Seven Monologues for Young Females

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Rehearsing her monologue. Hill Street Studios

Many play directors require actors to audition not merely with any memorized monologue, but with a monologue that is specifically from a published play. Most actors search and search to find a monologue that is age-appropriate for them and is not one that is used so repeatedly that directors have grown tired of hearing it.

Below are seven monologue recommendations for young female actors. Each one is short in length—some as short as 45 seconds; some a bit longer. Because of copyright restrictions and respect for the playwright’s property, I can only give you the beginning and ending lines of the monologues. No serious actors, however, would ever prepare an audition piece from a play that they had not read (and often re-read) in its entirety.

So, take a look at these recommendations and if there are any that you think might work for you, get a copy of the play from the library, a bookstore, or online.

Read the play, locate the monologue, and make notes about the character’s words and actions before and after the monologue. Your knowledge of the whole world of the play and your character’s place in it will make a definite difference in your monologue preparation and delivery.

Story Theatre by Paul Sills

In “The Robber Bridegroom” story

The Miller’s Daughter

A young girl is betrothed to a stranger that she does not trust. She makes a secret journey to his house in the depths of the forest.

Monologue 1
Begins with: “When Sunday came, the maiden was frightened, but she did not know why.”
Ends with: “She ran from room to room until at last she reached the cellar....”

On her wedding day, the young girl tells the story of a “dream” she had. This dream is really a report of the incident she witnessed at the house of her betrothed and it saves her from marriage to this man.

Monologue 2
Begins with: “I will tell you a dream I’ve had.”
Ends with: “Here is the finger with the ring.”

I and You by Lauren Gunderson

Caroline

Caroline is a 17-year-old teenager with a liver disease that confines her to her bedroom. She explains a little bit about her disease and her life to her classmate Anthony.

Monologue 1: Towards the end of Scene 1           
Begins with: “They tried a ton of stuff and now we’re at the point where I just need a new thing."
Ends with: “...it’s suddenly full of kittens and winky faces and ‘We miss you, girl!’ and that is NOT my style!”

Caroline has just suffered through an episode that leaves her weak and cramped. When Anthony finally persuades her to relax and talk with him again, she explains how she feels about her disease and her life.

Monologue 2: Towards the beginning of Scene 3
Begins with: “Yeah it just happens like that sometimes.”
Ends with: “So that’s one of the many super discoveries of the past few months: nothing is good ever. So yeah.”

Anthony records Caroline’s presentation of their school project on his phone. She explains her analysis of Walt Whitman’s use of the pronoun “You” in his poem Song of Myself.”

Monologue 3: Towards the end of Scene 3
Begins with: “Hi. This is Caroline."
Ends with: “Because you is very much...we.”

The Good Times Are Killing Me by Lynda Barry

Edna

Edna is an adolescent who begins the play with this explanation of the urban American neighborhood she lives in during the 1960s.

Monologue 1: Scene 1

Begins with: “My name is Edna Arkins.”

Ends with: “Then it seemed like just about everybody kept moving out until now our street is Chinese Chinese Negro Negro White Japanese Filipino and about the same but in different orders for down the whole street and across the alley.”

Edna describes her fantasy of being the star of “The Sound of Music.”

Monologue 2: Scene 5

Begins with: “The hills are alive with the sound of music was the first best movie I ever saw and the first best music I ever heard.”

Ends with: “I could always tell the difference between God and a street light.”

You can read more about this play here.

You can read information about preparing a monologue here.