PLEASE HELP! College audition time....

[wickedfiyeroofoz]

Posted: 12/4/06 at 8:35pm

So, I am terrible at choosing monologues. I need one from a contemporary play for a 17esque year old guy. PLEASE! help :)

[Act4ever]

Posted: 12/4/06 at 8:38pm

I can't think of any off the top of my head... but you might want to keep in mind -- auditioning for a theatre program - you're going to be asked to choose monologues for yourself often...

[Broadwayboy2631]

Posted: 12/4/06 at 8:43pm

I have the same problem, thankfully I don’t have to worry about that for another year.

[theaterdude87]

Posted: 12/4/06 at 8:55pm

I always think Jedidahs first big monolouge in the laramie project is good...i think it is entitled angels in america.

[colleen_lee]

Posted: 12/4/06 at 9:05pm

This was the very reason the student board was created and there are numerous threads on this very topic already over there.

[otis33]

Posted: 12/4/06 at 9:44pm

Again, many of us who might be able to help never check the student board since we are not students, so I think this is an appropriate place to ask.

When I auditioned for theatre schools, (17 years ago - egad!) I used a piece from Peter Shaeffer's "Five Finger Exercise." I forget the specifics of it now, but it dealt with father/son issues. It worked really well for me. Good luck.

[AnythingCanHappen]

Posted: 12/4/06 at 11:31pm

Otis.... the topic is *college audition time* I dunno if something could be ANYMORE student related than college.

[Junior]

Posted: 12/5/06 at 12:03am

No disrespect to theatredude87, but when I was auditioning last year, pretty much everywhere I auditioned had Laramie Project on the list of stuff NOT to do... It's a great play, but it's overdone, especially when audition monolgues are concerned. The best thing you can do is find something obscure, the less well-known the show is, the more likely it is to stay with them. (grammar?) The college I ended up going to also had Angels in America, The History Boys, and many other popular contemporary plays on the "don't " list. Not that these aren't amazing plays, it's just that most schools will see hundreds of auditionees, and after seeing their 50th Harper, Louis, Prior etc. monologue, they just tune out. I'd also steer clear of pretty much anything by Christopher Durang as well, seeing as he is very popular in the college audition scene as well. Bottom line is be as original as you can be. There are tons of great plays out there that are just less known than others. I guess it just depends on the school and the caliber of their theatre department/ staff, but mine were all really picky.

I found a great book, "the Way We Live Now" thats full of one acts, excerpts from full length plays, monologues etc. that all deal with the AIDS crisis, and all of my audition monolgues for colleges ended up coming from there, but to each their own.

Above all, just remember this:

1. BE ORIGINAL

2. Have several monologues prepared, because some schools will have you do several (like, a contemporary, a comedic and a classical) and you never know when they'll ask to see more or you'll show up and 10 other people are doing the same monologue you are.

3. DON"T use a generic monologue from a book of random monologues. These MIGHT be okay for some acting classes, or to just work on on your own, but for a college audition, (or any audition really) your monologue needs to be FROM something.

4. Whatever you end up choosing, READ THE WHOLE PLAY. Know what your character is talking about, where they're coming from, what's happened before, etc.
They WILL be able to tell if you didn't.

5. If at all possible, work on your monologue(s) with someone, whether it be a drama teacher, a director you've worked with, your acting coach (if you have one) etc. If nothing else, perform it a few times for a parent or something.


Just a few tips. I went through all this last year, so I can relate. Not trying to scare you or anything, I've just been where you are and I know what youre going through. The hardest part is FINDING the right monologues. Once that's been done, the rest isn't so bad.

Break a leg!

[CapnHook]

Posted: 12/5/06 at 12:20am

DON'T choose a monologue that tells a story. DO tell a monologue that speaks directly to another person.

And remember, your monologue doesn't have to be ABOUT being a teenager. I used a monologue from THE PRODUCERS (Leo addressing the court) at one point in high school. Just make sure you have a clear WANT from the other person.

[McFrenzied]

Posted: 12/5/06 at 12:53am

what about The Substance of Fire by Jon Robin Baitz? The young man who has cancer..lots of juicy stuff in that, especially when he's talking with this father.

Other suggestions: Neil Simon's "Biloxi Blues" and Kip in "Take Me Out" by Greenberg (you're too young for the role, but judging from your MySpace pics you are the same "type")

Most important thing is: Show them you know who you are and the types of roles you would play.

Posted: 12/5/06 at 1:01am

Another "don't" under the list of "do's and don'ts" . would be...don't go into the theater....unless you are excited about living a life of instability, rejection, and constantly being in a rat race....re-evaluate how much you REALLY want to be in the business....

there are better things to do....but if you CAN"T do anything else...mazel tov....more power to ya and good luck.

[AnythingCanHappen]

Posted: 12/5/06 at 3:09am

awww, how sweet mercades.

But yeah, do find a monologue from an actual play. I cannot tell you how many of the colleges I orignally looked at had that as an almost requirement for the monologues they asked of auditionees.

[Broadway_Life_101]

Posted: 12/5/06 at 7:58am

Do you guys think it is okay to do Buzz's monologue from Love, Valour, and Compassion! for Cap21's Pre-College program or is it too "used"?

Thanks

[wickedfiyeroofoz]

Posted: 12/5/06 at 8:27am

Great! thanks for all the input...keep it coming! Oh, and sorry about the wrong board posting or w/e...but im sure more people will read it here anyway.

[singingshowgirl]

Posted: 12/5/06 at 9:39am

yeah i went through this last year as well. it sucks....

start going to borders or barnes and noble and just open monologue books that are from actual PLAYS....not the ones that are like monologues for teenagers

just start reading and look for monologues that you can relate to....that's the only way you're gonna get good at monologue searching

break a leg. i know how stressful this process can be