ABSTRACT
With some monologues I ask that you proceed with caution, perhaps even avoiding them altogether in some cases depending upon how great or how limited the returns might be that you get out of them. Not all are off limits as such; it is simply that certain elements of them can be problematic, especially if they are to be used for a sixty-second audition. This is your call; a poor speech can be done well and a great speech can be done poorly but your agenda must not allow the auditors to think that much. Your only task is to impress them through the exciting and perhaps outrageous choices you make as you fight for the needs of your character. Why create more potential problems for yourself by allowing tired directors and producers the time to think? But you’re the boss; it’s your audition …
The ‘Challenge Yourself’ Monologue
You must not experiment with a monologue at an audition. That is not the time to ‘challenge’ yourself. You are trying to stack the deck in your favor. This means minimizing your faults and maximizing your good points. Even if you are doing two speeches, such as classical and contemporary and/or dramatic and comedic, you are still not obliged to pick monologues beyond your range; your selections must be only material that you can hit out of the park! With all due respect sometimes
acting coaches can fall in love with a sudden ‘Let them know you’re willing to stretch yourself!’ notion about an audition monologue. They forget that they are not talking you through a breakthrough moment of discovery in class; they are coaching to make sure you ‘give ’em a show!’ when you get up there to audition. Your version of ‘showing them your range’ must be about giving the auditors a delectable taste of the breadth and width of ability you have now, not the wonderfully wide range you hope through training and experience to possess someday.
