I’m supposed to be interested in this stuff. I can’t help that it’s so accessible. And if these girls didn’t want to do this, they wouldn’t. So I don’t feel bad about it. I don’t see why it’s such a bad thing. In fact, I think it’s a really, really, really excellent thing. Thank God for the Internet.

Romeo and Juliet (by William Shakespeare)

Romeo:
But soft! What light through yonder window breaks?
It is the East, and Juliet is the sun!
Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,
Who is already sick and pale with grief
That thou her maid art far more fair than she.
Be not her maid, since she is envious.
Her vestal livery is but sick and green,
And none but fools do wear it. Cast it off.
It is my lady; O, it is my love!
O that she knew she were!
She speaks, yet she says nothing. What of that?
Her eye discourses; I will answer it.
I am too bold; ’tis not to me she speaks.
Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven,
Having some business, do entreat her eyes
To twinkle in their spheres till they return.
What if her eyes were there, they in her head?
The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars
As daylight doth a lamp; her eyes in heaven
Would through the airy region stream so bright
That birds would sing and think it were not night.
See how she leans her cheek upon her hand!
O that I were a glove upon that hand,
That I might touch that cheek!

Click through at the link for more male Shakespeare monologues.

Fences (by August Wilson)

Cory:
I live here too! I ain’t scared of you. I was walking by you to go into the house cause you sitting on the steps drunk, singing to yourself. I ain’t got to say excuse me to you. You don’t count around here any more. Now why don’t you just get out my way. You talking about what you did for me… what’d you ever give me? You ain’t never gave me nothing. You ain’t never done nothing but hold me back. Afraid I was gonna be better than you. All you ever did was try and make me scared of you. I used to tremble every time you called my name. Every time I heard your footsteps in the house. Wondering all the time… what’s Papa gonna say if I do this?… What’s he gonna say if I do that?… What’s he gonna say if I turn on the radio? And Mama, too… she tries… but she’s scared of you. I don’t know how she stand you… after what you did to her. What you gonna do… give me a whupping? You can’t whup me no more. You’re too old. You’re just an old man. You crazy. You know that? You just a crazy old man… talking about I got the devil in me. Come on… put me out. I ain’t scare of you. Come on! Come on, put me out. What’s the matter? You so bad… put me out! Come on! Come on!

Lord of the Flies (by William Golding)

Ralph:
What makes things break up like they do? I mean, what is wrong with people? Let’s go to the other side of the island to hunt and have fun…and die here on this bloody island!? Doesn’t anyone care about getting rescued?! The fire should always be the number one priority! If it wasn’t for Jack, I would probably be at home right now…

My hair… it’s so long… I mean, I can barely see. And I can barely get my fingers through it. My clothes… they’re like cardboard. The salt… it’s everywhere. Look at my nails. I would do anything for a bar of soap… anything just to have a bath. Look at my face… look at me! I probably look like one of Jack’s hunters with all this dirt. Stupid face painting…as if they think it actually helped them catch that boar. I could be home right now. I could off this island with mom and dad and…

Mom always told me that sometimes things are better left unsaid and I have tried. I have tried to reason with him. I don’t understand. I was voted chief fair and square. He always says I am afraid and I am sometimes. But who wouldn’t be? Even Jack looked scared when he ran down that mountain. But of course, he will never admit that. What did I ever do to Jack? Why do you hate me, Jack?

I just wanted to work together, get things done on this island, and do everything we can to be rescued. But he doesn’t seem to care. I know he has a family; doesn’t he want to see them? And he is such a show-off: “I cut the pig’s throat, I spilled her blood” So what Jack?! Is that going to get us rescued? Of course not. The fire will. It is our only hope. Only no one understands that. Well, Piggy does, but Piggy understands everything, but it doesn’t matter anyway. There was a ship…

Supposed I stopped caring? Just like the others. Only Piggy seems to care… and I need more than Piggy on my side…So maybe I should forget the fire, put mud and blood on my face and join the rest of them. They seem to be having fun. And they probably have eaten lots of meat. Some meat would taste really good right now… So maybe I should stop caring too…

I’ve Come About the Assassination (by Tony Morphett)

Young Man:
Violent? Violent, are we? Tell me what else we’ve ever been shown, Dad. Eh Dad? Eh? What else have we ever seen, eh? Teenager ordered the bomb dropped on Hiroshima, eh Dad? Bit of a kid worked out the answer to the Jewish problem, eh Dad? All you kids. All so violent. You were a violent kid, Dad, weren’t you? Fighting in the revolution. Cutting people’s throats an all. Who was it told you to cut the throats, Dad? Teenager was it? Or was it some old bastard with a grey moustache and one foot in the grave? Eh, Dad? Eh? Who nutted out the area bombing in Germany? Who worked out the flying bombs for England? Who said for every one bomb that drops on our kids, we’ll drop ten on theirs? Rotten pimply-faced teenage hooligans, wasn’t it? Eh, Dad? You know why you say we’re violent? Because some of us have taken a wake-up to you. I wouldn’t swat a fly for you or anyone else your age. But if I needed to, for myself, I’d cut God’s throat. I’m not killing for old men in parliaments. I’m killing for myself. And do you know why, Dad? Because all along, right down the line from the man with the club killing on the witchdoctor’s say-so, right through to the poor helpless bastards spitted on bayonets in what a warm, fat bishop could call a just war, right down the line, there’s always been another generation of kids to send off to get killed. But this is it. Since that bomb. If we muff it, it …. is … this … generation … that… picks … up … the …cheque. So that’s why I’m not listening to anyone but me. And for all sorts of confused reasons, I am going to kill that man in the car.

Gruesome Playground Injuries (by Ravij Joseph)

Doug:
You know what, Kayleen? Jesus Christ, you know, I came to your house last year and your dad was there, and I know he hates my guts, he always has, and he’s like She is where she is. I don’t know where the girl is. He said he didn’t care and didn’t care to know. And I was about to just leave, but I didn’t. I didn’t and I said to that son of a bitch… You remember, asshole? You dead piece of shit!? You remember what I said to you!? I said to him, you are fucking worthless. You have a daughter and she is a gift from God. She is the most perfect being to ever walk this earth and you don’t even know it. And she loves you because you’re her stupid father. But you’ve never loved her back, you’ve just damaged her and fucked her up, and never bothered to notice she’s this angel. So fuck you, cocksucker. And then I told him I hoped he’d die alone. Which he did. So I feel a little guilty about that now. I can take care of you, Leenie.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime (by Simon Stephens)

Christopher:
I remember the 20th of July 2008. I was 9 years old. It was a Saturday. We were on holiday in Cornwall. We were on the beach in a place called Polperro. Mother was wearing a pair of shorts made out of denim and a stripy blue swimming costume, and she was smoking cigarettes called Consulate, which were mint flavour. And she wasn’t swimming. She was sunbathing on a towel, which had red and purple stripes and she was reading a book by Georgette Heyer called the Masqueraders. And then she finished sunbathing and went into the water and said, “Bloody Nora it’s cold.” And she said I should come and swam too, but I didn’t like swimming because I don’t like taking my clothes off. And she said I should just roll my trousers up and walk into the water a little way. So I did. And mother said, “Christopher! Look it’s lovely.” And she jumped backwards and disappeared under the water, and I thought a shark had eaten her and I thought a shark had eaten her and I screamed. And then she stood out of the water and came over to where I was standing and held up her right hand and spread out her fingers like a fan. “Come on Christopher, touch my hand. Come on now. Stop screaming. Touch my hand. Listen to me, Christopher. You can do it. It’s OK Christopher. It’s OK. There aren’t any sharks in Cornwall.”

Gender Neutral Monologues for Teenagers

Forever Teen (by Jim Chevallier)

Teen:
Oh Hi. You must be the new kid. Your family just moved in here, right? How you doin’? I’m the ghost. I just walked right by your mom and dad. But they couldn’t see me. It’s a teen thing. It’s like those sounds only teens can hear. You heard about those? There’s this old guy, Carl, lives across the street. Let me tell you, I knew Carl when he was our age. Back when I was, you know, alive? Real pain, that Carl, even then. Anyway, he got sick of kids skateboarding by his place. So he bought this gizmo that puts out a high-pitched sound. Only, adults couldn’t hear it. Turns out you lose the highs after a certain age. But teens? Teens couldn’t stand it. And they kept away. Except for myself. Being a ghost and all, I had to stay put. It’s that whole haunting thing, you know? Man, I almost lost my posthumous marbles. Luckily, the town made Carl shut it off. So I could haunt in peace. As it were. What I’m saying is, it’s like that with me. You can only see me because you’re a teen. Before you turn twenty, bit by bit, it’ll get harder to see me, until one day, I’ll just…. disappear. Which gets to be a drag, you know? Making friends, then fading out of their lives… But hey, for now, we’ve got time, right? So, tell me – what’s your name?

Beating (by Jim Chevallier)

Teen:
I got beaten up pretty bad. I feel great. Ricky kept pushing me around, kind of half-slapping me. Just for fun. Like kids have been doing for years. And you know I can’t fight. Only, this time I thought: “If I don’t do something, this will never end. This will be my life.” So I hit him back. That is, I tried; it’s not like I hurt him. In fact, he punched me. Hard. So I punched him back. And he hit me again. A few times. But each time I hit him back. He kept saying, “C’mon, man. You’re gonna get hurt.” I didn’t say a word. Just kept hitting him, every time he hit me. Not hurting him. Don’t get me wrong. Just hitting him. Finally he stepped back. “You’re crazy, man. You’re just crazy.” And he took another step back. Then I realized: “He’s afraid. He’s afraid of me.” And he was. Can you believe it? He walked away, just turned around and walked away. How do you like that? All because I fought back. I finally fought back. I fought back, and I won.

So you like a monologue… What now?

Most of the teenage monologues on this page don’t come from established plays: they act as standalone pieces that will require you to develop some context around them. For the rest, make the effort to track down the play, film or tv show that it comes from and read or watch the whole thing for reference. You must then make sure you understand who you are speaking to in the monologue and the events that happened leading up to it. Finally, ask yourself what your character wants by saying these things and why: find your character’s objective, and then ask yourself what they’re going to do to get it. Creating a rich world for your character will help you nail the monologue—and, subsequently, your assignment or audition. For more information on rehearsing a monologue, follow this link for our tips and tactics!

Help us find more monologues for teenagers!

We want this page to be the best resource on the internet for monologues for teens. If you know of any good monologues please leave a comment below, or email me directly at andrew@stagemilk.com

The post Monologues for Teenagers appeared first on StageMilk.

Always pick something your child/student feels comfortable and confident performing. Keep it exciting and keep it fun! We have split this page into material for boys and girls, but remember that most monologues can be performed or adapted for any young person.

Make sure you push your child/student to be precise in learning monologues: remind them that every word has been put on the page for a reason, and they need to be ‘script detectives’ to work out what the writer is trying to say! Get them to think deeply about what the character wants. Why are they saying the monologue in the first place? Who are they talking to? Answering these simple questions will help bring any monologue to life.

Monologues for Boys

Spaghetti Bolognese (by Alexander Lee-Rekers)

Age Range: 10 – 13 Years
Genre: Drama/Comedy
Synopsis: Sam tells of his first great heartbreak and his love for food.

SAM:
Let me guess: you’re here to find out what happened. You look at me, Sam Barber, and wonder how the heck a kid like him could ever mess up dating a girl as amazing as Hannah Benson…

Do you like cooking? I love cooking. It’s, like, one of my favourite hobbies—which I know is weird for somebody my age. Some nights, when my mum works late, I like to cook for our family—without her even asking me—just to help out. Makes me feel very grown up. The best thing I cook is my Spaghetti Bolognese, hands down. I let it simmer for hours so it reduces to this beautiful, sweet, delicious, tomato-ey sauce. What’s this got to do with Hannah? I’m getting to that.

Hannah and I went on three dates. The first date was more like a study session at the library. I’d had a crush on her (like I guess most of us have had a crush on her since forever) and I asked her if she wanted to see a movie. She smiled and said yes. That was date two. For date three, mum suggested I invite her over for dinner and cook. She says women love a man who can cook. I started on my greatest-ever pot of Spaghetti Bolognese: I minced the garlic, I browned the meat, bought really good tinned tomatoes from the shops—like, fancy ones from Italy. I even remembered to take the bay leaves out before they got bitter. Hannah arrived at six o’clock. Dinner was on the table. My mum was home early so she ate with us and my little sister. I served everybody, I watched Hannah take her first bite … and nothing. No reaction, no smile, no eyes closed going “mmmm”. Nothing! Mum said “This is a beautiful meal, Sam!” But Hannah didn’t take the hint. She just chomped away silently until her bowl was empty.

The next day, at school, I asked her how she liked the meal. She said it was nice, even if I was acting strange. I asked her about the flavours, about how the pasta was cooked. She didn’t even try the garlic bread I’d made! “I’m just not that into food, Sam.” And in that moment … something shifted. Mum says this happens, sometimes. People get to know each other and discover that they’re different. We’re still friends. I mean, we’re friendly enough for her to tell me that she’s got a crush on Joe Soper! But she wasn’t the one for me. And that’s okay. I know the one for me is out there. Maybe in Italy?

Time To Go, Rufus (by Indiana Kwong)

Age Range: 10 – 12 Years
Genre: Drama
Synopsis: Jesse is telling his best friend Rufus, an old golden retriever that it’s time to go to the vet.

JESSE:
Come here, boy! Sit down on the blanket. Good boy. Are you comfy there? Did you know that you’re twelve years old now? That’s … eighty-four in dog years. That’s older than Gran!

Anyway, I have to tell you something. Dad told me not to say, but I’m pretty sure you won’t dob me in. We’re going to get in the car soon and drive to the vet. I know, I don’t like that place either! But they give you a treat at the end and I get to pick a lollipop from the jar, so I guess it’s not that bad.

Well, thing is, you won’t be coming home with us this time. You have to stay at the vet and they’re going to take care of you. You don’t need to be scared, I’m pretty sure I’ve met all the vets and nurses and they’re all really nice!

I promise it’s going to be okay. You just lie down and close your eyes, and it’ll be like when we’ve had a big playdate and go to bed early because we’re so tired and can’t keep our eyes open any longer. You trust me, don’t you? I promise: it’s going to be okay.

Oh, one more thing, Rufus: you’re the bestest friend I’ve ever had.

First Dates (by Indiana Kwong)

Age Range: 11 – 13 Years
Genre: Drama/Comedy
Synopsis: Ethan plucks up the courage to ask Sarah to go to the skate park after school and watch him do a kick flip.

ETHAN:
Hey, Sarah?

HEY, SARAH!

Oh, sorry. Yes. Ummm, so … how are you enjoying Grade Five so far? Never mind, stupid question. School sucks, am I right?! (Ethan laughs nervously.)

Anyways: I have a reason for, um, talking to you. So Nick was thinking that I should ask if you wanted to come to the skate park after school today? It was his idea, but I also think it’s a good idea. Because, well, I learned how to do a kick flip on the weekend and we’re gonna film it on Nick’s phone and maybe you can watch? Sometimes girls come and sit on the bench near the half-pipe and they get lollies and whisper to each other. You don’t have to eat lollies if you don’t want. You don’t have to whisper either, I’m just saying … I don’t know what I’m saying really…

Sooo yeah. Does that sound like something you’d maybe wanna do, later, maybe?

Official Birthday Wish List, In ABC Order (by Indiana Kwong)

Age Range: 6 – 9 Years
Genre: Drama
Synopsis: Sam reads his Birthday wish list out to his mother and father:

SAM:
Okay, Dad are you listening? Sit still. You have to sit still so you can listen! This is my official birthday wish list, in ABC order.

1. A NERF “Fortnite” Dart Blaster. Promise I won’t shoot it inside.
2. A Basketball hoop for the garage.
3. A basketball, obviously.
4. A real crossbow and about 50 arrows. Again, not for inside.
5. A magic set: not a ‘little kid’ one, a ‘big kid’ one!
6. A metal detector for when we go to the beach.
7. A Star Wars Darth Vader Alarm clock so you can sleep in.
8. And a dishwasher … cuz I don’t wanna do them anymore.

Oh, and this might be hard, but I wrote it anyway: I also want a puppy. Any questions?

Dinosaurs In Eden (by Patrick Cullen)

Age Range: 9 – 12 Years
Genre: Comedy
Synopsis: Terry is in a Religious Education class at school.

TERRY:
Excuse me, sir? I have a question. Where are all the dinosaurs in the Garden of Eden? In science class, this week, we learnt all about fossils and Mr. Williams was saying that some of them are millions of years old! I just can’t quite make sense of the timeline, because if the Bible is right then there should be velociraptors in the Garden of Eden and I think if that’s the case the apple would be the least of their problems! Surely you’d want to build some kind of home defence system with electric fences and guard rails! Speaking of which: if God really didn’t want them to eat the apple, then why put the tree there? That sounds pretty mean: it’s like putting a T-Rex in a cage and wondering why it chews its own foot off!

Detention? I thought we were supposed to turn the other cheek!

How To Make Friends With A Snail

Age Range: 7 – 11 Years
Genre: Comedy, Poetry/Recitation
Synopsis: William delivers his best tips and tricks for snail-related friendship.

WILLIAM:
“How to make friends with a snail”: A guide by William “The Snail Whisperer” McGee:
If you find yourself out on the street, without a friend in sight,
Be watchful for a silver trail, shimmering in the light.
This silver trail’s a tell-tale of a slimy friend to be,
’cause snails, they make the best of friends, I’m telling you. Trust me!
They call me William “The Snail Whisperer” McGee.
Follow the line until its end,
To track your tiny little friend,
A lettuce leaf is all it takes,
To make a snail your lifelong mate.
Iceberg, spinach, or even cos:
Lettuce is lettuce to a snail’s snoz,
I’m telling you. Trust me! I’m William “The Snail Whisperer” McGee.
Share a salad and be on your way,
Your snail friend has a busy day!
He has his house on his back,
And sites to see: pick up the slack!
That’s how to make friends with a snail.
Follow this guide, and you’ll prevail.
And don’t forget, the guide’s by me:
William “The Snail Whisperer” McGee. Trust me!

ABE

Age Range: 7 – 12 Years
Genre: Drama
Synopsis: Abe’s dad is trying to teach him to play baseball on a hot summer day.

ABE:
Dad, I’m sick of this. The mosquitoes are eating me alive. Can’t we go inside now? I don’t really have to learn to play baseball. It’s OK. I think I get it now. “Eyes on the ball.” Right?

Maybe I’m just not any good at this? Maybe I never will be… But a guy can only be hit in the head with a baseball so many times. I’m kinda sick of this game. I don’t think I want to play any more. I’ll just quit the team. Can’t I just quit, Dad?

LOUIS 

Age Range: 7 – 10 Years
Genre: Comedy
Synopsis: Louis is a picky eater: he only eats hot dogs. He’s over at his friend Jack’s house and Jack’s mom, Mrs. Jones, doesn’t have any hot dogs.

LOUIS:
No, I’m sorry, Mrs. Jones, I don’t eat that. I only eat hot dogs. You don’t have hot dogs? Oh. Well, maybe I should go home then. That’s all I eat. Hot dogs for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Sometimes I eat two or three instead of just one.

My mom says I’ll grow out of it someday. I doubt it. I love hot dogs. My little sister is worse. She only eats chicken soup. She sticks her pigtails in the soup and sucks it out of her hair. It’s disgusting. Well, tell Jack I’ll see him later. I’ve got to go home and have a few hot dogs. I think it’s a three-hot-dog day, today. See you later, Mrs. Jones!

CARL

Age Range: 10 – 12 Years
Genre: Drama (Content warning: discussion of domestic violence.)
Synopsis: Carl was picked up by a social worker after a concerned neighbour reported trouble at his household. Here, he tries to cover for his father.

CARL:
Do I get to go home now? (Beat.) But Lady, I told you everything was okay! My dad didn’t mean to get mad.

It was my fault. He wanted to be left alone and I went in the room to get a pencil to do my homework. I shouldn’t have bothered him. That’s why he made me stay outside in the snow. He probably forgot that I was still out there when he left. I know he was gonna let me back in. He tells me all the time if I’d behave he wouldn’t have to- (Seeing her look at a bruise on his arm.) He didn’t do this. I fell down when I was playing. It doesn’t really hurt anyway. Lady, I have to go. My dad’s gonna think bad things—like I ran away from home. I wish my neighbour never called you. My dad always says people need to mind their own business. So can I go now?

I can’t stay! I can’t! Don’t you get it? The longer I’m here the more he’s gonna be mad! I have to go back now before it gets worse!

BEAN

Age Range: 7 – 9 Years
Genre: Drama
Synopsis: Bean is playing hide and seek with a bunch of boys. They can’t find anybody.

BEAN:
Hey! Where did everybody go? I give up! I counted to a hundred, like you said. It took a really long time. Where is everybody? I said I give up! I can’t find you!

I’ve been looking for ages. Can anybody hear me? This isn’t funny any more, you guys. Come out, come out, wherever you are! Come on, guys. Let’s play a different game! We could play tag outside? Or maybe we could have a snack and play video games? I’ll let you guys play first! I promise! Just come out. I can’t find you, OK? I give up. What more do you want from me? Guys? Hey, guys?

Kid Hero

Age Range: 8 – 12 Years
Genre: Drama
Synopsis: Ash talks about becoming a caped crusader.

ASH:
I’ve always dreamed of being a hero. I’ve tried everything to become super. I let a spider bite me … no spider powers, just lots of itching. I tried standing too close to the microwave oven hoping the radiation would change me. Nothing. And I got in trouble for making so many bags of popcorn! But I took it all to school and had a popcorn party. I was a hero that day. So I guess it kinda worked?

I love being a hero. I love helping people. I love making them happy. And I hate bad guys. I hate creeps who hurt people. There’s this kid at school … he’s always hurting everyone. I am sick of him hurting us. I just need those super powers. I need something that will make him stop!

Maybe if I eat more of the school lunches? They look radioactive. If I get enough green hotdogs and brown sauce in me, something is bound to happen! And I need a catch phrase, like” “Gonna smoosh me a baddie!” And a cool costume! Actually, last time I was in the bathroom, I saw the perfect superhero name. “Protecto!” Instead of a telephone booth like Superman, I could use a bathroom stall and those Protecto seat covers could be a cape- and I could make a toilet paper mask! Nothing scares bad guys more than bathroom stuff. (Thinks.)  Or maybe it will really make them want to give me a swirly? I better rethink this…

HUCK (From “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” by Mark Twain)

Age Range: 11 – 12 Years
Genre: Drama
Synopsis: Rebellious youngster Huckleberry “Huck” Finn talks about being force to pray.

HUCK:
Miss Watson told me to pray every day, and whatever I asked for I would get it. But it warn’t so. I tried it. Once I got a fish-line, but no hooks. It warn’t any good to me without hooks. I tried for the hooks three or four times, but somehow I couldn’t make it work. By and by, one day, I asked Miss Watson to try for me, but she said I was a fool. She never told me why, and I couldn’t make it out no way. I set down one time back in the woods, and had a long think about it. I says to myself, if a body can get anything they pray for, why don’t Deacon Winn get back the money he lost on pork? Why can’t the widow get back her silver snuffbox that was stole? Why can’t Miss Watson fat up? No, says I to myself, there ain’t nothing in it. I went and told the widow about it, and she said the thing a body could get by praying for it was “spiritual gifts.” This was too many for me, but she told me what she meant—I must help other people, and do everything I could for other people, and look out for them all the time, and never think about myself. This was including Miss Watson, as I took it. I went out in the woods and turned it over in my mind a long time, but I couldn’t see no advantage about it—except for the other people; so at last I reckoned I wouldn’t worry about it any more, but just let it go.

TIMMY

Age Range: 7 – 10 Years
Genre: Comedy
Synopsis: Timmy tries to convince his mom that his messy room is not his fault.

TIMMY:
Mom, it’s not my fault my room’s a mess! Me and Anthony were playing with his new race-cars. Only four of them. And we heard a weird noise outside, so we opened the window. This huge spaceship landed and a slimy, green alien with three heads came out and jumped in the window. Anthony tried to shoot him with my zapper gun, but it didn’t even hurt him—he just got real mad. So he knocked all the books off my shelf and picked up my toy box with his long, purple antennas and dumped it all over my room. So I threw a Frisbee at him and it bonked him on his third head and he slimed out the window and the spaceship disappeared into the sky. Geez, Mom, you should be happy I’m still alive!

LEE

Age Range: 7 – 10 Years
Genre: Comedy
Synopsis: Lee’s dad is watching the news. Lee wants to watch cartoons instead.

LEE:
Why do you watch the news every night, Dad? It’s boooooooring! It’s always the same. The news is just a bunch of guys talking. It’s just so boring! Can’t we watch the cartoon channel? Don’t you like to laugh? I feel like my head is going to explode all over this room I’m so bored: pow! Splat! Smush! Here, I’ll be the news guy: “Tonight, everyone is very boring in the whole world. The whole world is boring and bunch of other guys said boring things and the weather is boring. Have a boring night. I’m boring. Good night.” That’s it! I just did the news for you. Now you don’t have to watch it! Let’s watch cartoons!

WILL

Age Range: 7 – 13 Years
Genre: Drama
Synopsis: Will isn’t very good at maths. His teacher is not being nice to him, so he’s hiding in the bathroom during class.

WILL:
I’m never coming out. Don’t tell. I’m just going to stay in here. I hate this class. I hate Mrs. Stupidhead. She’s always mean to me. Don’t tell, will you Mark? You can stay in here, too, if you want! You’re good at maths. It’s not fair. She made me do the same problem six times, yesterday. She tells me I don’t listen. I do listen! She’s too mean. Please don’t tell her where I am. You won’t get in trouble. I’m just going to stay in the bathroom during maths from now on, that’s all. I’m never going back. I don’t care what anyone says.

Monologues for Girls

The Green Tie-Dye One Piece (by Indiana Kwong)

Age Range: 11 – 13 Years
Genre: Comedy/Drama
Synopsis: Sasha talks about what she’ll be doing this Summer on her family holiday to Monterey.

SASHA:
This summer we’re going to Monterey again. We go every year to get out of the city and also so Mom has an excuse to drink mojitos at 2pm. Dad says she has a problem. She says “I’m married to you, so I deserve it”.

I found out that the McKinley’s are going too. They have two kids as well: Jasper is same age as my brother and Lulu is one year older than me. Lulu has this really long brown hair, which her Mom does in a fishtail every morning for school and she got an iPhone 11 Plus for her birthday in January, and she lets me take photos with her sometimes. I guess she’ll bring the phone with her on the trip. They get to catch a plane to Monterey which takes two hours, but we’re driving which will take fifteen.

We basically just sit on the beach or by the pool all day and go out for dinner together at night. I love the feeling of being in the sun all day and then washing my hair in a cold shower to cool off.

I look … different now. Mom had to take me shopping for a new swimming costume at the last minute because I put my old one on and it didn’t fit right anymore. Maybe it’s because I stopped playing Netball… Anyways, I had a big fight with Mom at the mall because she wanted to look at everything when I tried it on, but I just wanted to make the decision by myself and I didn’t want anyone else to walk past and see. I ended up getting a green tie-dye pattern one piece with thick straps and a hole cut out the back from Topshop. I wonder if Lulu will like it? If she says it’s “cool”, that means she doesn’t really like it, but if she says nothing at all, that means she likes it and is probably jealous. I hope she doesn’t say anything…

So, yeah, that’s what I’ll be doing this summer.

_DEMON_bunny_777_

Age Range: 11 – 13 Years
Genre: Drama
Synopsis: Patty talks about her hidden identity as a hot-shot online gamer.

PATTY:
I don’t have many friends at school. Which is okay, I don’t really mind. That’s just the way it is. Sometimes, teachers ask me about it: they say “Patty, why won’t you sit with the others at lunch?” or “Go and join the other girls, make an effort to get to know them!” And I walk in their general direction while the teacher watches. When the teacher leaves, I sit back on my own again.

Honestly? It’s kind of funny to me that the teachers think I need more friends. Because, in a funny way, I’m the most popular kid in school. Let me explain…

I’ve been playing COVEN ever since kids in my class started growing out of Minecraft and Roblox (although they’re both still pretty fun, if I’m honest). In COVEN, you play in teams as witches or monsters that have to capture a temple in the middle of the map. You can customise your character, level up their skills, it’s really sophisticated. My character’s name is _DEMON_bunny_777_. She’s a Level 25 witch, and she’s known to all the other kids in my school who play online together. When “Bunny” logs on, all the monsters—the kids who ignored me in school all day—flee in terror. The rest of them, my teammates, act like I’m some kind of superhero.

Actually, this must be what it’s like being a superhero. You see: nobody in my school knows that I’m _DEMON_bunny_777_. It’s my hidden identity, this cool secret I get to keep. I guess that’s why I haven’t told anybody, yet. Sometimes I think about revealing it at assembly, or something. I think about how it might win me some new friends, or respect from kids that walk by me in the hall like I’m invisible … but for now, _DEMON_bunny_777_ belongs to me. And that’s weirdly, oddly, really comforting.

Little Sailfish (by Indiana Kwong)

Age Range: 9 – 10 Years
Genre: Drama
Synopsis: Ruby is a swim champ, but she’s not sure she actually enjoys swimming anymore, or if she just does it so as not to disappoint her dad.

RUBY:
My dad was an Olympic freestyler. He beat the world record in 2011. He’s the fastest swimmer I’ve ever seen.

He takes me to swim training every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and on Saturdays there’s a meet down at the outdoor pool. I like spending time with my Dad; he brings hot chocolate in a thermos for me and on the way home he gives me notes on how I can get better and faster. He thinks my coach Sam is “overpaid and inexperienced”. I think Sam’s nice. He smiles all the time and has a nice voice. He doesn’t yell or lose his temper like my Dad does sometimes. Which is why I need to make sure I’m good, so he doesn’t yell. Sometimes my tummy hurts on Thursdays because I try to beat my one-hundred-meter PB from the week before so that Dad’s in a good mood all evening. When he’s really proud of me, he calls me his little Sailfish—cuz they can swim up to seventy miles an hour.

I always smell of chlorine though, and my hair used to be strawberry blonde but it’s kind of green now and sometimes I have rings around my eyes for hours after I get out of the pool from the goggles being so tight.

But, don’t get me wrong: I love swimming … I think.

Thanks For Nothing, Santa! (by Indiana Kwong)

Age Range: 7 – 8 Years
Genre: Comedy
Synopsis: Lila wakes up on Christmas morning, hoping to get a soccer ball from Santa, but things don’t seem to go her way…

LILA:
“Please, Please, Please, Please, PLEASE!”

I wake up before the sun and run into the living room. Under the tree is a huge pile of presents: some wrapped in red—those ones are from my Mom and Dad—and the rest are wrapped in gold paper. Those must be from Santa.

I start to pick up the presents and shake them, real gentle, so I can hear if it rattles and feel how heavy it is. I always try to guess before I open it. I wrote a big list this year, but the main thing I want is a pink soccer ball. I pick up the biggest one. Looks about soccer ball size. It’s heavy too. I rip the gold paper off and…

A box of books?! It’s got pictures of fairies on the front, in different colours, with little silver stars all over it! What the heck am I gonna do with a bunch of fairy books?! Thanks for nothing, Santa!

SANDY

Age Range: 9 – 11 Years
Genre: Drama
Synopsis: Sandy is talking to her sister Claire, after Claire just tried to jump out of a tree in their yard.

SANDY:
I loved being an only child. So when mom told me I was going to have a sibling in a few months … well, to be honest, it made me mad. Like, who the hell does this … thing think they are? Pushing me out of my room? Taking mom and dad’s attention off me and throwing our whole lives upside down? For the next few months I was a total brat. Didn’t do anything my mom asked. I was crying and kicking up a fuss every moment I could. Then, when I finally got to meet you, well, my whole world changed. It was a she for one! A little sister and she looked just like me and I realised that I wasn’t losing anything but instead I was gaining a friend. That’s just part of why I am so lucky to have you as a sister. So don’t ever do anything like that again… okay?

ALICIA

Age Range: 8 – 10 Years
Genre: Comedy
Synopsis: Alicia is a princess who doesn’t like boys. She is talking to her father, the king.

ALICE:
Daddy, I don’t want to be a princess anymore. I like the pretty dresses and I sort of like the dancing, but … why do I have to dance with boys? I really don’t like boys. The last boy I danced with told me about all the worms he ate. How he’d get his servants to search far and wide for the fattest, juiciest worms in the kingdom. I almost puked on my pretty slippers, Daddy! It was gross. I could just dance by myself from now on. And you, of course, because you’re my dad and not a boy. But I just cannot stand another day of dancing with worm-eaters!

SHONDA

Age Range: 7 – 11 Years
Genre: Drama
Synopsis: Shonda wants to help her mom bake in the kitchen. She wants to be a chef when she grows up.

SHONDA:
Mom, can I help? Why not? I’m good at baking. I do not make a mess! I do a good job. Can we make cookies? Chocolate chip? Everybody likes cookies. I’m done with my homework. So I can help you? Please? I want to be Rachel Ray when I grow up. Can I use the rolling pin? I like the rolling pin. You want me to watch TV? I never get to help. You told me you’d teach me to cook when I’m older, and I’m older now. I know you told me that last week, so I’m a whole week older now. I just want to help, Mommy!

ADDY  

Age Range: 7 – 10 Years
Genre: Comedy
Synopsis: Addy fell asleep while chewing gum. Now it’s stuck in her hair!

ADDY:
(Screams!) Look what happened! Oh no, oh no, oh noooooo! What am I going to do? It won’t come out! No, Mom, you can’t cut my hair! There must be another way! This is all Daddy’s fault. He gave me that Hubba Bubba gum. Two whole pieces! I can’t help that I fell asleep. My hair will be way too short if you cut it! Can’t you wash it out? Isn’t there anything we can do? I don’t want to lose all my hair!

MANDY

Age Range: 7 – 10 Years
Genre: Comedy
Synopsis: Mandy helps her little sister learn what is true and what is make-believe.

MANDY:
There’s no such thing as real fairies! Think about it. If they existed, we’d see them caught in our bug zapper. Or we’d feel them get squashed under our bare feet in the grass. If you can’t see them or feel them, they don’t exist. That’s why the only fairy that is real is the Tooth Fairy. I know that for a fact because she leaves me cold, hard cash. Now that’s something you can feel.

KATY 

Age Range: 7 – 10 Years
Genre: Comedy
Synopsis: Katy is making fun of a girl in her class, Darla, by repeating everything she says.

KATY:
“Stop repeating everything I say!” “I said stop it!” “Quit it!” “You’re going to get in trouble if you don’t stop!” “I’m telling!” “That’s it! I’m going to the teacher.” Wait! Darla, I was just kidding! Can’t you take a joke? How come you have to be so serious all the time? You’re always running to the teacher. Learn to take a joke. Jeez! Hey, stop repeating me! I said stop it! It’s not funny. I did this al- ready! You’re not original. Quit it!

NINA 

Age Range: 7 – 10 Years
Genre: Drama
Synopsis: Nina just found out from her best friend, Ashley, that she wasn’t invited to their friend Britney’s sleepover party.

NINA:
Britney is having a party? Tonight? Oh. I guess … I didn’t get invited. Maybe she forgot? Or it got lost? I thought we were friends. Did everybody else get invited? That’s so mean! I was never, ever mean to her. I don’t like Britney! I don’t care that I’m not going to a party. She’s not my friend anymore. Why don’t you come over to my house instead of going to her party? If you go to her party, you won’t be my friend anymore, Ashley. I won’t be friends with you, either.

MARISSA

Age Range: 9 – 12 Years
Genre: Drama
Synopsis: Marissa’s mom has been sick for over a month, so Marissa has been in charge of keeping the house clean. When her little sister has an accident, Marissa can’t help yelling at her.

MARISSA:
Jessica, what did you do?! Look at this mess you made! You better clean it up now. There’s going to be paint stuck on the carpet! Why can’t you think before you do stupid things?!

Jess, I’m sorry. Please don’t cry. I didn’t mean to yell at you. It’s just that with Mom in the hospital, I’m supposed to take care of things and it’s hard. I’m not a grown-up, but I have to try to be because Dad has to work extra hard to pay for Mom’s hospital bills. But everything’s going to be okay. Mom will get better and come home and it’ll be just like it used to. I know it. (Beat.) How about I help you clean this up—we’ll do it together. I love you, Jess. Will you give me a hug?

WONDERBOOT SNIPPET (by Luke McMahon)

This monologue has a few off stage calls from a mother character. You can do the monologue without this if you need to. 

Age Range: 9 – 11 Years
Genre: Comedy
Synopsis: A soccer ball sits in the middle of the stage. Sarah enters wearing odd football socks. She looks determined.

SARAH:
What do you want to be when you grow up ball? I’m not sure either. A Ballerina? No way! A Firewoman? Maybe! When I grow up I want to be soccer superstar!!!

Sarah cheers and runs a lap around the ball. She stops, stares at the ball.

SARAH:
After 94 minutes of battle, the score is even. A last minute penalty has put all of the pressure on me. Sarah the Wonderboot Snippet. I’ve been training for this my whole life. Step one: look at the ball. Check! Step two: place your foot. Check!

A voice from off-stage calls “Sarah!”.

SARAH:
Step one: look at the ball. Check! Step two: place you foot. Check! Step three: keep your body straight. Check! The clock is ticking down. The crowd is going wild…

The off-stage voice calls “Tea’s ready!”

SARAH:
Ohhhh Wonderboot’s belly is starting to grumble. The smell of lasagne almost too good to refuse. But she won’t let it get in the way of winning the backyard cup! Look at the ball. Place your foot. Straight body. Step four: angle your body. Step five: kick!

“Now please!”

SARAH:
Coming! (To the ball.) I’ll have to win the cup tomorrow. Or maybe I’ll be a chef?

ALICE IN WONDERLAND (adapted from the book by Lewis Carroll)

Age Range: 10 – 12 Years
Genre: Comedy
Synopsis: In this short adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s children’s classic, Alice meets the White Rabbit and follows him down the rabbit hole.

ALICE:
Why, how impolite of him. I asked him a civil question, and he pretended not to hear me. That’s not at all nice. (Calling out.) I say, Mr. White Rabbit, where are you going? Hmmm. He won’t answer me. And I do so want to know what he is late for. I wonder if I might follow him. Why not? There’s no rule that I mayn’t go where I please. I- I will follow him.

Wait for me, Mr. White Rabbit. I’m coming, too! (She falls.) How curious. I never realised that rabbit holes were so dark . . . and so long . . . and so empty. I believe I have been falling for five minutes, and I still can’t see the bottom! Hmph! After such a fall as this, I shall think nothing of tumbling downstairs. How brave they’ll all think me at home. Why, I wouldn’t say anything about it even if I fell off the top of the house! I wonder how many miles I’ve fallen by this time? I must be getting somewhere near the centre of the earth. I wonder if I shall fall right through the earth! How funny that would be. Oh, I think I see the bottom. Yes, I’m sure I see the bottom. I shall hit the bottom, hit it very hard, and oh, how it will hurt!

Hopefully you found this list of monologues for kids useful. If you are struggling to rehearse your monologue here are a few quick points:

1. Read the play (if available). If not, think about the storyline, or make something up you think will fit. Knowing the overall/cotnext story helps you perform the monologue.
2. Learn the lines. The more comfortable you are with the lines the better.
3. What does your character want? Why are they saying these words?
4. Where are you? Are you in a church, bathroom, school hall? Specificity is really important, even for young actors.
5. Who are you talking to? Who is the person this scene is directed to? Is it a single person, or a group? Do they have more or less power than you? Are you friends, family, enemies?

Teaching a drama class for kids? Read: How To Run A Great Drama Class

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