What is a Monologue?
In the strictest terms, a monologue is a piece of theater that features only one character speaking. The character might be alone and talking to himself or directly to the audience, or the character might be speaking to another character or characters. No matter who this character is speaking to, behind each great monologue there is an actor who helps bring the character’s voice to life.
In the strictest terms, a monologue is a piece of theater that features only one character speaking. The character might be alone and talking to himself or directly to the audience, or the character might be speaking to another character or characters. No matter who this character is speaking to, behind each great monologue there is an actor who helps bring the character’s voice to life.
Activities for Aspiring Monologue Writers:
For writers, inspiration can come from so many places. It can come from within, as a writer reflects on her own story or a passion she holds dear. A writer might also turn her eyes outward for inspiration, to see what inspiration there is in the world around her. Or, a writer might challenge her imagination to be limitless, crafting a location that doesn’t exist or giving voice to an object or entity that normally doesn’t have one. As you consider what to write for your monologue, here are three activities below that might help to get you started!
For writers, inspiration can come from so many places. It can come from within, as a writer reflects on her own story or a passion she holds dear. A writer might also turn her eyes outward for inspiration, to see what inspiration there is in the world around her. Or, a writer might challenge her imagination to be limitless, crafting a location that doesn’t exist or giving voice to an object or entity that normally doesn’t have one. As you consider what to write for your monologue, here are three activities below that might help to get you started!
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Rich Descriptions
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Things That...
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Mining the Heart
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Want to write a monologue, but not sure where to start? No matter where you are, the area around you is perfect inspiration for creating a monologue. All you will need is your five senses, something to write with, and a piece of paper for this exercise to lead you to building dynamic characters with rich monologues.
Here's a great way to begin thinking about a monologue with a message! Our personal experiences in our lives and the world around us can be used as inspiration when crafting a monologue. Follow this exercise to activate those moments and to bring a new life to your stories.
Following your heart can lead you to some interesting situations, especially if you're a character! Do you have a character in mind that you'd like to flesh out? What better way to do it than to figure out the real, emotional, and heart-filled things in your characters life? In this exercise you will be doodling and brainstorming to build the ins and outs of your characters heart.
Monologue Writing Student Advice
Resident Playwrights Kaya Trefz and Brenden Dahl share their advice for other student writers!
For more inspiration:
HOW ACTORS APPROACH MONOLOGUES
Below, professional Actress Anjoli Santiago talks about monologues from an actor’s perspective:
What is a monologue from an actor’s point of view?
Monologues are a character’s need to take the moment to work through their emotions. Or, it is the reaction to an action. A monologue allows a character to outwardly process a conflict, either to another character, to the audience, or to themselves. Monologues can also reveal information, or they can be used to justify actions and decisions. Sometimes monologues can reveal a moment of truth, or aid the character in further entrenching themselves in a lie.
What does a monologue do within a play?
In plays, monologues are a moment of respite from the action of the play where the audience gets to see the inner workings of the characters mindset. It’s like opening a door to a secret room full of neglected items. When the door is open and an item is introduced - let’s say shame for example - it alters the energy in the room, or in this case, it can alter the energy in the play.
What does a monologue do within a larger play from an actor’s point of view?
As an actor a monologue within a play usually denotes the characters most vulnerable moment. I am either pleading, forgiving, inciting, shaming, or a plethora of other tactics which come from the urgent desire to pacify my immediate objective. When a monologue is active, in a sense when the character is actively fighting for something as opposed to recounting the fight that has past, it gives the actor motives to be able to articulate the characters desire.
How is a stand-alone monologue different?
A stand-alone monologue has potential to carry the audience through a character’s journey in a short amount of time. As a playwright, you have the opportunity to use monologue writing as a vehicle or tool to convey a message. A monologue that is not tied to a play can allude to a greater story, and we as an audience only see three minutes of it, or it can be an all inclusive story, in which we get the characters intentions and see their journey
As an actor, what is like to perform a monologue?
As an actor performing a monologue is like running a relay, but instead of being on a team, you have the baton; you are running alone. Monologues are miniature plays. All of the basic elements of effective storytelling can be found in a well-crafted monologue. In a play, I can leverage my energy and emotions off my stage partners, but in a monologue there are only three elements: the writing, the audience, and the actor. It took me a long time to build my confidence to stand onstage and experience a journey alone. It is the best exercise for acting. So if any of you are actors, read your and your peer’s monologue out loud, not only will you be helping your writing, but you’ll be getting excellent practice as an actor as well.
Below, professional Actress Anjoli Santiago talks about monologues from an actor’s perspective:
What is a monologue from an actor’s point of view?
Monologues are a character’s need to take the moment to work through their emotions. Or, it is the reaction to an action. A monologue allows a character to outwardly process a conflict, either to another character, to the audience, or to themselves. Monologues can also reveal information, or they can be used to justify actions and decisions. Sometimes monologues can reveal a moment of truth, or aid the character in further entrenching themselves in a lie.
What does a monologue do within a play?
In plays, monologues are a moment of respite from the action of the play where the audience gets to see the inner workings of the characters mindset. It’s like opening a door to a secret room full of neglected items. When the door is open and an item is introduced - let’s say shame for example - it alters the energy in the room, or in this case, it can alter the energy in the play.
What does a monologue do within a larger play from an actor’s point of view?
As an actor a monologue within a play usually denotes the characters most vulnerable moment. I am either pleading, forgiving, inciting, shaming, or a plethora of other tactics which come from the urgent desire to pacify my immediate objective. When a monologue is active, in a sense when the character is actively fighting for something as opposed to recounting the fight that has past, it gives the actor motives to be able to articulate the characters desire.
How is a stand-alone monologue different?
A stand-alone monologue has potential to carry the audience through a character’s journey in a short amount of time. As a playwright, you have the opportunity to use monologue writing as a vehicle or tool to convey a message. A monologue that is not tied to a play can allude to a greater story, and we as an audience only see three minutes of it, or it can be an all inclusive story, in which we get the characters intentions and see their journey
As an actor, what is like to perform a monologue?
As an actor performing a monologue is like running a relay, but instead of being on a team, you have the baton; you are running alone. Monologues are miniature plays. All of the basic elements of effective storytelling can be found in a well-crafted monologue. In a play, I can leverage my energy and emotions off my stage partners, but in a monologue there are only three elements: the writing, the audience, and the actor. It took me a long time to build my confidence to stand onstage and experience a journey alone. It is the best exercise for acting. So if any of you are actors, read your and your peer’s monologue out loud, not only will you be helping your writing, but you’ll be getting excellent practice as an actor as well.
