Monologues

Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. neeT Teen by Lindsay Price is a fantastic play for your group. It's got a little bit everything - from the absurd, to movement, to audience participation, to song... There's even the opportunity to add your own scene to the mix! Teen life – backwards, forwards and inside-out. From dealing with the tractor beam of insecurity and doubt, to dealing with parents who couldn’t hear you if they tried. From fighting pimples to fighting the hallway. From knowing math skills aren’t going to get the girl to knowing that happy teenagers exist. They may not get the laughs, or the drama, or the big monologue, but they’re there. Let's hear from the author!1. Why did you write this play? I wanted to write a vignette play that went out of my comfort zone in terms of exploring form. And there is every type of form in this play from kitchen sink scenes, to absurd, to movement based moments, to choral work, to audience participation, to song, to groups adding their own scene. 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences? Teen life – backwards, forwards, inside out. 3. What's the most important visual for you in this play? I love the ending where the entire cast is singing about not feeling great, not being liked and not getting worried about it. They're not going to change who they are. 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be? Don't get bogged down by the different forms. Focus on the individual characters in each scene and express the form through what those characters want and the obstacles in their way. 5. Why is this play great for student performers? It looks at teen life and tackles topics that many teens go through in a unique and varied way. 6. Who is your favourite character in the play? She's not my favourite character, but for me, it's the most vivid moment in the play. Tyne has bullied another girl to the point where she felt she had to take her own life. Tyne is trying to grapple with the vast weight of this moment and rationalizing her actions as just "a little mean." It's one of my "favourite" monologues in its rawness and how words have consequences. 7. What is your favourite line in the play? "The world would be a better place if people weren’t so easily offended by words that don’t actually do anything, they just exist."

It’s fascinating how many people can observe the same moment and have wildly different experiences, thoughts, opinions, and memories about what happened. In this exercise, students will write four different monologues featuring four different characters all talking about the same moment, but from their unique perspectives. Students will create a brief scenario featuring two characters getting into a short disagreement. Start by describing the scenario as simply as possible, boiling it down to the main points. For example: “Sundeep had an ice cream cone. Mary took Sundeep’s ice cream and dropped it on the ground. Sundeep cried. Mary ran away.” Select four different characters to write monologues for. Take a piece of paper and fold it into quarters. Open the paper and write each character’s name and relationship to the people involved in the disagreement in one of the quarters. Here are some ideas for characters who might be involved: • First character • Second character • First character’s friend • Second character’s friend • A character’s significant other (or ex) • Bystander • School gossip • Secondhand news from an authority figure (principal, parent, boss, etc.) • A newspaper or social media story Using the example above, one student may choose to write from the perspectives of Sundeep, Mary, Mary’s best friend Tate, and their classmate Jacqueline, who watched the event happen. Another student might choose to write from the perspectives of Sundeep and Mary’s teacher Ms. Dieter, a student named Chris who happened to be walking nearby, Sundeep’s baseball teammate Michael, and Sundeep’s sister Priya. On each quarter of the paper under the character’s name, write down some notes about the person and their thoughts and reactions to the incident, as well as any relevant details. Some things students should consider when they’re writing include: • Did the character experience the scenario firsthand, observe it, or hear about it from someone else? How much information do they know? • How does the character feel about the incident? How do they feel about the people involved? • What was the character doing during the incident? What are they doing as they speak their monologue? • Who is the character talking to? Are they talking to someone else, or are they expressing their thoughts to themselves? Or, is the monologue being presented through the lens of writing or social media (a letter, blog post, video blog, social media post)? • When does the monologue take place in relation to the incident? Is it in the moment, after the fact? How much later — the same day, weeks later, years later? • What are the character’s biases or alliances? A character’s best friend, significant other, or parent would likely be more invested in the situation than a random bystander or someone reading a news article aloud. • Each character should have a unique voice; it shouldn’t sound like the same person is speaking in each monologue. Consider things like tone, word choice, use of contractions/slang, and emotional arc. Once students have mapped out their plans and details, they can write their monologues. Each monologue should be approximately half a page at minimum. Allow time for students to exchange monologues with a partner and read them aloud, then make revisions as necessary. Hearing a monologue spoken aloud can help students to hear if it flows well, if something is missing, or if something sounds weird, unnatural, or out of character. Once students have completed their writing, they will submit all four monologues, plus their planning work, for evaluation.

Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. The Battle of Image vs Girl by Johanna Skoreyko is a moving duet piece about female body image. One Girl. One Mirror. Against the world. Why did we publish this play? We have a long history with this play. It was originally published as part of a collection of student writers. When that was discontinued, we asked to publish it in a collection of short plays for young women. When that was discontinued we wanted to continue to have the play available because it is a script that does not and cannot let go. It is intense, it is uncomfortable, it is raw and authentic. Let’s hear from the author! 1. Why did you write this play?I wrote this play as an assignment for a High School English class. I remember that I brainstormed ideas for my play until a few days before the deadline for the assignment-- nothing felt quite right. Finally, with the pressure upon me, I sat down and the whole play just poured out of me. The conversation that the main character has with her mirror self was in many ways an authentic conversation I was having in real time as I wrote it. It was very cathartic. I had just returned from a year as an exchange student in Germany, where my host sister (who I was very close to) had anorexia and bulimia, and I was still processing the conflicting emotions I had: fear and worry for her, and jealousy of her extreme thinness. Although I didn't have an eating disorder, I thought constantly about what I ate and exercised obsessively. I was very critical of my body. I wanted to be healthy and strong, but I also completely understood why she starved herself, and that scared me. 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences.Control is the opposite of self-acceptance. 3. What’s the most important visual for you in this play?The smashed mirror at the end. 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be?Update the references and the language in the play to make it reflect the way teenagers talk today. I think it should sound current. 5. Why is this play great for student performers?I think it's visually striking, easy to produce, and I like that it's an opportunity for two actors to get really deep into character study together, and maybe to dissect their own critical internal voices too. And I love that it has the raw, dramatic emotionality of a real teenage voice. 6. Who is your favourite character in the play?When I performed this for my High School Drama class, my sister took the role of the main character, and I played the mirror. It was a very powerful release to speak the vicious meanness that I heard in my head. Letting it out revealed how absurd and how wrong the voice was. 7. What is your favourite line in the play?The final line of the play, "It's only a phone," (which was "It's only a camera" in 2001). The character's anxiety about her lost phone was an example of the anxiety she felt about not being in control, and her eating disorder was born of a desire to get that control back. Letting go of the phone and just going to bed was a really important symbolic gesture, and I like the simplicity and lightness with which it ends this really intense scene.  Get your copy of The Battle of Image vs Girl right here, right now!

Writing monologues is a skill that takes practice. When students are learning how to write monologues, it’s easy for them to fall into the trap of writing a story spoken by one person. Storytelling narrative structure is familiar — we are taught to read and write stories from a young age. Monologues are different. The purpose of a monologue is to communicate rather than simply describe or narrate something that already happened. When teaching students how to write a monologue, our goal is to move them away from the storytelling framework they are used to writing in, and into a character communication experience. Here is a bare bones guide to the difference between a monologue and a story. This is not an exhaustive list of all the nuances that make a monologue, but it’s a good place to start, especially if students have never written a monologue before. A monologue is:• Written in the first person • Spoken by one person to a listener • Used to communicate something important • Set in the present, which is alive and active • Urgent and action-filled (The character has a need: a need to share, a need to reveal, a need to explain, etc.) • A mini play… NOT a story A story is:• Written in the third person • Spoken by one or more people to an audience • Used to share an account of something that has happened • Set in the past, which is over and done • Often passive and/or impersonal (explaining something that happened to someone else or why something came to be the way it is) • Entertaining, but not a monologue, even if it’s told by one person If students aren’t sure whether what they are writing is a monologue or a story, have them read through their piece and answer the following questions: • Is this written in first person or third person? • Who is the character speaking to, a specific person or a general audience? • Is it communicating something or describing/narrating something? • Is it set in the present or the past? • Is it active or passive? Compare the answers to the points listed above (or use the handy chart available to download below). If the student’s piece is more in line with the first column, they’ve written a monologue. If their piece is more in line with the second column, they’ve likely written a story. They’ll need to adjust or re-format their piece to make it an active, communicative monologue.

Recently we called out to middle school and high school student writers to share their voices and perspectives on a holiday, celebration or remembrance through their original monologue submissions. We were thrilled with the incredible response we had to our call-out and so thankful to all who shared their work with us. Congratulations to the following student playwrights whose monologues have been chosen for publication in a Theatrefolk resource book to be released later this year. Night of Broken Glass by Ariella Green A Holi Hazard by Khyati Eda I’m Sorry by Sophia Kanior Pride Day by Grace Hinkle Christmas by Grace Hinkle Flag Day by Grace Hinkle Extraordinary by Allison Hurd Can I Be Alright Too? by Ruhi Tabassum Please say one last goodbye by Kylah Renehan Why Couldn’t I Keep You With Me? by Kylah Renehan Another Year, Another Sphere by Dreana Henry The Funeral on My Birthday by Charlie Smith My Autism Day by Angelina Parker Mother’s Day Plans by Calliope Yannuzzi Operation Christmas by Lola Frey Unhappy Happy Birthday by Sophie Petronzio Contradicting Expectations by Jake Katz Winter Solstice by Lily Couture I Have Something Important to Tell You by Irish Cornwell Diwali and Hindi by Shikhar Misra Happy Father’s Day, Dad, Wherever You Are by Tiara Zjana Linne Delubiar Groundhog Day Ritual by Madelyn Davies The Happiest Birthday by Ainsley Owens The Promposal by Molly Moody Vegan Thanksgiving by Alexandra Adamo Stocking Stuffers by Suray Vargas My Own Anniversary by Ella Munson-Jackson Turn the Tide by Maddie Snyder Congratulations to all participating student playwrights and be sure to keep checking our site for the launch of our Holiday, Celebration and Remembrance student monologue collection resource.

Diversity and representation in the drama classroom is imperative for students and teachers alike. BIPOC Voices & Perspectives: Monologue Resource is an incredible collection of original monologues written by BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour) students that shares their perspectives, their stories and their voices. These monologues written for students by students each include close reading questions for analysis and discussion, as well as performance permissions. Topics range from race, identity, BLM, home, addiction, family, friendship, pride, joy, hope, and so many more. Plus, we’ve included tips on how to use this resource in your classroom, as well as how to encourage your students to share their own voice! Enjoy the monologues in this collection. We are amazed at the quality, the variety, and the insight of these pieces. These are voices that don’t often end up in monologue books. It’s time they did.

The following distance learning exercise challenges students to take their performances outdoors. Students will select a monologue, perform and film it outdoors, and submit it for evaluation. Instructions1. Students will select a short monologue (30 seconds to a minute) to prepare and perform. It must be set in an outdoor location and make sense to perform outdoors, rather than a monologue they just happen to present outdoors. If students are having trouble finding one, they could start with a show like Alice in Wonderland, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, or Lord of the Flies, all of which have outdoor settings. Alternatively, have students write their own monologues that are set outdoors. Check out our post, Tons of Outdoor Prompts, for lots of monologue-writing ideas to get your students started. 2. Before they film their monologue, have students submit a proposal to you, responding to the following: • Name and author of the play the monologue is from • Technical considerations: • Setting/location (optional: include a photo of the selected location) • Time of day • Weather • Props or costumes needed • Safety considerations • Why is this character outside? • How will you incorporate the outdoor setting into your performance? 3. Once their proposal has been approved, give students a deadline to prepare, memorize, rehearse, and film the monologue. Students should create a basic appropriate costume (as best they can using items they already have or can easily acquire) and include props if needed. Students will need to ensure they can be seen and heard while filming, as well as decide on appropriate framing of the camera. Students also need to perform safely. For example, while it would be visually cool to perform outside during a thunderstorm, it could be potentially dangerous! (See our posts: Performing Outdoors Part 1: Technical Considerations and Performing Outdoors Part 2: Safety Considerations for some helpful tips.) 4. Students will submit their completed videos to the teacher, along with a written or verbal (filmed) response to the reflection found below. If students are completing a filmed reflection response, it should be in a separate video from the monologue.

Recently we called out to BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour) student writers to share their voices and perspectives through their original monologue submissions. We were thrilled with the incredible response we had to our call-out and so thankful to all who shared their work with us. Congratulations to the following student playwrights whose monologues have been chosen for publication in a Theatrefolk resource book to be released later this year. You Do You by Tatyana Miller But hey, that’s my opinion by Kendrick Jackson My Culture by Yiming Low The Truth Behind Blackness by Shameka Samuel Ambiguity by Malia Strayhand Conclusions, Solutions and Whatever In Between by Charlize Ga OKAY? by Eryn George Dear Diary… by Pavani Mishra Indian’s Prayer by Kaiya Mongrain See Me by Czarien Jones Young Black Boy by Nashaun Bates Dancing Queen by Victoria Huerta Do I scare you yet? by Bex Gilbert Home by Isabella Stallworth Bittersweet by Keyla Morales The Lights by Mirann Mangino Mom by Arya Hanumara identity by Linda Gist Wash Day by Alexandria Radford To be American by Yunseo Chung The Gift by Ken Kanyiri Njoroge Eyes by Elijah Powell My Hijab by Nabeeha Mohammed Clone Sister by Sophia Cecilia Misel Only Half by Bella Cintron N.E.R.D. by Armand Walton Everything’s Ok by Kadence Cross You Did it for Me by Cynthia Tinschmidt Leal Their Faces by Lanice Tuck Questions by Avariella Duran COLOR ME BROWN by Mia Joelle Baillie I Can Explain… by Perri Patterson Peace Entry: More Than Dream by Tunmise Adebowale My Identity by Rachel Wyatt Congratulations to all participating student playwrights and be sure to keep checking our site for the launch of our BIPOC student monologue collection resource. **UPDATE: You can learn more and order a this monologue collection here.**

*Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. * Myth-o-logues by Janice Harris is a fantastic one-act and classroom resource. Pick and choose from this must-have collection of monologues from Greek Mythology’s greatest characters. Great for in-class and online study and performances! Cassandra (the Trojan prophetess no one believes) is here to be your Greek mythology tour guide. She’ll lead you through stories of war, relationships and the origins of good and evil. She’ll share all before old Charon ferries the whole audience across the River Styx. Will you listen? Will you learn? Will you believe? Why did we publish this play? I love this title. It describes this play perfectly – a collection of monologues about Greek myths. This is a great way to introduce both (myths and monologues) in one package. You can even put them all together for a unique monologue driven production – which will make it really accessible for an online performance. Middle school teachers – you will want this play in your classroom! Let’s hear from the author!1. Why did you write this play? I wrote this play because I wanted to give my students a more comprehensive understanding of traditional Greek stories and characters, particularly in the context of the study Greek theatre history. 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences. The topic of the play is Greek Mythology. The theme changes with each character as the performers explore the characters— faithfulness, loss of love, revenge, power, etc. 3. What’s the most important visual for you in this play? At this particular time, I visualize an online performance. See below. 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be? I would encourage those producing this play to have your actors do a lot of research on the whole storyline of each character. This will strengthen the portrayal of each character as the students do the character study needed for a successful performance. 5. Why is this play great for student performers? This play is good for student performers for several different reasons. The monologues are of different lengths, so a student can choose one that fits his/her comfort level. (My method for assigning monologues or scenes is for students to submit several choices. I make the final assignment.) The subject matter is cross-disciplinary. The material can be performed by a beginning or advanced level student. Character study is necessary for a successful performance. 6. Do you have any tips or suggestions for those who are performing this play online? I think this play is particularly suited to an online performance. I can picture a performance of individual actors appearing on the screen. As narrator, Cassandra could be in the center. The focus could shift from actor to actor, the screen could fade in and out. There is a great opportunity for students working on the technical side of the performance online. Actors could easily perform in their own rooms or yards, in a garden, or even on a stage, observing social distancing. There is plenty of room for creativity in an online performance. Get your copy of _Myth-o-logues _right here, right now!Not right for your group right now? Search our play catalogue to find one that your performers will love!

In this multi-part exercise, students will write monologues based on the concept of an “I want/I wish” song, which is used by a character to share their heart’s desire. It is primarily a written exercise, but students can also read aloud or perform their written pieces for the rest of the class if you wish. This exercise can be completed in live, in-person classes, via distance learning, or assigned as homework. Step 1: Identifying “I want.”One of the traditional song themes in musicals is the “I want” or “I wish” song. A character wants something so badly that they break into song to express their feelings, hopes, dreams, or goals. They show their vulnerable side, and the journey towards achieving their heart’s desire is what pushes the story forward. For example, in Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Ariel’s song “Part of Your World” demonstrates how much she wants to join the human world. In Hamilton, the song “My Shot” shares Alexander Hamilton’s wish to make a name for himself and take his place in history (even if it means dying for it). Step 1: Brainstorm a list of “I want/I wish” songs, identifying the musical the song comes from, the character who sings the song, the character’s want or wish, and how it drives the action. Songs can be from musical theatre productions or musical movies. Step 2: Baby steps.“I want” songs can be thought of as monologues that are sung with music. Let’s take that idea of expressing your heart’s desire, and apply it to writing a monologue. The goal is to be authentic, honest, and vulnerable. This can be hard, because we often worry about what others will think of us if we express what is truly in our hearts. We worry about the consequences, the whys, the hows. But do you know who doesn’t think about those things? Five-year-old kids. Little kids think nothing about wishing to be a ninja ballerina princess, have a pet velociraptor, or eat fifteen ice cream cones. The sky’s the limit when it comes to their heart’s desire, and they have no problem expressing it and even directly asking for it. Let’s take baby steps and practice asking for our younger self’s desires. Step 2: Write a “Santa letter.” Think back to when you were younger, around five years old. Write a letter to Santa Claus asking for the one present you want most in the world. Describe the item in detail. Explain why you want it. Write about some of the good things you did that year to deserve the gift. Describe how happy you would be if you got it. If you wish, have students read their letter aloud to the rest of the class and reflect on these questions: How did it feel to share your letter? Was it easy or hard? Did you feel vulnerable asking for what you wanted? Why or why not? Step 3: Answering the hard questions.Now that students have practiced asking for their younger selves desires, it’s time to step it up and think about something big they want now. It could be something they want to possess, like a physical object or a pet. Maybe there’s something they want to share, but they’re not sure how to do it or what people would think of them. It could be the desire to travel somewhere, the hope that someone will fall in love with them, the acceptance of someone they admire, a dream job, or world peace. It can be challenging for students to be vulnerable and express what they want. Encourage them to be open and authentic. This doesn’t mean being weak or spineless, but it does involve some risk. Step 3 Action: Answer the following questions: • What is something you currently want badly? • Why do you want it? • How would getting what you want make you feel? • How will your life be better if you get it? • What challenges are standing in the way of you getting what you want? • What would you be willing to do to get what you want? • What would happen if/when you got what you wanted? • What would happen if you didn’t get what you wanted? Step 4: Make it theatrical.Now that students have the bones of the monologue, it’s time to flesh it out and make it theatrical. Just reading the answers to the questions isn’t very interesting. Have students think about what style or format they’d like their monologue to be in. How can they make it interesting to read and perform? They could recite it as though they were speaking to someone important, write a letter or journal entry, make it into a poem or song, or come up with another interesting way of presenting the material. Step 4: Write your monologue, using the answers from Step 3 as a basis for your work. Monologues should be approximately one page. If you wish, students can rehearse and perform their monologues once they are finished writing. The most important thing is to be honest and authentic. It’s not easy for students to be vulnerable. Commend your students for their bravery in sharing their wishes. It may even help students to go forward and work towards actually getting their heart’s desire outside of the drama classroom.

The exercises listed below can be adapted to distance and online learning opportunities. Students work individually (rather than with partners or in groups). Group work and discussions can be completed using video conferencing programs (such as Google Hangouts, Skype, or Zoom). Written work can be submitted electronically via email or uploading to Google Drive or similar. Performances can be done live via video conferencing programs, or filmed on a smartphone or digital camera and uploaded to a service such as YouTube or Vimeo (privacy settings can be adjusted to accommodate your school’s internet safety policies). Check out our round-up of exercises for Vocal and Physical Performance as well. Monologue & Individual Performance ExercisesStudents can find and read scenes and monologues from a variety of online sources (such as right here on Theatrefolk’s Free Resources page), or with a public library card and the Libby app). Teachers may also wish to supply monologues for students. Performances can be prepared at home as homework, and performed live via video conferencing or recorded and submitted. Written reflections and practice/rehearsal journals can be assigned for students to document their processes. 1. Auditions Exercise Part 1: Perform on Video 2. Auditions Exercise Part 2: Mock Auditions 3. Connecting the Past to the Present: Modernizing a Scene All exercises can be completed individually 4. Creating Your Audition Toolkit – Monologues 5. Exploring Spoken Word Poetry This is a combination writing and performance exercise 6. “Let’s Try That Again”: Taking Direction in an Audition 7. 5 Tips for Preparing A Monologue With Confidence Focus on Tip #4: Record your performance

Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. Letters by Mrs. Evelyn Merritt is an excellent and challenging Reader’s Theatre script for high school and middle school student performers. For many wars, letters home were the only form of communication between soldiers and their loved ones. Letters is thought-provoking and character-driven. It’s not hard to see Marie, Jim, Caleb, Sarah, Harriet and Robert reaching out with pen and paper. Why did we publish this play? What’s great about the script is its focus on the characters. Each character expresses specific emotions about their place in their particular war. The play also has oral elements such as overlapping speech, unison speech, and repeated patterns. The words speak for themselves. A thought-provoking piece. Why is this play great for online platforms? Because this play is set up as Reader’s Theatre, it’s easy to transfer to an online platform. The montage sections can be presented in a gallery setting and will take a little practice to get the timing – but they would in a traditional production too. Let’s hear from the author!1. Why did you write this play? I wanted a way to allow students to remember the past in a theatrical way. 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences. Remember the human face of war. 3. What’s the most important visual for you in this play? The letters. Even though it’s readers theater, try to have the type of letter each of these characters would have as a prop. 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be? Reader’s Theatre doesn’t mean you can’t act – each character should be brought to life as much as possible, even though you have a script in your hand. 5. Why is this play great for student performers? It’s a chance for students to put a face to the past and also connect to history. Experiencing history is always better than just reading about it.

Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. Puzzle Pieces by Krista Boehnert is a monologue-based play that is a fantastic vehicle to introducing monologues to your student performers. Puzzle Pieces explores teen issues through a series of monologues. The characters speak frankly about their fears, their futures, and their day to day life. The serious dramatic scenes are balanced with humour, and the play is ultimately uplifting. The characters choose to embrace life and all its struggles, rather than shy away from it. Why did we publish this play? Monologues are a challenge. They are also inherently theatrical – they don’t often happen in real life. This is exactly why you should be tackling monologues in the classroom and in your theatre. Puzzle Pieces is an excellent play to introduce monologues to your student because the entire play is made up of monologues. Characters talk frankly about their fears, their futures and their day-to-day lives. I’ve loved this piece since I first read it for it’s characters, it’s structure, and it’s message. Why is this play good for online platforms? Because this play is written in monologue form, it adapts really well to a virtual performance format. Characters connect directly to the audience, and this will work whether they are on stage, or they are staring right into their computer camera. Let’s hear from the author!1. Why did you write this play? I wanted to experiment with format and write a monologue-based play. The characters in Puzzle Pieces each share their own story – the plotlines of the characters don’t intersect. This is both challenging and liberating for the director and actors when producing the play. Puzzle Pieces is instead woven around a common theme all characters are grappling with, which allowed me to explore a multitude of storylines rather than diving into just one topic. 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences. Growing up is complicated. You can try to be picture perfect, but real life is messier than that. 3. What’s the most important visual for you in this play? Each character brings their own experience and story to the play. They each embody a puzzle piece for how a life can take shape, and for how to navigate life. The variety in their approaches is my favourite visual in the play. 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be? Although the play is monologue-based, it should be a collaborative experience both in the rehearsal and performance. Because the characters’ worlds don’t intersect, there is lots of rooms for character development that can be tackled by the individual actors, or as a collective. The staging can also be more collaborative than solitary. Actors can support each other with the monologue performances whether that be direct contact, like holding their hand or comforting them while they speak, or acting out scenes they describe in their speech. It’s very open to experimentation and interpretation, so don’t be shy about trying different ways to bring the play to life. 5. Why is this play great for student performers? It’s a great opportunity for practising character development, for learning how to prepare and perform monologues, and for experimenting with creative staging – both with their own monologues, and in supporting their fellow cast members as they perform their pieces. 6. Do you have any tips for those looking to perform this play online? Both Have you Heard? and Puzzle Pieces? lend themselves nicely for online performance. As a monologue-based play, it allows for that intimate connection between the audience and a single performer. Settings in the performance space provider (such as Zoom) can be set to highlight the speaker, which results in the performer filling the whole screen, rather than the audience seeing all actors at once, if the director wishes to present it this way. The plays are flexible, however, and do lend themselves to an ensemble performance as well. While actors are performing their monologues, the remaining actors can support the performances in a variety of ways. The director and cast can choose if all actors participate, or if only a select number do. If not all actors are participating in the scene, the director can ask them to simple turn and face their back to their camera, or walk out of frame thus “leaving the stage.” Using the example of Jamie from Puzzle Pieces, talking about playing football, some staging options for supporting cast in a virtual environment include: • Mime – actors can silently act out playing football, crowd members cheering, etc. • Tableaux – actors can strike various poses that indicate a football game or game attendees • Props – actors can hold up football themed props – jerseys, pompoms, football, foam fingers, cowbells, popcorn buckets, etc. • Costume add-ons – team jackets, jerseys, ball caps – to help set the “game day” scene • Virtual Backgrounds – actors can turn on virtual backgrounds that mimic signs people hold up at football games to cheer the team on • Reaction Buttons – actors can engage their “applause” or “Thumbs up” reaction buttons to indicate crowd cheering the football team on The staging for Have you Heard? and Puzzle Pieces is flexible regardless of the staging environment – live, virtual, live-streamed. In their simplest form, each scene can be performed with only the actor(s) in the scene who are speaking being “on stage” (or on screen depending on the scenario). The bulk of both plays are monologues, so for the majority of the play, you could have a single actor on stage/screen. To enrich the performance experience for the audience, I would recommend engaging cast members to enhance the monologues by employing tactics such as mime, tableaux, use of props and costume add-ons, virtual backgrounds and reaction buttons. This creates a space where the audience and the cast are all part of each “monologue moment” and heightens the impact of each characters’ story/experience by bringing it more fully to life.

*Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. * A Box of Puppies by Bill Houck is a collection of four short plays that all take a look the fragility and resilience of being a teenager. It reminds us that we are not alone in our struggles. We can all relate to feeling small in a big world. The characters in A Box of Puppies share their insecurities, their frailties and their coping mechanisms with that big bad world. This collection holds four short plays. Each are fresh, honest, and true. You know each of these characters. Perhaps they mirror your own insecurities and frailties. Each play can be performed independently, or perform all four together for an outstanding competition piece. Why did we publish this play? The characters in these plays and monologues speak so clearly in the teen voice. That’s what we want for our plays. We also want characters who ask the same questions of themselves as any teen in the audience would – In every one of these plays characters ask “What’s wrong with me?” When we see our own questions verbalized by someone else, it lets us know we’re not alone in our struggles. Another important reason why we needed to publish this collection. Let’s hear from the author! 1. Why did you write this play? CONSTANTLY, INCESSANTLY, ALL THE TIME: My sister is a physician. She told me school age kids were developing serious back problems because their backpacks were so heavy. I surveyed a few of my students – What did they have in their backpacks? Why did they feel a need to carry all those things around? Is it really that hard to haul all that stuff around (it is!) So I created a play that put all these different things into one backpack, carried by one overloaded kid. DIATOM: Another play inspired by real life. There’s a lot of tedium in waiting for the bus. It’s amazing what young people will do to fill the void. The bit with the kid wrapped in foil who runs down the street in front of one of those traffic-calmer radar signs to figure out how fast he can go? It’s true. I had a couple of kids who did this. I have also always liked that word “diatom.” HUGE HANDS: This was inspired by a prop. When one of the first Hulk films came out (I think it was the one Ang Lee directed) there were these fun “Hulk Hands” that were sold everywhere. You slip your hands into them, then hit things. The hands roared, made smashing sounds, and said “Hulk smash!” I recommend them to anybody who is feeling stressed. They’re very therapeutic. About the same time, there was a wide ranging discussion in educational circles, especially educational theatre circles, about bullying. I thought the hands would be a great symbol for the helplessness that bullied people feel. Instead of trying to get permission from Marvel to use the name “Hulk Hands,” I changed the title to “Huge Hands.” Since then, Disney purchased Marvel, and thanks to the success of all the Avengers movies, you can still find big green hands online and at stores everywhere. ONE BEER TOO MANY: Many years ago I found myself with some free time between events at the California Thespian Festival. I pulled out a notebook and started with what had been drilled into me: Write what you know. This is probably my most personal play. I relate to the Skip. I relate to the Skip’s father and mother. I relate to Skip’s English teacher, and even that self-righteous Drama teacher. Who are all these people? They’re all me. 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences. CONSTANTLY, INCESSANTLY, ALL THE TIME: Beware the burdens you place on people who only weigh 112 pounds. DIATOM: Even tiny creatures are important. HUGE HANDS: There’s a ferocious courage that hides inside. ONE BEER TOO MANY: It’s a play about alcoholism, but not completely. It’s also about what we do to the creative spirit of young people. 3. What’s the most important visual for you in this play? CONSTANTLY, INCESSANTLY, ALL THE TIME: Little kid. Big bag. DIATOM: Two kids in a big empty space. HUGE HANDS: The important thing about the hands is that Sparky really believes in them. Sparky and his Huge Hands. ONE BEER TOO MANY: This can be done entirely in a sad pool of light, but I always imagine it with flashbacks. Projections would work. 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be? CONSTANTLY, INCESSANTLY, ALL THE TIME: Get the biggest, most cumbersome backpack you can find. Use real props. DIATOM: Allow Robin and Dale to create their universe. HUGE HANDS: You can do this show with a huge cast. Create a world for Sparky with as much detail as possible. ONE BEER TOO MANY: This one too, is a one character play, but you can add a large chorus to fill out the other characters. It also works well as a solo piece 5. Why are these plays great for student performers? These plays have all been written with the student performer in mind. Whenever possible, I use gender-neutral names. With very few exceptions, all the characters in all these plays could be played by anyone. That, and the flexible cast size, makes them useful for classroom use and character work. You know what I’d really like to see? It would be great if somebody put together all four of these plays and performed them under the title “A Box of Puppies“. What if all these kids went to the same school? What if all their stories intersected on one crazy day? Stranger things have happened.

*Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. * Stressed by Alan Haehnel is a symphony of sound and character that is a true theatrical experience. A challenging but incredibly fun piece, this vivid character play is an excellent competition piece. For Alex, it’s school. For Josh, it’s his girlfriend. For Carmen, it’s dealing with her coach. And Mindy’s frustrated with her parents. Stress is driving this quartet crazy – so much so they can’t stop talking about it. Why did we publish this play? Alan describes Stressed as a Teen Symphony. I love this description and it’s so accurate! Characters blend and crash, emotions swell like strings. It’s a fantastic piece to teach students not only how to create a character but how to listen to each other. Add to that, the structure is monologue-based, so you’re also teaching students the craft of preparing multiple monologues. This play has gone on to great success in competitions and I’m thrilled we were able to publish it. Why is this play great for online platforms? This play is written in monologue format, and each character is in their own space – so it easily transfers to an online format. There is some unison speaking and some sound exploration under text, so that will take some creative thinking and problem solving. But if there’s anyone who can do it, it’s drama teachers and students! Let’s hear from the author!1. Why did you write this play? Because stress has been increasing lately for everyone, and I wanted to give students a humorous way to express their feelings about it. 2. Decribe the theme in one or two sentences. Well, the theme is in the title. But an important sub-theme is that we are all in this stress-filled world together. 3. What’s the most important visual for you in this play? This is more an exploration of rhythm and vocal variety than it is a visual play, but I think a creative director could have a lot of fun with costuming and lighting to enhance the different characters and the quick pace of the piece. 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be? Remember the sub-title of the play: “A Teen Symphony.” The vocal work has to be tight and musical. The voices should truly interplay like instruments in a quartet. 5. Why is this play great for student performers? Besides relatable subject matter, this play gives four student performers a ton of juicy lines, lots of stage time, a full range of emotional states, and great chance to put together a tour de force entry for any drama contest.

If you’re looking for an excellent and challenging Reader’s Theatre script that chronicles the correspondence between the battlefront and home, Letters by Mrs. Evelyn Merritt is one you won’t want to miss. Super simple to stage, the characters in this play are from the civil war, WWI and WWII all the way up to the Iraq War. It is a thought provoking look at what people say to each other in times of strife. For many wars, letters home were the only form of communication between soldiers and their loved ones. Letters is thought-provoking and character-driven. It’s not hard to see Marie, Jim, Caleb, Sarah, Harriet and Robert reaching out with pen and paper. Kristina Mercilliott and the talented student performers at VFW Auxiliary in Afton, New York had an emotional experience with their production that had an incredible impact on both students and their audience: “This was the first play I directed, I didn’t know what to expect. I wanted to honor our veterans and teach the kids along the way for the understanding on why we stand for the flag, why we have Veterans Day off, why it was important to remember these men and women. This play was perfect – it was more than what I expected and it brought up questions that I had to answer. It was a very emotional play for our audience, and we are looking forward to doing this one again one day! It brought kids and our local veterans together so they could share stories.”

It’s rare that a student will select the absolute perfect monologue to show exactly everything they’re capable of doing onstage. One monologue can only go so far in showing a student’s acting range. Perhaps the student chose a dramatic monologue and you wanted to consider them for a more comedic role. Furthermore, a student might blow you away in that particular moment that they’ve practiced and perfected, but does that mean that they can take direction? Are they open to exploring, playing, and trying a different approach to the character? Well, there’s a way to find out… Give them some directions!It’s advantageous to allow time in auditions to have students try their monologues again, with some direction from you. The directions you give can run the gamut from practical feedback – such as slowing down, speaking more loudly, or separating their words – to a slight performance change, such as doing the monologue with or without an accent or standing up rather than sitting – to an entirely different approach to the character. This is most likely the biggest challenge for your students, but the most fun as well. If a student presents a dramatic, serious monologue, have them try performing the monologue while pretending to hold back hysterical laughter, or as if they have an urgent need to use the restroom. If their monologue includes a lot of yelling or anger, have them perform as if they are trying not to wake a sleeping baby. Try changing up the location of the monologue – have your student perform their monologue while imagining they are in a hot desert, in a sinking rowboat, or on a roller coaster. Or, switch up who the person is that they are speaking to in the monologue. The tone of a monologue tone would be very different if the character is speaking to their crush, their grandmother, a celebrity, or the prime minister. This technique is a great way to gauge how open the student is to taking direction, how fast they can think on their feet, how attached they are to their initial blocking, and how well they listen. Of course, you cannot expect a polished, perfect performance on the second go, but watch carefully and see what might be glimmering under the surface! If you plan to use this technique in your next round of auditions, be sure to let your students know this in advance so they aren’t completely thrown off during the actual audition. As I always say, this skill (taking direction in the moment) is definitely something that students can practice and develop in the drama classroom! The following mini-exercise is a great way to introduce the concept of taking direction on the fly:1. Have students prepare a brief monologue – only three to five lines. It’s best for students to act as if this was a real audition and memorize their lines, but this exercise also works if the students are still “on book.” Students will perform their brief monologue as if they were doing an audition – focusing on emotions, expression, and gestures – not just saying/reading the lines aloud. (Students should also know what play the monologue is from and what character they are performing.) 2. Take five minutes to brainstorm (as a full class) a list of simple directions that could be used to mix up the monologues. Here are a few to get you started: • Riding a jet-ski • Concerned they may have stepped in something smelly • While chewing gum • On a rollercoaster • While knitting a sweater • Talking to a very small child • In the middle of the Arctic tundra • Riding a horse • After they discover they’ve won the lottery • Trying to dislodge something stuck in their teeth 3. One at a time, students will present their brief monologue to the class, as they have prepared it. 4. Then, you will select one direction from the brainstormed list for them to use as a prompt, and the student will perform their brief monologue again, using that prompt in their performance. 5. How did the student feel after experiencing the new direction for their performance? Feel free to repeat this exercise within the classroom, working up to fully memorized pieces and longer monologues. Distance Learning AdaptationThis exercise can be done as written, using a video conferencing program such as Zoom or Skype. Students will prepare a short monologue, brainstorm a list of directions, present their monologues live on-camera, receive a direction, perform again, and compare how they felt after performing twice. If necessary, have students complete and submit their comparison as a written reflection. Before presenting their monologues, have students discuss the advantages and disadvantages of auditioning on video versus auditioning in-person. Some things to think about may include video quality issues, how you frame yourself in the camera, and avoiding audio problems such as echoes and lag. As well, compare the differences between presenting their monologues live versus pre-recorded.

Cold reading (or sight reading) is where actors read aloud from a script, scene, or text with little to no advanced preparation. It’s frequently used in auditions either instead of or in addition to prepared monologues. Cold readings are great if your students are intimidated by the idea of choosing and memorizing a monologue, or would prefer to audition in a group setting. Cold readings can be challenging though, particularly for students who aren’t the strongest readers. It can also be challenging for students to connect with their scene partners if they’re already busy trying to keep up with just saying the lines correctly. More pros and cons of cold readings can be found here. However, cold reading is a skill that can be practiced and developed in the drama classroom. Here’s a classroom exercise that you can use with your students to practice cold readings. It will take a minimum of three classes to complete, but could be extended if you wish. Directions 1. Pre-Exercise PreparationFor this exercise, you will need, at minimum, enough different scenes for every two students in your class (as they will work in pairs). So, if you have 20 students, you will need 10 two-person scenes. This exercise works if you have your students all work on the same scenes, but it can get a little monotonous to watch over and over. This exercise can also be adapted for larger group scenes or monologue work, but for now we will focus on two-person scenes. If you don’t already have a collection of scenes and monologues for your classroom, start gathering these! Whenever I read a play, I’m always on the lookout for scenes and monologues for my students to use in class. I have a binder full of monologues (read more about that here) and another one with lots of scenes. My scenes binder is organized with dividers for the number of characters in each scene – two-handers, three-handers, four-person scenes, and more than five characters. I also make a note on the top of the page of the character names for easy reference. Theatrefolk also has a great page of free resources to get your scenes and monologues collection started. Check it out here. 2. Class #1Divide students into pairs. You may select the partners yourself, draw names from a hat, or let students select their partners. One pair at a time will come to the front of the class. You will give them one of your two-person scenes, which they will present in front of the class. (You may choose what role your students play within the scene or let them pick – it’s up to you.) After each pair performs, you may wish to give some feedback or have students provide peer feedback – just remember to keep the comments constructive and focused on practical performance notes rather than focusing on whether or not students liked or disliked the scene/characters/writing. Have the students take notes in a practice log of the feedback they receive. After each pair performs, students will individually write some brief notes on their practice log about their thoughts on their own performance. 3. Classes #2 and #3For classes two and three, students will repeat the exercise each day with a new partner and new scene. (You may wish to keep a record of which student performed with which partner and what scene they performed so they aren’t repeating.) Again, after each performance have students record their thoughts and any peer feedback on their practice log. After each student performs with three different partners, they will complete and submit their practice log and an individual Reflection.

Finding the perfect monologue for an upcoming audition is often challenging. Students want to have the best piece possible, but may not know how to go about finding a good monologue, or what even constitutes a “good” monologue. When it comes down to it, every monologue is different, and any individual monologue will be useful for certain shows but not so great for others. A great resource for drama students is to create their own personal monologue notebook. This is simply a collection of monologues that they have discovered, learned a bit about, and copied out. When that student decides to audition for a show, they will then have a handy resource at their fingertips that they can use to help them find an interesting and engaging monologue. Teachers, creating a classroom monologue notebook for your students would also be a very useful resource – you will have a starting point for your drama students when they are looking to find a piece for any upcoming auditions, competitions, or classroom assignments. So print out these instructions and create your own resource! How to create a monologue notebook1. Start looking for great monologues right away, and always be on the lookout for new and exciting pieces. Going to see shows (and getting inspired!) and reading lots of plays can be very time-consuming, but it’s worth it. 2. Start a notebook or binder for collecting interesting monologues that you find. Divide your notebook into four sections: • modern/contemporary comedic • classical comedic • modern/contemporary dramatic • classical dramatic It’s useful to divide your monologue collection in this way so you can pinpoint exactly what you’ll need for each audition. It’s important that your monologue be of the appropriate tone and time period for the show you are auditioning for. Trust me! This is coming from an actor who once auditioned for a production of The Caucasian Chalk Circle with Kate’s final monologue from The Taming of the Shrew. Guess what? I was not cast into the show. That particular monologue was definitely not the best choice for auditioning for that show. But it could be perfect for auditioning for the role of Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing! • Teachers, if you are creating a monologue book as a class resource, you may want to further subdivide the monologues: male, female, and gender flexible monologues – or older versus younger students. 3. When you find a monologue, make a copy of it and add it to your notebook. Be sure to note the name of the play it came from, the author of the play, and the name of the character that says the monologue. You’ll also want to include details such as the time period the show takes place in, any pertinent information about the character (age, their role/purpose in the show, and so on), and what happened to the character just before or just after the scene containing the monologue. This will help you to delve deeper into the character when you use the piece for an audition. 4. Identify the character’s emotion in the monologue and think of adjectives that describe that character. What is the character going through during the monologue? This way you can tailor your monologue selection to something that is similar in feeling to the character you’re auditioning for. • For example, if a monologue you found to add to your notebook is spoken by the character of Jo from Little Women, you might describe her as feisty, strong-willed, creative, or loyal. Her emotions would depend upon where in the script the monologue occurs. For example, Jo would feel completely different when she first meets Laurie than when she decides to move to New York. 5. Look for monologues that are “active” and are actually happening to the character at that moment. Look for strong emotions that will be interesting to embody and perform. There are lots of monologues out there that are just “and this happened and this happened and this happened” which is less than thrilling for the audition panel to listen to. 6. Wondering where to find great monologues? • The best monologues generally come from actual plays. The best way to find those monologues is to read lots of plays and see what’s out there. • Ask your drama teacher for their suggestions of some great (and not-so-great or overdone) monologues. • Start by looking for monologues by characters who are around the same age and the same gender as you. This will help you to narrow down your monologue choices. • Try not to use the first monologues that come up when you do a Google search for “monologues for teens” or some similar search. Those monologues are done over and over because they’re so easy to find, and they tend to make directors and drama teachers fall asleep. • Need help getting started? There are some great monologues from Theatrefolk plays here: Theatrefolk.com: Free Resources. 7. When you do go on audition, make a note in your notebook about which monologue you chose to do for that show, any feedback you received from the director, and how you felt after your audition. Once you’ve been on a few auditions, it will be useful for you to look back and see what’s working and what might not be the best choices for you. You may also notice that there is a monologue or two in your notebook that you never seem to use. If you do notice over time that a monologue doesn’t seem to be working for you, consider removing it from your notebook and passing it along – perhaps that monologue will be more successful in the hands of someone else.

A symphony of sound. A symphony of character. Vivid themes. Vivid characters. Stressed by Alan Haehnel is a true theatrical experience for any drama students looking for a bit of a challenge and a whole lot of fun. For Alex, it’s school. For Josh, it’s his girlfriend. For Carmen, it’s dealing with her coach. And Mindy’s frustrated with her parents. Stress is driving this quartet crazy – so much so they can’t stop talking about it. This play is a symphony of sound and character. A challenging but incredibly fun piece. The incredibly talented group of student performers that make up the Stromness Drama Club off the northeastern coast of Scotland in Orkney , didn’t stress at all about their production of Stressed. In fact, they thrived! “Every year we try to put on a youth production as part of the Scottish Community Drama Association’s one-act play competition. This year we were fortunate (or good!) enough to win the youth trophy and also to come 3rd overall. We also won the Northern Divisional Youth Final and will be competing at the Scottish Finals as well.”