Vocabulary
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 Monologue – A long speech spoken by one person,
revealing personal thoughts and feelings.
 Soliloquy – A monologue usually delivered while
the character is alone onstage, thinking aloud.
 First Person – Indicates the speaker’s point of view
as “I.”
 Focus – In readers theatre, the place or people that
the actors look at when they speak their lines.
The Monologue
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 Playwrights sometimes use monologues to help the
audience understand the thoughts and emotions of a
character.
 The use of the monologue in drama dates back to the
ancient Greeks.
 A monologue can be delivered with or without other
characters on the stage.
The Monologue
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 The soliloquy is used throughout the plays of
William Shakespeare. Hamlet’s famous “to be or not
to be” speech is a good example.
 Performing an original monologue gives the theatre
student an excellent opportunity to analyze a
particular character.
 Writing an original monologue is a good first step in
the playwriting process.
Developing your Character
(Points to Consider)
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 1. Things we have done or not done in our own lives.
 2. People we have met, known, loved, hated, feared,
or respected.
 3. Ageless stories or myths, perhaps told from a new
viewpoint.
 4. Group interaction and artistic collaboration.
 5. Ideas for resolving various conflicts.
 6. A puzzlement (something we don’t understand)
The 5 Ws
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 It is important for the audience to know the five Ws
as early as possible in a monologue, scene, or play:
 Who? – Who is speaking to whom?
 What? – What is happening?
 When? – When is this occurring?
 Where? – Where is this occurring?
 Why? – Why is this happening?
The Original Monologue
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 Monologue writing is a wonderful way to develop a
“life story” for your original character. A good way
to start is with a photograph or collection of
photographs.
 Select a variety of characters for whom you could
create an imaginary story.
Character Ideas
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Character Ideas
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Character Ideas
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Character Ideas
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Character Ideas
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Character Ideas
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Writing the Monologue
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 Now that you have formed an idea of what the
character will look like, begin to develop a
background and personality through character
analysis.
 Begin to write the thoughts that your character
might want to say aloud. Write the monologue in
the first person.
Rehearsing the Monologue
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 MEMORIZE YOUR LINES!!! A honest and
believable performance cannot take place with your
face glued to a script. Make the words your own,
and perform them as if you are saying them for the
first time.
 Focal Point: If your character is talking to someone
else, pick a focal point (ex. 12 o’clock). Create a
picture in your mind of what the other character
looks like.
Rehearsing the Monologue
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 Use your imagination: Imagine your character in the
setting that you pictured as you wrote the
monologue, or the setting that the playwright has
chosen.
 Notations: Write your blocking / staging in your
script IN PENCIL ONLY. Also, be sure to score your
scripts with beats. Write notes in your script that
you receive during rehearsal.
 NEVER BREAK CHARACTER! Commit to the task
at hand, which is to give an honest and believable
performance.
The Slate
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 A slate is an introduction of yourself and the piece
that you are performing. Your slate should include
the following:
1. Your name
2. The title of the selection
3. The playwright’s or playwrights’ name(s)
4. The name of the character you are portraying
* Do not “perform” your slate. This is an opportunity
to showcase who you are as a person. Be professional.
The Slate
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 The following is an example of an acceptable slate:
 “Hello, my name is (first & last name). I will be
performing a selection from (title of play), by
(name(s) of playwright(s)). I will be portraying the
character of (name of character).”
 Be sure to take a brief pause after your slate, just
before you begin the piece.
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Essential Questions
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 What must you do as an actor to prepare for a
monologue (6 things)?
 What type of monologue are you going to write or
look for to perform? Why?
Performance Projects
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 Given Monologues – Select and prepare (slate, focus,
character analysis, character traits, OOT, memorization,
rehearsal) a 90-second given monologue for performance.
 Choice Monologues - Select and prepare (slate, focus,
character analysis, character traits, OOT, memorization,
rehearsal) a 90-second choice monologue for
performance.
 Original Monologues - Select and prepare (slate, focus,
character analysis, character traits, OOT, memorization,
rehearsal) a 90-second original monologue for
performance.