Spotlight! E-news from Theatrefolk
Issue 1 - Monologue-o-Rama!Welcome!
Most actors have a love/hate relationship with monologues. Give them a nice juicy soliloquy in a play and they eat it up. Ask them to prepare one for an audition and they cower in fear.We thought it would be fitting to arrange our first issue on the theme of monologues, love 'em or leave 'em! -- Lindsay Price--
In this issue:
- COACHING MONOLOGUES- A theatre teacher and a competition judge share their thoughts.
- FREE DOWNLOAD- Theatrefolk's Monologue Collection - A newsletter exclusive!
- MONOLOGUE RESOURCES- We help you in your monologue hunt!
- ASSEMBLING THE COLLECTION- Lindsay's experiences in putting together our anthologies.
- ON THE USE OF MONOLOGUE BOOKS- Roger Ellis's cautionary notes.
- BOOK REVIEW- The Monologue Audition: A Practical Guide for Actors.
- YOU ASKED FOR IT - We answer your questions.
- IN THE NEXT ISSUE - What you can expect next.
- STAY IN TOUCH - Contact info/Read our blog.
Coaching Monologues
Rob McCubbin, Head of Theatre at Widdifield Secondary in North Bay, Ontario, and Bradley Hayward, California-based monologue coach and competition judge offer some great advice based on their experiences with coaching monologues. Bradley is one of our new authors with two plays due out this fall: Apostrophe's and The Waking Moment.
Should teachers choose pieces, or let the students choose them?
ROB: I often have the students write their own first before moving on to professional works. I sometimes do an exercise where they do a monologue for an inanimate object, like a Coke Can. It allows them to make up a story, but not have to be on stage yet. They speak from behind the curtain. When it comes to professional work, I offer them a package and they choose from the package.
BRADLEY: I'm a strong advocate of allowing students to choose their own pieces. The hunt for great material is part of the fun. As an actor, I love the excitement when I read something I simply have to bring to life. That's when my imagination runs wild, and my heart becomes entirely invested in the piece. I find the same thing happens when a student comes across a piece they relate to. That said, I would steer clear of monologue collections. Not only are they overdone, but they are out of context. By encouraging students to read entire plays, they will not only understand the scope of the entire monologue, but they will be exposed to some fantastic scripts!
How do you coach a single student in a classroom of 20 students?
ROB: I have the students work in pairs and give each other feedback first. Then I, over the course of a five day period, work with individuals on their monologue. They have the rubric evaluation (ed. A point scale of established criteria) before we start, so I always use it for feedback. I am a very hands-on kind of guy, so I'm constantly feeding them new questions and working on their choice of position and their use of gesture. I find these to be the hardest to teach. Getting students to recognize the strength in stillness and the power in committed gesture is not an easy task. They see too many shrugs in movies and think it works in theatre.
BRADLEY: I think it's easier for students to recognize their strengths and weaknesses by evaluating the work of their peers. Whenever I coach multiple students, it's difficult to divide my time evenly. Therefore, I devised a plan that would allow for my complete attention, along with that of a dozen or so others. I have my students perform for each other so that everyone can offer advice and reactions. I continue to work one on one with each student, but make sure that at least once every couple of weeks we go through this performance ritual. It's very encouraging, for myself and my students, to see the progress each person has made from week to week.
What exercises are the most effective for improving monologue performance?
ROB: The exercise I use most to improve the monologue is an old standby. Run around the theatre and get tired out, so that you slow down your delivery and recognize the phrasing in a piece of text. I also try using gibberish, speaking to a 4-year-old, speaking to a blind child, and speaking to a deaf child. I learned these a number of years ago and they really work. You have to judge your idea based on the student you're working with.
BRADLEY: Perform in front a mirror and try to maintain eye contact throughout the entire piece. This sounds easy, but it requires a surprising amount of concentration. Then try the same thing with a friend. Stand face to face and recite the monologue, only breaking eye contact long enough to blink. It's important to maintain eye contact with the audience, and after this exercise, doing so for a large crowd will be a snap.
At what point in the semester do you recommend doing monologues? The beginning? The end?
ROB: I do monologues at the end of semester, because they allow me to evaluate the growth and understanding of a student in terms of how well they wrap themselves around text. I do them when we've already discussed choices and intention, and when the discussion of subtext has already taken place. I often link my monologue lessons together with vocal exercises. They compliment each other well.
BRADLEY: Monologues are great practise for actors of all skill levels, so I think it's best to start work on them immediately and continue throughout the year. Professionals are constantly honing their monologue skills in between productions, just like stretching before exercise. It keeps the creative juices flowing.
How do you grade a piece?
ROB: As far as measuring progress, I see the monologue performed at least twice before the big presentation. On most occasions, I measure the progress by the student's initiative in bringing in costumes and props, by recording blocking suggestions in their script, by experimenting vocally and not falling into the trap of doing it the same way every time. I record notes the first time and then cross them off as the student moves through the process. The more I can cross off, the better sense I have of the student improving their craft. I never force them to take my idea, but I do expect them to have one to replace mine. No choice is a bad choice every time.
BRADLEY: Like an entire play, monologues must have a beginning, middle and end. The biggest problem I find is actors who start far too dramatically. When you start too big, there's nowhere for the performance to go. It is much more interesting to watch an actor start smaller and then build to an exciting climax. Also, in a competition setting where there are time limits, 99% of the monologues I see are rushed. Rather than choose a 3-minute speech and cram it into 2 minutes, I'd much rather see a 1-minute speech where the actor is free to take his/her time.
What pieces do you never want to see again?
ROB: There is nothing I never want to see again. It may sound cheesy, but art never ends. Why should I put a stop to it? I know, it sounds ridiculous, but I really believe that.
BRADLEY: All plays by Christopher Durang (especially Laughing Wild), all plays by Neil Simon, The Coloured Museum, A My Name is Alice,Crimes of the Heart, andFeiffer's People.
Anything else?
BRADLEY
- Avoid too much physicality. Let the vocal and facial performance speak for itself, rather than compensating with a lot of movement.
- Never use one end of a telephone conversation. Very few actors do this well, and it completely excludes the audience.
- Most importantly, students should NEVER apologize for their performance. No matter if they are sick, forget a line, or are just plain nervous, they should continue as if they are at the top of their game. Instead, encourage students to use these problems to their advantage. If the student is sick one day, so is their character. I've seen great performances ruined by apologies, such as "I usually do it so much better." As a judge, past performances don't matter. Confidence will conquer any and every flaw.
Free Download
Newsletter Exclusive...Download your free copy of Theatrefolk's Monologue Collectiontoday. Just click this link: http://www.theatrefolk.com/spotlight/download/3
Monologue Resources
Theatrefolk offers two monologue collections, specifically edited for high school students:
Competition Monologues
http://www.theatrefolk.com/script_51.html
Scene-Speare
http://www.theatrefolk.com/script_45.html
Apart from our own resources, here are a couple of websites to check out for monologue collections. Three things to watch for:
- Source info- Make sure each piece lists its source and the author.
- Background- The piece should have a description of the play as it applies to the character in the monologue. Most importantly, it should state what is happening in the play the moment before the monologue begins.
- Check the ages - Make sure there are a sufficient number of pieces for teens or young adults.
A huge list of links to books on the monologue page. There are also a couple of audition/monologue help articles, though most of the advice leans toward professional auditions.
http://www.mvhsdrama.com/contemporarymonos.htm and http://www.mvhsdrama.com/classicalmonos.htm
This high school drama website has a number of links to classical and contemporary monologue books together in one page. Should make it a lot easier to find one you like!
Assembling the Collection
I have edited three monologue collections for Theatrefolk: two contemporary and one Shakespearean. The first collection ( Theatrefolk's Monologue Collection) was assembled early in our history. I pulled monologues in from a variety of sources: some from plays, some standalone, and some that weren't high school aged. It's very interesting to look back at the book: there are some wonderful monologues in the collection with a couple of really challenging and unique pieces. (ed - This collection is now available as a free download. See “Free Download” above.)
For the second collection ( Competition Monologues) I wanted something more cohesive and representative. For this collection I kept thinking about the type of information the actor needed to know: not just background on the piece itself, but also the running time, the age of the character, the source, and so on.
The Shakespeare collection ( Solo-Speare) was a whole different animal. I didn't want the same pieces that come up again and again. No “to be or not to be” for me! I wanted age-appropriate pieces. I didn't want story-driven pieces, I wanted emotion-driven pieces. And I also insisted that the emotion-driven pieces worked out of context. These were more difficult to find than I thought. The monologues for girls were a particular challenge! For example, Ophelia should be an easy choice. Yet her only “monologue” (after the nunnery scene - Oh what a noble mind o'er thrown) is just not effective out of context. It's her woeful reaction to what she's just seen and the text needs that build-up.
What I really liked about the project was reading plays that I wasn't familiar with to look for pieces. King Johnwas a play I knew very little about but I think Blanch's monologue is fabulous - an excellent example of a monologue with an emotional focus.
I”m sure I'll be back at another collection in the next year - it's the one anthology that every actor needs and wants. And they all want something new!
On the Use of Monologue Books
Roger Ellis is a theatre director, university professor and author. He has edited many monologue and scene books including several specific volumes for young actors. Look for Audition Monologues for Student Actors, Audition Monologues for Student Actors II, andThe Complete Audition Book for Young Actors, all available through Meriwether Publishing ( http://www.meriwetherpublishing.com ) I'm very proud to have a monologue included inAudition Monologue for Student Actors II!
As he is most definitely an expert, we asked Roger about monologue anthologies and he referred us to his latest acting book, The Complete Audition Book for Young Actors:
"Perhaps the most common trap for all young actors is to choose their audition pieces from one of the many popular monolog and scene books currently on the market. Under no circumstances should you ever do this because any director is bound to have seen at least a half-dozen other actors doing the same selection that you'll want to present. As soon as those books are on the shelves lazy and unimaginative actors are buying them and desperately memorizing the same monologs or scenes; then they run them by all of us poor, miserable directors who must sit through the same piece again and again, year after year. These books are extremely valuable for general background reading and excellent for studio practice. But they should never, ever be used for competitive auditions. It's the kiss of death."
You Asked For It
I am in the process in starting a Drama Club at the high school where I teach; I look forward to soon being a customer! Can you recommend any publications that would help a novice director get a theatre program off the ground?
Martin McEvoy, Springfield MA
Dear Martin,
Thanks so much for writing. It is fantastic that you are starting a drama program at your school.
The plays I always recommend to beginner-level groups are our vignette-based plays. ( http://www.theatrefolk.com/category_32.html ) They are short, well-crafted, and easy to stage.
We only publish playscripts, so I also searched Amazon.com for more practical resources for you and I came up with these. I have no connection to them and haven't read them, but they have positive reviews and look to be right up your alley.
- Play Director's Survival Kit : A Complete Step-by-Step Guide to Producing Theater in Any School or Community Setting(J-B Ed:Survival Guides)
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0876285655/ - Play Directing in the School: A Drama Director's Survival Guide
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1566080363
Book Review
The Monologue Audition: A Practical Guide for Actors
By Karen Kohlaas, Limelight Editions, New York
(c) 2000
www.monologueaudition.com
If you're looking for a resource on how to perform, coach, or direct monologues this book is an excellent choice. It is one of the most comprehensive and easy to understand guides I've read for preparing a monologue. The research for the book came from Ms. Kohlass' own workshop and classes and it's clear the exercises and techniques in the book have been practically applied. The book focuses on rehearsing monologues for auditions, but I believe the information works just as well for a class or competition.
The tips start on page one of the introduction. The first thing the author shares is how she has her students list what is “in” their control and “out” of their control during the audition process. This allows students to have a concrete idea on paper of what they can (or cannot) control in the situation. Not only that, they have a list of things they can work on from the “In Control” column to make their audition the best. It is interesting to note that under the heading “Preparation” there is nothing in the “Out of Control” column.
The book proper is divided into three parts: Directing the Monologue, Acting the Monologue, and Auditioning With Your Monologues. The directing section details how to look at a monologue from the outside. Many actors only focus on what's going on inside of them and forget what they look like. Some of the topics involve staging, the speed and size of movement and gesture, writing a description of the monologue (not a synopsis, but what you want the audience to see), and analysing the monologue in terms of structre, story and suspense.
The best practical tip in the section is the suggestion that actors should rehearse their monologue within a six by six foot square. Ms. Kohlass encourages actors to tape out the square on the floor. The square helps define the acting space, prevents wandering and gives a easy start to blocking. She suggests actors plot out different positions in the square and decide where they should stand for the end, the climax and the beginning of the piece. She recommends starting with the final position.
The second part focuses on the acting; what's going inside. This section helps actors find and develop an objective (which the author calls “the action”) to play in the monologue. There is also a tool called “as if” which helps the actor explain what the action means to the character. Some suggested actions are: to get the truth, to get what I deserve, to win an ally.
The last section deals with the non-monologue parts of the audition, such as the entrances and the exits. How an actor enters and leaves a room is very important! Ms. Kohlass gives examples of how to do positive entrances and exits. She also provides different types of audition scenarios to rehearse with such as the neutral audition, where the auditioners are expressionless to the chaos audition where everything is distracting.
What I love about this book is how Ms.Kohlass demonstrates her process throughout. Quite often books give you the tools but don't necessarily show you how to use them. Ms. Kohlass follows through her methodolgy with a case study: you see how to apply her tools on an actual monologue. When she provides possible questions (there are so many great questions in here to ask your students!) she also provides a sample answer. There are pictures of how to use her staging options. She outlines exercises she has used with her students. You get to see her process in action. As I was reading, I felt that I could easily take this book into a classroom tomorrow and apply the process right away.
For more information, check out Ms. Kohlass' website at www.monologueaudition.com . You can read sample pages from this book, check out links, and sign up for her free newsletter.
In the Next Issue
We have a whole bunch of new plays coming out this fall. In our next issue, we'll give you a sneak peek and a free download of one of our new plays.
Stay in Touch
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