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Kids Monologue of the Month
Tips for preparing a monologue:
- Imagine the person you're speaking to. If you're supposed to be speaking to the audience, imagine who they are--friends? enemies? the doorman?
- Imagine where you are and the things that are around you.
- Create a set by using real objects that are handy--chairs, benches, fake tree, etc.
- You can use real objects for props, too--book, wallet, football, etc.
- Be expressive--get mad or happy or sad or just have some attitude as you perform your monologue.
- Movement & Gestures--use them. Don't just stand still while doing a monologue.
- If there are stage directions—in parenthesis—in the monologue below, use them or come up with your own. They're just suggestions. If a monologue has ellipses (three dots in a row), act as if you’re listening to someone else responding or speaking to you. But those ellipses might also just mean there's a slight pause. Read through the monologue and see if you're listening to someone or just pausing for effect.
Break a leg! (That's theater talk for "good luck." It's bad luck to say "good luck" in the theater so you say "Break a leg!")
Here is a monologue for Sept. Have fun!:
A Little Confused
[note: when you see “...”, pause and act as if listening to someone, maybe even nod now and then. If there’s only “..” then just pause between words but you’re not listening to someone]
(enters slowly; looks around as if a little confused) Hm. (exits; enters slowly looking around) Hm...(reacts to mom in room) What? ... Oh. (confused) No, I’m..not looking for..anything. (exits; enters quickly; looks around; exits quickly; enters slowly; looks around)...(responding sharply to mom) Yes! I am just a little confused and I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t talk to me while I’m trying to figure this out. (exits as if angry; enters very slowly, almost in slow motion)...Ar! You talked to me! (exits frustrated; enters angry; then freezes as if commanded)...(trying not to open mouth much) You told me to freeze so I can’t tell you what I’m doing ... (stands normally) Thanks for letting me unfreeze, Mom. (holds hand towards mom) Wait! (stands still, thinks; disappointed) Ah. Never mind. I lost it...I’ll tell you just don’t go all extreme on me...I know! I know that I’ve been in and out several times...I know I’ve been acting weird...I’m embarrassed to tell you...Ok. I came in to ask you something and then I forgot what I was going to ask you so I went out again because sometimes that works but it didn’t this time so I tried it several times and I still can’t remember...(sarcastic) Thanks for laughing, Mom. (exits)
(enters slowly; looks around as if a little confused) Hm. (exits; enters slowly looking around) Hm...(reacts to mom in room) What? ... Oh. (confused) No, I’m..not looking for..anything. (exits; enters quickly; looks around; exits quickly; enters slowly; looks around)...(responding sharply to mom) Yes! I am just a little confused and I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t talk to me while I’m trying to figure this out. (exits as if angry; enters very slowly, almost in slow motion)...Ar! You talked to me! (exits frustrated; enters angry; then freezes as if commanded)...(trying not to open mouth much) You told me to freeze so I can’t tell you what I’m doing ... (stands normally) Thanks for letting me unfreeze, Mom. (holds hand towards mom) Wait! (stands still, thinks; disappointed) Ah. Never mind. I lost it...I’ll tell you just don’t go all extreme on me...I know! I know that I’ve been in and out several times...I know I’ve been acting weird...I’m embarrassed to tell you...Ok. I came in to ask you something and then I forgot what I was going to ask you so I went out again because sometimes that works but it didn’t this time so I tried it several times and I still can’t remember...(sarcastic) Thanks for laughing, Mom. (exits)