audition technicality

Ask your agent. If you're really auditioning for that sort of thing (and it's not an open cattle call), your agent/manager would probably the person to go to, not a message board.

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Do a monologue from a published play. Their description is very specific. Follow their directive.

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Sorry, elphaba, but my advice comes from years of working for Broadway producers, casting directors, managers and agents. That direction pants2 was given was very specific for a reason. He/she needs to follow it. This is not the time for experimentation.

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I say it sort of depends upon who is in the room also.

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Well Rath is right, do you really want to show up with like proof that the monologue is real? For all they know you're peddlings monologues written by your best friend all around the city. Pick something people know and can use as at least some posterity or point of direction.

I am not in the theatre business but could someone explain specifically what "prepare a brief dramatic american monologue" means. Does that necessarily imply a "published play"? Would not pants2 be meeting the intent of this directive if he read from his friend's play, assuming his friend is American? Is the phrase "American" meant to exclude Shakespeare for example?

That is Rath jumping to conclusions again. "prepare a brief dramatic american monologue" is all that was said.
No casting person is going to know every published American play ever written. If you say "I am doing a monologue from Blah Blah by Jane Doe" they are not going to stop you and ask who published it or when was this play produced. IT WON'T MATTER IF IT IS GOOD.
I agree with Elphaba, do what you like and what you are passionate about.

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You have to be Fing kidding me.
How many auditions did you and your "producers and casting agents" stop and say to an actor, "Sorry, we asked for a PUBLISHED play. Get out!" At the very least they would say "Thank you, next" if they did not like what they saw or "Do you have something else prepared?" if they saw something that sparked an intrest (which, of course, any professional actor WOULD have ready.)
YOU are the one trying to F with someone's audition by telling them something that is BLATANTLY not true.
And my "expertise" is none of your Fing business.

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IMHO

There are some audition notices that read "prepare a 2 minute monologue..."

"in the style of David Mamet" or "from a contemporary comedy" or "from a Shakespeare play" etc...

I frequently do something from Neil Simon, or from some small work, a one act and such. Many times I am asked what is that from - I tell them and they reply, "Oh, I have never heard that, thank you!"

Recently, I tried my hand at writing my own comedic monologue. It has been getting laughs (in all the right places I might add) and kudos from those hearing it.

Unless the notice is for a specific style, there are NO RULES about where the monologue comes from, as long as you make it YOURS when you deliver it. They want to see you ACT. That's what it is all about.

I wouldn't do a comedic piece for a hardcore Dramatic audition, or vice-versa. But as long as you are adhering to the style of the audition, and the piece is GOOD.... then it doesn't matter who wrote it.

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Let's see your resume, Toots. How many of those "producer, casting directors, agents and managers" would hire you BACK? And if you are such an expert how is it you are not working in the business now?
Oh, and if you ever walk into an audition that I am conducting I WILL know who you are.

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What were the "rules" that he was given? "Prepare a brief dramatic american monologue."

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Well, I certainly am not casting the Yonkers YMCA production of Lil' Abner, so the chances of you being in one of my sessions is pretty nil. Oh, and casting directors from Chicago fly to New York practically on a daily basis to audition.
I suppose everyone else who disagrees with you on this topic is also trying to sabotage Pant's audition just to make YOU look stupid?

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