dramatic contemporary plays to read

[jordan simpson]

Posted: 7/27/11 at 11:55pm

hey I'm just now starting to look for new audition materials for schools I'm auditioning for next year. Unfortunatley, I'm stuck and I can only find a couple of plays to read. Im going to be auditioning for SUNY, UArts, Emerson, Roosevelt, and UNCSA and possibly SU. if anyone has any plays they recommend reading that have really strong male characters in them, please let me know. thank you!

[CleveNMLActor]

Posted: 7/28/11 at 12:22am

Summer at the Lake by Tennessee Williams is fantastic! It's a One Act Play, and is definitely on the more obscure side of the spectrum! Which is good if you are doing college auditions, and want a good monologue that isn't overdone. The character's name is Donald and the piece he's basically telling his mother he wants to be free and for her to stop controlling his life. It's a great monologue. You'll find the show/and the monologue in a book called Mister Paradise and Other One Acts...which is by Williams. This monologue is GREAT if you need monologues that are a minute or under! It's got punch without being to much or too long!

[jordan simpson]

Posted: 7/28/11 at 1:00am

thank you!! i was thinking about doing the glass menagerie but that seems way overdone. Tennesee Williams is brilliant, so i can't wait to read it. Are there any other plays that you recommend reading that deal with "up to date" social issues (death, drugs, sex, homosexuality, etc.)?

[CleveNMLActor]

Posted: 7/28/11 at 1:09am

I'm actual quite terrible at finding audition monologues. Especially ones I connect with. This one particular one just happened to be a Gem that I found. It has undertones of Williams struggle with homosexuality even though the character isn't gay if that makes sense

[jordan simpson]

Posted: 7/28/11 at 1:21am

yeah that does...i just think that something that has issues related to todays society would be better to connect to..

[littlegreen2]

Posted: 8/10/11 at 7:10pm

Read The Normal Heart.