It’s a staple of the audition process: the monologue. They’re ubiquitous if you’re looking to book a job on stage, less so with film and TV, but they still show up now and then.
The question is, what’s the best way to find the right one for you? If you’re using the same monologue because you know it back and forth and are really good at it, you’re already making a mistake.
There’s nuance to the choice, and not every monologue is good for every situation.
Los Angeles-based acting coach Amy Lyndon specializes in helping actors prepare for auditions. Her Lyndon Technique is all about how to book roles and get work, focusing on the business end of acting, rather than its craft.
Key Insights
- Match your audition monologue to the style, tone, and genre of the role you’re pursuing instead of relying on a favorite piece.
- Avoid famous, overperformed monologues and focus on material that lets your unique interpretation shine.
- Treat every monologue as a complete story with a clear beginning, middle, and end, prioritizing emotional truth and storytelling over the words themselves.
Types of Monologues
For theater casting, what they care about most is technique. “It’s about your point of view,” Lyndon says. “Where you’re coming from in a deep personal way really needs to push through the piece, so it lands on the person. That’s technique, which is why people want to see monologues. They want to see your emotional facility, and they want to see whether or not they can sell you, so you need to be clear on what you’re selling.”
Generally speaking, people casting in theater don’t care at all about your film and TV credits. They’re only interested in whether or not you can get the job done, and nothing gives them more information about that than a monologue.
Know What You’re Auditioning For
Do a little research into the people behind the project. The writer, director, producers- all of them will have some previous work, so find out what it is and what their type and taste are.
Find out as much as you can about the project itself, because, as Lyndon points out, “Let’s say you’re in an audition and they’re casting a comedy, don’t bring in a dramatic monologue. Be smart about it. Think about what the play is that you’re actually going to be auditioning for.
Does it have a tongue-in-cheek aspect to it? Pick a monologue that’s similar to that, because they want to see whether or not you’re able to do that thing. I mean, if you’re a dramatic actor trying to do a comedy and you’re trying to persuade somebody that you can actually do a comedy, pick a comedic monologue.
Avoid Popular Monologues
No matter how well you think you’ve mastered your favorite monologue from your favorite movie, do not, under any circumstances, perform it in an audition.
All you’ll do is compare yourself to the person who’s known for that monologue, and while it’s possible you will wow the people for whom you’re auditioning, it’s more likely that you’re giving yourself a giant hurdle to clear.
“I always tell people, if you’re going to do a scene from a famous movie, you better rewrite it and change the names,” Lyndon says. “Because if you’re doing something from Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, I’m going to sit there and be thinking if Elizabeth Taylor is better than you.”
No offense, but the answer to that is almost always going to be yes.
When Breaking Down a Monologue, Remember That It’s a Microcosm
Every monologue has a beginning, middle and end, and should be viewed through that lens. “Don’t run it all the way through,” Lyndon says, “because you’re going to run out the story, and nobody’s going to stay with you.
So study the monologue in a beginning, middle and end fashion, and ask yourself, why is this so important that you just can’t shut up? The point needs to be pushed through this monologue, so people will listen for that amount of time.”
The goal, the only goal, is to take people on a journey within that space, understanding the emotional life of the character, all in the limited time you have. “If nobody’s talking back and forth, the tendency of somebody leaving the conversation is much higher,” Lyndon says. “So, what keeps you there? Really break it down into a deeper understanding.”
Use Relatable Material
Let’s say you’re trying to book in London. Go for something that has a British feel to it, like Game of Thrones, or on the lighter side, Bridgerton. At the very least, something that has a classical bent, even if it’s not Shakespeare (and more about The Bard below).
“Actors have a tendency to just be in their own little Twinkie land bubble,” Lyndon observes. “It’s like, well, what’s casting in your neighborhood, and what does the breakdown look like? And how can these people reverse engineer it? How would these people sell you?”
For instance, if you want to do something from Of Mice and Men, and you’re on the smaller side, you’re not looking to play Lenny, you’re going to be looking at George.
It’s Hard To Go Wrong With The Classics
David Mamet is established, yet still contemporary. There are dozens of interesting monologues in his canon, and none of them are tied to a specific actor. They also run the gamut in tone. He’s just one example of a great and nearly unending source of material.
“If you really want to show your broad comedy skills, pick something from Neil Simon,” Lyndon says. “If you want to show your classics, pick something from Shakespeare. Again, look at who your buyer is.”
It’s in The Delivery
More often than not, whoever is listening to your monologue is not actually paying any attention whatsoever to the content. That part is meaningless. It is entirely about your delivery of those words.
“People who make such a big thing about monologues, they need to understand why the character feels such a need to speak,” Lyndon points out. “You’re telling a story. Maybe it’s your story, maybe it’s someone else’s, but it’s about how you’re telling that story, rather than what the story is.”
When To Write Your Own Monologue
As Lyndon says, you’re telling a story, and maybe that story is your own. The person you’re portraying in this monologue has a lot to say, and doesn’t want anyone to interrupt. That should be your primary thought process.
Remember that bit about breaking it down into pieces? That’s another reason to write it yourself.
“There are so many stories in our lifetime,” Lyndon says. “Even if [it’s from when you were] a child, you have stories. Just tell one of those. I could very easily tell a story about a dog that I saw get run over, watching through binoculars from on top of a mountain, and how I cried.
“If you’re doing a monologue for someone, they only want to see whether or not you’re talented. That comes down to technique and skill, and whether or not you’re going to show them your chops. If you can tell them a story, especially a personal one to you, and do it with emotion and feeling, you’re going to be able to accomplish that.”
