Monologues by LGBTQIA+ Writers for LGBTQIA+ Actors: a some scripts anthology

By Effie Rene Martinez

some scripts presents Monologues by LGBTQIA+ Writers for LGBTQIA+ Actors, an anthology building on our work as a literary magazine since 2019. Queer and trans actors deserve a place to seek monologues by scriptwriters that reflect their own lived experiences. Queer and trans scriptwriters deserve to have their pieces published, read, and practiced for the masterpieces they are. Dive in for unique monologues of LGBTQIA+ characters from LGBTQIA+ writers.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Jul 29, 2023
• ISBN: 9781312762824

Book preview

Monologues by LGBTQIA+ Writers for LGBTQIA+ Actors

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a some scripts anthology

edited by Alyssa Cokinis

Copyright © 2023 by some scripts. All rights reserved.

Copyright of individual works is maintained. Each author retains ownership and rights to their contribution(s) within this anthology.

ISBN: 978-1-312-66532-3

ISBN: 978-1-312-76282-4 (epub)

CAUTION: Professionals and amateurs are hereby warned that the scripts present in Monologues by LGBTQIA+ Writers for LGBTQIA+ Actors are subject to use only with the permission of the scriptwriters. All rights, including professional, amateur, motion picture, recitation, lecturing, public reading, radio broadcasting, television, the rights of translation into foreign languages, and any other forms of dissemination are strictly reserved by the permission of the scriptwriters only.

some scripts literary magazine only retains first North American print and electronic serial rights to publish these works in this anthology and therefore does not own the rights to these works and does not represent the scriptwriters. If you wish to contact a scriptwriter about possible licensing or other use of their piece, their agent or own contact information may be found on the page for Contributor Bios. If you have trouble reaching out to them, you may contact [e-mail] for further assistance, but some scripts literary magazine cannot give you the permission and rights to use or perform these pieces. In the monologues’ present forms, the monologues are for the reading public, auditioning actors, and student actors only.

Publication of these monologues does not imply availability for performance, filming, or further publication. Both amateurs and professionals considering a production are strongly advised in their own interests to contact the scriptwriters or their agents for written permission before starting rehearsals/filming, advertising, or booking a venue.

No part of this anthology may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, by any means, now known or yet to be invented, including mechanical, electronic, photocopying, recording, videotaping, or otherwise, without the prior collective written permission of both the editor-in-chief and all participating scriptwriters. 

Each piece that appears in this anthology of some scripts literary magazine was either an invited contribution or anonymously read and chosen by the editor-in-chief.

This anthology was designed and typeset by Alyssa Cokinis in May and June 2023. The text used is 12-point Garamond font. Printed by Lulu in the United States of America.

Cover design by Effie Rene Martinez. Cover design is not to be reproduced or republished without the express permission of the artist.

Letter from the Editor

Dear reader,

It’s happening! I am so thrilled that some scripts is finally publishing an anthology of monologues. This has been a project several years in the making, incubating in my head as I tried to figure out the direction I wanted to take some scripts next for the scriptwriting community and how it could serve as a resource to the general theatre, film, radio, and Zoom working class at large.

This anthology would not have been possible without the ones that have come before it: The Kilroys List anthologies, Smith & Kraus’s WE / US: Monologues for the Gender Minority, the Nonbinary Monologues Project (nonbinarymonologues.wordpress.com), the Methuen Drama Book of Queer Monologues, and many more I’m sure I have not yet discovered. There can never be too many resources for queer and trans actors to find suitable monologues for themselves, that come from the LGBTQIA+ community’s lived experiences and imagination.

An anthology like this would have meant the world to me as an undergraduate studying theatre. I also think seeing new work by scriptwriters is significant for theatre to truly blossom instead of regress. Theatre has always been queer and trans and an environment where we thrive. In the current political landscape, with frequent anti-trans and anti-queer attacks to our rights across the globe, uplifting our voices is more significant than ever.

May you find something worth reading, rehearsing, or recommending in these pages. It’s an honor to have put this together. As an editorial note: not every piece has the same standardization. LGBTQIA+ people are not a monolith.

With strength, solidarity, and love,

Alyssa Cokinis

Founder & Editor-in-Chief

some scripts literary magazine

For Actors

Below is a list of all monologues in this anthology and how the characters pertain to a certain representation under the LGBTQIA+ umbrella. Parentheses denote additional queer identities held and/or specific requirements for the actor (such as race, ethnicity, size, etc., though age is not included in these lists).

Monologues for Unspecified LGBTQIA+ Actors:

Marching Orders

Alight (they/them pronouns)

Fabulous Family

Pillar of Salt’s Monologue from Edith

Yo Soy Awesome (Latinx actors)

On Pins and Needles (male actors)

My Son (Black male actors)

Monologues for Asexual & Aromantic Actors:

Aspec

The Beloved of Valarian from Adventurers Anonymous

like me for me (panromantic)

Abigail’s Monologue from Dear God, I’m Not Gay (bi/panromantic, also lesbian)

Nothing and Everything, or, What It Means to be AroAce

Monologues for Transgender and Nonbinary Actors:

Me’s Monologue from You + Me: An Exploration of Deceased Identities and Falling in Love in Spite of It (non-woman)

Alex’s Monologue from Lifted / Spirits (Vietnamese-American trans woman)

Dill’s Monologue from That Thing in the Bathroom (transmasculine nonbinary person)

Untitled, But Alive (nonbinary, lesbian, bi/pan)

To See and Be Seen (trans woman)

The Nature of Birds (trans man)

Kerouac’s Monologue (nonbinary person, trans woman, lesbian)

I Spend Hours of My Day Staring into Mirrors (nonbinary)

A Letter to My Death Nurse (transmasculine actor)

Monologues for Lesbian Actors:

Humans We Remain (also bi/pan)

Revolutionaries from What We Have Now (or, Valentine’s-f**king-Day) (also bi/pan)

Kate’s Monologue from Ghost Light (also bi/pan)

Zafiya’s Monologue from A to Z (Black actors, also bi/pan)

Untitled, But Alive(nonbinary, also lesbian and bi/pan)

LOVE/OBSESSION (also bi/pan)

Abigail’s Monologue from Dear God, I’m Not Gay (also asexual and bi/pan)

Forbidden Fruit of Tabriz (Iranian actors, also bi/pan)

C Is for Cupid (also bi/pan)

Maya’s Monologue from Pas d’Action (also bi/pan)

Big Feelings (mid-/fat-sized actors)

Kerouac’s Monologue from Happy Pills (also nonbinary/trans)

The Last Reading of Charlotte Cushman

Monologues for Bi & Pan Actors:

Kate’s Monologue from Ghost Light (also lesbian)

like me for me (also asexual)

Humans We Remain (also lesbian)

Zafiya’s Monologue from A to Z (Black actors, also lesbian)

Revolutionaries from What We Have Now (or, Valentine’s-f**king-Day) (also lesbian)

Fern’s Monologue from Happy Pills

Untitled, But Alive(nonbinary, also lesbian)

LOVE/OBSESSION (also lesbian)

Abigail’s Monologue from Dear God, I’m Not Gay (also asexual and lesbian)

Forbidden Fruit of Tabriz (Iranian actors, also lesbian)

Jared’s Monologue from Unstuck (also gay)

C Is for Cupid (also lesbian)

Maya’s Monologue from Pas d’Action (also bi/pan)

Monologues for Gay Actors:

The Transformative Nature of Love

Humans We Remain (also bi/pan)

Bart

What You Will

On Meeting Another Harrison

Flight Announcement

B’s Monologue from Place of Departure (or The Airport Play) (multiracial Korean-Caucasian actors)

Do Unto Others

Jared’s Monologue from Unstuck (also bi/pan)

So, What’s the Deal with Machismo-Ism? (Latino actors)

The First Time

The Sweetest Sounds

Intestate: A Pandemic Monologue

Monologues by LGBTQIA+ Writers for LGBTQIA+ Actors

a some scripts anthology

edited by Alyssa Cokinis

Marching Orders

by Peter Dakutis

Context: Marching Orders pokes fun at Don’t Say Gay laws through an announcement from the spokesperson for an imaginary LGBTQIA+ council. This would be the same council that supposedly sets the gay agenda. The queer community has a proud history of enhancing its defiance and activism with humor. No trigger warnings.

Lights up on SPOKESPERSON, speaking from a podium.

SPOKESPERSON 

Ladies and gentlemen. Queens and kings. People of every gender, non-gender, and everyone in between. The Grand High Exalted Supreme Council of LGBTQIA+++ Persons has a very important announcement. 

With regard to recent laws banning the word gay, the Supreme Council has decided we are not going to fight them. Now, don’t get your undies in an uproar. What’s in a name? A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.  

The haters actually did us a kindness. Frankly, gay was getting a little tired. The Council decided it was time for remodeling. Henceforth, we are replacing the word gay with festive.  

Let the bigots have gay. It’s not going to do anything for their dreary lives. We’ll go on being our fabulous selves and sharing our gifts with the world. They’ll never make us go away. They’ll only make us stronger. 

Therefore, our agenda will now be known as the festive agenda. We will celebrate Festive Pride and wave our festive flags. We’ll go to festive bars. Gaydar will now be known as our festive finder. And when we’re with the Flintstones, we’ll have a festive time. 

The Supremes have spoken. So now, baby loves, oh ooh ooh ooh, baby loves, you’ve been given your orders. March festively forward. Glitter and be festive! 

Thank you. 

Lights down.

Me’s Monologue from You + Me: An Exploration of Deceased Identities and Falling in Love in Spite of It

by Mattie Tindall

Synopsis: This short, quirky play centers Me and You – an unlikely pair that start as strangers and end up as lovers. You find Me at a grave mourning my womanhood, who has recently died.