by C. M. Butler-Hardy
(London)
QUESTION:
I’m auditioning for drama schools in the coming year and I am looking around for monologues that best suit me. How can I know if the monologue suits me or not, and how do I find the ideal monologues for me?
ANSWER:
Start by reading our tips on choosing audition monologues, keeping in mind that for full time drama schools, you’ll definitely want to only pick monologues from published plays.
Your number one goal should be to pick monologues that show your potential. Although polished acting skills are great to have, drama schools are looking for that seed of talent that could make you a great actor. So before you think of picking monologues, take a little time to think about where your potential lies. Write down anything that comes to mind. Not just your strength as a performer but also your best personality traits. Ask friends and family what they think your talents are and what they think is most unique about you as a person.
Sometimes you can also find clues by thinking of why you want to be an actor. Is it because you love to be on stage in front of others? Maybe you need a bigger than life audition piece that showcases your enthusiastic personality. Is it that you want to make a difference by acting in meaningful life-changing movies? Look at plays from more politically engaged writers. It’s really important that you’re 100 per cent committed to your monologue if you want to overcome the natural stress that comes with auditioning.
Also think about type, in particular whether you are more of a lead type, best friend type or character type. This is not to pigeonhole you for your studies, but just to make the most use of your contrasting monologue. Drama schools usually ask for at least 2 monologues, one contemporary and one classical. It’s a good idea, of course, to pick one comedic and one dramatic monologue. You can choose one monologue that showcases your potential (the actor you can become) and one monologue that shows your type (the characters you can just do easily and naturally). This way the drama school will see it all!
Once you have picked the acting schools you want to audition for, make sure you read their audition piece instructions carefully. Some schools have very specific requirements.
Good luck! I hope you use the comment section below to let us know how you did at the auditions.