A monologue is an actor's best tool when going into an audition. It's not required, but it is highly encouraged. Having a monologue not only shows off your acting chops, but it also makes the jobs of the Stage Manager and their team a million times easier when it comes to casting. Most monologues range between a minute and a half to two and a half minutes and is classified as dialogue spoken by a single person with no interruptions by other characters.
After deciding if you are going to perform a monologue or not, the next step is to choose the style of monologue. Of course, you always want to play to your strengths. If you are unsure about the different role types of a haunt I suggest taking a look at "Haunt 101: Types of Characters" here on the Southern Spooks blog. As I mentioned there, there are SIX major haunt archetypes (in my opinion):
- Crazy
- Creature
- Zombie
- Creepy
- Dramatic
- Childlike
The internet is an amazing place to find very specific monologues. There's a website called Simply Scripts where you can find the script to almost any movie, tv show, or play and there are also original scripts that haven't been produced yet (so, chances are that your Stage Manager or Casting Director hasn't read or seen your chosen monologue before and destroys any previous opinions that could be made. For example: it's like when you watch Harry Potter before reading the books and think the movies are better. ....shame on you). There are also other places to find scripts such as YouTube or just reading a book full of them. There are so many places to find a monologue, but don't take too long. You only have a month or two left to prepare.
If you are unable to find a monologue to your taste, you can always write your own monologue or tweak one that you already like. (WARNING: Skilled writers are best suited for this course of action. Write at your own risk.) My main advice when it comes to writing a monologue is to really flesh out the character you are writing for and know the feeling you are going for. Don't walk in with a one dimensional monologue that doesn't even fit the haunt theme (Like a scene of Becky complaining on the phone with her mom about her double whip frap that was only single whipped and she is totes upset. Take that somewhere else...like community theatre for the elderly or something.) Most monologues convey a feeling or have some kind of end goal.
Another thing to keep in mind when choosing/writing your monologue is the "wow factor." This is your time to impress your future employers. Give them something they haven't seen before. What that "wow factor" is for you is specific to you, so I can't tell you exactly how to accomplish this, but I can give a small example. There was a boy last year who auditioned for a role that was typically played by a female. At first, everyone was rather skeptical, having only seen this role performed one way. With little faith, the audition began and, instantly, this boy's voice dropped to a deep, African accent (which was much different than the original character's southern drawl) and he performed a scene similar to the role he was after. Let's just say, this got Cain's attention. Over night, the role was rewritten and given to this new actor...because he had the "wow factor" that worked for him and was a skill nobody at the haunt already had. It was unique. Unique is rare and rarity is greatly sought after. Remember that.
So far, I've only talked to those auditioning for the first time. What about the veteran actors who are returning for another season? Don't think I've forgotten you. Of course, the "wow factor" advice still applies to you, but it may be a smidgen trickier (as it will be with me this year). If you know you want your same character from last year, simply come in with a monologue that you know would suit your character. Maybe add a few flairs or try to change it up a bit with the tone or movements. It just takes practice and hours of watching yourself in the mirror. The exception to this is for those actors that have a hunger to do more (which all actors should be). To some who wish to show their versatility, knowing your character types is a HUGE factor. If I know that I'm good at playing cute and childlike characters and have fallen into that trope, perhaps I can portray a cute character who also verges on the sexy side of the spectrum. If I know I play dramatic characters well, I would flip the switch and audition as a crazy character instead. But tread lightly down this path. Only perform what you KNOW you can pull off. Nothing can hurt an actor more than having a dud audition. It's up to you if you play it safe or take your chances.
To everyone, when you are choosing your monologue, choose what feels right to you. If you're not sure if something sounds or looks right, ask a friend for help. The worst thing an actor can do is practice alone. Critique is important when preparing for an audition. Find a friend. Practice voices. Practice movements. Work on your delivery of each line. Don't let them go easy on you. Get feedback! That is the secret key to preparing for your monologue. A wise man once said, "When acting, it's easy to impress a stranger because they can't be harsh and truthful, but it's even harder to impress a close friend because they will speak their mind and tell you when you're just plain dog shit." (I had the best acting professors ever.) Just imagine, if you can blow your friends' minds, what will you do to the people who are auditioning you?
Once you have your monologue and have memorized it, the next thing to focus on is your stage presence and auditioning etiquette, but we will save that for another time, my pretties. Until then, stay scary and happy hauntings!
From your Wicked Witch of the South,
Jaz
Join the #SpookSquad at http://www.facebook.com/southernspooks.haunt
or Follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @southernspooks
Comments
Post a Comment