What is a monologue?

A monologue is defined as a scene or a portion of a script in which an actor gives a long speech without interruption by any other character who may also be present in the scene. A monologue will generally serve to expose a character's inner thoughts, thus providing insight into the nature of that particular character. A soliloquy differs from a monologue in that it is generally a dramatic monologue that is delivered by a single actor with no one else onstage; it is therefore, delivered by a character to him or herself, or directly to the audience rather than directed at another person. The term "inner monologue" refers to the thoughts which are occuring in a person's head, regardless of what words may be coming out of their mouth at the same time. A good example of this is when a friend asks you if she looks fat in the dress she's wearing (you think she does) but you tell her she doesn't look that fat at all, and then if you're a good friend, suggest she change into something with a different color. Your inner monologue is your train of thought about how to get out of telling her she looks fat, not hurting her feelings etc, what reason you can manufacture for why she has to change her clothes etc, while your outer monologue is all about suggesting what clothes she should wear and doesn't mention your angst or her weight at all. See, in real life, inner monologues often don't get expressed, but they are always present, because as people we are always thinking. So when practicing your monologue, don't just think about the words you are speaking, but be sure to think about exactly what it is you AREN'T saying.

Finding the right audition monologue or monologue for an acting class, is almost an art in and of itself. Monologues for actors should be chosen carefully, and it helps to have a wide range of material to choose from. For an audition monologue, it is a good idea to stick with a short monologue and a character that is close to your experience, and for a role you really think you would be cast in. So here are resources to help you find free monologues-- movie monologues or monologues from plays: classical monologues (including Shakespeare monologues), or contemporary monologues. There are monologues for men and monologues for women, dramatic monologues, comedy monologues, female monologues for two women, male monologues for two men, and teen monologues for young actors and even for kids. Tip for young actors looking for audition material: Don't just read the monologue or scene--read the whole play! Truthfully, I don't even recommend scouring the Internet for monologues except as a way to find a play or screenplay you are interested in with a character that is your age and type, because monologues taken out of their context are basically useless to an actor. You must know the context in which what you are perfoming takes place and the only way to do that is to read the whole piece and know how your character fits in with the other characters in the play, where he or she has come from emotionally before your piece starts, and the specifics of the emotional journey he or she is on during the course of the play or screenplay. And remember, a funny monologue goes a long way, because you would be surprised how a humorous monologues can light up a dead room when performed well.

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