Great Monologues: And How to Give Winning Auditions

By Glenn Alterman

A must-have resource for aspiring actors: both monologues to audition with and a step-by-step guide on the best monologue audition preparation!

Great Monologues: And How to Give Winning Auditions is primarily for actors looking for excellent acting monologues for their monologue auditions. There are original monologues written specifically for auditions, as well as monologues from award-winning playwright Glenn Alterman’s plays. There are comedic, dramatic, and serio-comedic monologues for all audition calls.

Great Monologues also offers a step-by-step process to prepare for all monologue auditions. The monologues offered run from one minute to five minutes, thus covering all audition times. There are also a number of in-depth interviews with major casting directors, directors, and theatre company artistic directors. If you are an aspiring actor in need of an audition monologue, or want the best advice on how to properly audition with a monologue, Great Monologues: And How to Give Winning Auditions is a must-have in your collection!

Allworth Press, an imprint of Skyhorse Publishing, publishes a broad range of books on the visual and performing arts, with emphasis on the business of art. Our titles cover subjects such as graphic design, theater, branding, fine art, photography, interior design, writing, acting, film, how to start careers, business and legal forms, business practices, and more. While we don't aspire to publish a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are deeply committed to quality books that help creative professionals succeed and thrive. We often publish in areas overlooked by other publishers and welcome the author whose expertise can help our audience of readers.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Allworth
• Release date: Feb 21, 2023
• ISBN: 9781621538066

Glenn Alterman

Glenn Alterman is a multi-award winning playwright, the author of 26 theater related books (including 10 books of original monologues), listed in both the Guiness Book of World Records and RecordSetter.com (Author of "Most Published Original Monologues")a screen writer, actor, and a highly respected monologue/audition acting coach ("Best Monologue Audition Coach"- Backstage and Theater Resource Magazine- Glennalterman.com). He was born in Brooklyn, New York. His books include: Street Talk, Original Monologues For Actors, An Actors Guide- Making It In New York (and the recently released, completely revised "Second Edition"). The Perfect Audition Monologue, Glenn Alterman's Secrets To Successful Cold Readings, Sixty Seconds To Shine--101 One Minute monologues, Creating Your Own Monologue (and the 2nd edition), Promoting Your Acting Career, Two Minutes and Under (Original Monologues for Actors, Volumes 1, 2, and 3), Street Talk (Original Character Monologues for Actors), Uptown (More Original Monologues For Actors), The Job Book: One Hundred Acting Jobs for Actors, The Job Book 2: One Hundred Day Jobs for Actors, What to Give Your Agent for Christmas, and Two Minute Monologues. Two Minutes and Under, Street Talk, and Uptown were the number one best-selling books of original monologues in 1998, 1999, and 2005 and, along with Creating Your Own Monologue, Promoting Your Acting Career, The Job Book, The Job Book 2, and Two Minutes and Under, were all "Featured Selections" in the Doubleday Book Club (Fireside Theater and Stage and Screen Division"). Most of his published works have gone on to multiple printings. As a playwright, Mr. Alterman is the recipient of the first Julio T. Nunez Artist's Grant, The Arts and Letters Award in Drama, and several international arts grants. He's won over 50 national and international playwriting awards. His play The Pain in the Poetry was published in 2009 The Best Ten Minute Plays For 2 or More Actors. "After" was selected to be in "2011- The Best 10-Minute Plays", and "Second Tiers", in "2012- The Best 10-Minute Plays". 13 of his plays have appeared in "Best Play" anthologies. Mr. Alterman's plays, Like Family and The Pecking Order, were optioned by Red Eye Films (with Alterman writing the screenplay). His play, Solace, was produced off-Broadway by the Circle East Theater Company (formerly Circle Rep Theater Company). Nobody's Flood won the Bloomington National Playwriting Competition, as well as being a finalist in the Key West Playwriting Competition. Coulda-Woulda-Shoulda won the Three Genres Playwriting Competition twice, two years in a row! The prize included publication of the play in the Prentice Hall textbook, used in college theater departments all over the country. To date, it has appeared in 3 separate edition of that text book. Mr. Alterman wrote the book for Heartstrings: The National Tour (commissioned by DIFFA, the Design Industries Foundation for Aids), a thirty-five city tour that starred Michelle Pfeiffer, Ron Silver, Susan Sarandon, Marlo Thomas, and Sandy Duncan. Other plays include Kiss Me When It's Over (commissioned by E. Weissman Productions), starring and directed by André De Shields; Tourists of the Mindfield (finalist in the L. Arnold Weissberger Playwriting Competition at New Dramatists); and Street Talk/Uptown (based on his monologue books), produced at the West Coast Ensemble. Goin' Round on Rock Solid Ground and Unfamiliar Faces were finalists at the Actors Theater of Louisville's playwriting competition. Spilt Milk received its premiere at the Beverly Hills Rep/Theater 40 in Los Angeles and was selected to participate in the Samuel French One-Act Festival. The Danger of Strangers won Honorable Mention in the Deep South Writers Conference Competition, was a finalist in the George R. Kernodle Contest, was selected to be in the Pittsburgh New Works Festival and has had over 35 productions, including at Circle Rep Lab, the West Bank Downstairs Theater Bar (starring James Gandolfini), the Emerging Artists Theater Company's one-act marathon, the Vital Theater Company in New York, and, most recently, with the Workshop Theater Company. There have been many productions of his original monologues play, "God In Bed", both in the United States and in Europe. Mr. Alterman's work has been performed at Primary Stages, Ensemble Studio Theater (EST), Circle in the Square Downtown, HERE, LaMaMa, The Workshop Theater Company, in the Turnip Festival, at the Duplex, Playwrights Horizons, at several theaters on Theater Row in New York, as well as at many theaters around the country. Mr. Alterman has been a guest artist and given master classes and seminars on "Monologues" and "The Business of Acting" at such diverse places as the Governor's School for the Arts in Norfolk, Virginia, the Edward Albee Theater Conference (Valdez, Alaska), Southampton College, Western Connecticut State College, Broadway Artists Alliance, The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA), the Dramatists Guild, the Learning Annex, the Screen Actors Guild, the Seminar Center, in the Boston Public School System, and at many acting schools and colleges all over the country. He is a member of the Actors Studio Playwrights Unit and The Dramatists Guild. In 1993, Mr. Alterman created the Glenn Alterman Studios, where actors receive monologue/audition coaching, as well as career preparation. He was named "Best Monologue/Audition Coach in the Tri-State Area" by Theater Resources Magazine and as "The Best Private Acting Coach In New York", by the readers of Back Stage. He presently lives in New York City, where he's working on several plays, works on TV commercials, and coaches actors. He recently completed his latest book,tentatively titled, "Writing The Ten Minute Play (A book For Playwrights and Actors Wanting To Write Plays)", for Applause Books, and is about to start work on his 10th original monologue book (and 25th book) On the Web, he can be reached at www.glennalterman.com.

Book preview

Copyright © 2023 by Glenn Alterman

All rights reserved. Copyright under Berne Copyright Convention, Universal Copyright Convention, and Pan American Copyright Convention. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the express written consent of the publisher, except in the case of brief excerpts in critical reviews or articles. All inquiries should be addressed to Allworth Press, 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018.

Allworth Press books may be purchased in bulk at special discounts for sales promotion, corporate gifts, fund-raising, or educational purposes. Special editions can also be created to specifications. For details, contact the Special Sales Department, Allworth Press, 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018 or [e-mail].

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Published by Allworth Press, an imprint of Skyhorse Publishing, Inc., 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018. Allworth Press® is a registered trademark of Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.®, a Delaware corporation.

www.allworth.com

Cover design by Mary Ann Smith

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.

Print ISBN: 978-1-62153-805-9

eBook ISBN: 978-1-62153-806-6

Printed in the United States of America

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I’d like to thank the following theater companies for their help in the development of the monologues in this book.

The American Renaissance Theater Company

The Miramax Playwrights Group

New Circle Theater Company (and the New Circle Theater Company Writers Group)

Shoptalk Theater Group

The Village Playwrights

The Workshop Theater Company

Also, thank you to the casting directors, theater company artistic directors, and directors who took the time to give interviews and share their insights for this book.

CONTENTS

Introduction

CHAPTER 1: ALL ABOUT MONOLOGUES AND MONOLOGUE AUDITIONS

What Is a Monologue?

Why Are Actors Required to Do Monologues for Their Auditions?

How to Prepare Your Monologues for Auditions

The Monologue Audition

CHAPTER 2: ADVICE FROM CASTING DIRECTORS, AGENTS, AND DIRECTORS

Interview with Risa Bramon Garcia

Advice from Casting Directors about Monologues for Auditions

Arnold Mungioli

Diane Heery

Adrienne Stern

Alan Filderman

CHAPTER 3: INTERVIEWS WITH THEATER COMPANY ARTISTIC DIRECTORS AND DIRECTORS

Nicole Garbellini

Kathleen Swan

Vernice Miller

Janice Goldberg

Joan Kane

Keith Greer

CHAPTER 4: WOMEN’S MONOLOGUES

DEBRA

Dramatic

Late teens

Debra wakes up in a very anxious state, dreading the day ahead of her.

DASHA

Dramatic

Twenties to thirties

Dasha, a Ukrainian actress, tells the story of how she ended up coming to the United States.

SALLY

Dramatic

Late teens, early twenties

Sally tries to convince her friend to leave the small town they live in so he can go to the city, where a good job is waiting for him.

CHARON

Seriocomic

Mid-twenties to forties

Charon playfully flirts with a man she met in a bar a few hours earlier.

ROBERTA

Seriocomic

Any age

Roberta confronts her husband about an addiction that is ruining their marriage.

MARYANNE

(from Talking to Strangers in Bars)

Dramatic

Thirty and older

Maryanne confesses why she goes to happy hours at bars.

EILEEN

Dramatic

Forty and older

Eileen is very excited about the man who is being honored on this night.

VERNICE

(from Nobody’s Flood)

Seriocomic

Forties to fifties

Vernice tells her son how her husband does things that he hopes will make her think she’s crazy.

ALYCIA

Seriocomic

Late teens to early twenties

Alycia is very nervous on her first internet date.

MARGO

Comedic

Twenties to thirties

On a first date with a man she just met in church, Margo decides to tell him about the kind of man she’s looking for.

MARGARET

Dramatic

Thirties to fifties

Margaret is about to surprise her husband, a sports icon, who she hasn’t seen in a year.

LE-ANNE

(from Tourists of the Mindfield)

Seriocomic

Thirties to fifties

Le-Anne reveals a secret inner rage because of the way her husband treats her.

CAROLYN

Dramatic

Thirties and older

Carolyn argues with her husband about his relationship with her father.

GLORIA

Seriocomic

Forties to fifties

Gloria desperately tries to convince her husband to have some fun with her.

LAUREN

Dramatic

Thirties to fifties

Lauren talks about how she and her dog survived a terrible accident that just happened in her apartment building.

MARGERY

(from Tourists of the Mindfield)

Seriocomic

Sixty-five and older

Margery tries to explain why she just committed a crime.

CELIA

Dramatic

Thirties to forties

Celia, a very religious Christian woman, is upset when she discovers what her husband exposed their young daughter to.

JOAN

Dramatic

Twenties to thirties

Joan has had her eye on a shy man at a party they’re both attending. Here she reveals some secret things about herself to him.

MOM

(from Forgetting to Forgive)

Seriocomic

Fifties to sixties

Mom tells her son why she attempted suicide.

STEPHANIE

Seriocomic

Thirties to fifties

Stephanie warns her sister about the new job she’s about to start in a beauty salon.

YVETTE

Comedic

Twenties to thirties

Yvette, an actress, is very excited about what might turn into a big opportunity for her.

RHONA

Dramatic

Thirties to forties

Rhona reveals how she really feels about her boss.

MOM 2

(from Forgetting to Forgive)

Seriocomic

Mid-fifties to seventies

Mom recalls the years when she was a real beauty and how she used that to her advantage with men.

KATHLEEN

(from Tourists of the Mindfield)

Dramatic

Adult

Kathleen, a religious woman, recently discovered something about a close friend that has upset her.

FRAN

Comedic

Thirties to fifties

Fran explains to a police officer how she accidentally didn’t ring up some items at the checkout counter at a store.

CARRIE

Seriocomic

Thirties to forties

Carrie finally gets to tell her boss her true feelings.

ANGELA

Comedic

Twenties to thirties

Angela has finally gotten her COVID-19 vaccine. Here she tells her coworker why she got it now.

HELEN

Dramatic

Thirties

Helen recalls having a major anxiety attack, and how she dealt with it.

HELENE

(from Two Ladies Sitting in a Garden)

Dramatic

Sixties to seventies

Helene is sitting with her friend Marla in the garden of the assisted-living home where they both live. Both women are gay. Here she tells Marla about the love of her life, her soul mate.

MARLA

(from Two Ladies Sitting in a Garden)

Dramatic

Sixties to seventies

Marla tells her friend about her fun-filled early days in the bars.

ETTA

(from Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda)

Comedic

Thirties to forties

Etta tells her husband about an odd event that happened earlier that day while giving her young son a bath.

MARLA 2

(from Two Ladies Sitting in a Garden)

Dramatic

Sixties to seventies

Marla tells her friend about her experiences at Stonewall.

ARLENE

(from Bar N(One))

Comedic

Thirties to forties

Arlene tells her friend about a neurotic young actor she was dating.

CEIL

(from The Sealing of Ceil)

Dramatic

Thirties

After some prodding from a close friend, Ceil confesses what she secretly does during her afternoons.

SHE

(from The Danger of Strangers)

Dramatic

Thirties

She has just invited a man up to her apartment. Here she tells him about her bedroom.

CARRIE 2

Dramatic

Twenties to thirties

Carrie tries to deal with seeing her father after many years.

CHAPTER 5: MEN’S MONOLOGUES

MICHAEL

Seriocomic

Thirties to forties

Michael is delighted that his wife has come to meet with him at the spiritual retreat he’s attending.

JAMES

Dramatic

Adult/any age

James discusses how he and a buddy had a traumatic experience while drinking.

LIAM

Comedic

Any age

Liam is annoyed about once again being interrupted while he’s working on a deadline.

HERB

Seriocomic

Thirties to forties

Herb tells his friend about a woman he met at a bar.

LIONEL

Dramatic

Any age

Lionel’s innermost thoughts in a tense theatrical situation.

KEV

Dramatic

Twenties

Kev tries to control his speeding mind. He shares his crazy thoughts with his girlfriend.

BRAD

Seriocomic

Thirties to fifties

Very experienced, Brad is giving the new guy a lesson on what works in the place they both work.

HAROLD

(from War of the Waves)

Dramatic

Any age

Harold recalls what happened on Friday nights before he went to sleep as a young boy.

ALEXANDER

Comedic

Mid-twenties to mid-thirties

Alexander finally decides to stand up to his wife on an issue that’s been bothering him for a long time.

CASEY

Dramatic

Forty and older

Casey has bumped into a woman he used to have a thing with in the bar they met in.

MEL

(from Ditmas)

Dramatic

Thirties to fifties

Mel has just bumped into his junior high school friend who he has never forgotten all these years later.

LARRY

Comedic

Middle-aged

Larry, a producer, tells a young actress he’s just met about how Judy Holliday got her big break in Bells Are Ringing on Broadway.

MARTY

(from Like Family)

Dramatic

Forties

Marty tells his sister Helen how he just murdered a man who had wanted to sleep with her.

ALEX

Seriocomic

Any age

A gentle man tells how he made it big in movies.

SHERIDAN

(from The Pain in the Poetry)

Comedic

Twenties to forties

His wife is seated in a comfortable chair, knitting. Sheridan enters and shares a big secret he’s been keeping from her for two years.

MICKEY

(from Nobody’s Flood)

Dramatic

Twenties

Mickey tells his brother about a recent medical diagnosis that he just received. (The play takes place in the 1980s.)

THE WRITER

Dramatic

Any age

The inner thoughts of The Writer as he’s trying to write.

SON

(from Forgetting to Forgive)

Dramatic

Middle-aged

Son tells his mother about the difficulties of being newly single as a middle-aged gay man.

TIM

(from Sunset at Santorini)

Seriocomic

Thirties to forties

Tim shares the rewards of their work with his partner in crime.

STORYTELLER 2

(from Bar N(One))

Dramatic

Any age

Storyteller 2 recalls his grandmother and her bars.

MARV

(from Talking to Strangers in Bars)

Dramatic

Thirties to forties

Marv confesses to a woman he’s just met in a bar at happy hour.

GENE

Dramatic

Middle-aged

Gene, a priest, tries to convince his young student that he must see the head priest.

HE

(from Under Tussauds)

Seriocomic

Any age

He tells