Free Monologues for Auditions: Men, Women, and Kids Too

Ever have trouble finding free monologues for auditions? Not anymore. We hand-picked these monologues to give you the best edge in the audition room.

(Psst... the monologues are at the bottom...)

What IS A Monologue?

Most actors would define a monologue as a dramatic speech. But the actual definition is more specific than that...

For your purposes, a monologue is a scene where only one character speaks. The other character listens. And here's the catch... you're going to imagine that other character standing in front of you.

Why is the definition so important? Because as an actor, you must always be pursuing an objective. You must remain active.

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When we define a monologue by these standards, the amount of material available to you diminishes severely.

That's where we come in. Every monologue on this site adheres to that definition. No passive or vague dramatic speeches on Ace Your Audition. Only concrete, actionable, easily-accessible material.

A Good Monologue

A well-written monologue makes them remember you. Good audition monologues will:

• Be less than two minutes. Two minutes is more than enough to show your stuff. In fact, the auditors have already made their decision after 30 seconds, maybe even less.

• Have a clear objective. You can't just stand there and talk. You have to be actively talking to someone you've imagined, and you must be trying to get something from them.

• Have a distinct beginning, middle, and end. A beginning: A strong first sentence to capture attention. A middle: Lots of juicy content. An end: A strong finish. When your monologue has structure, the auditors are more likely to remember you.



• Contain conflict. Drama cannot exist without conflict. Who wants to see a play about everyone getting along? Boring...

Choosing a Monologue

Actors often get hung up choosing a monologue. But it's very simple: Pick one you love. If you're going to bring it to life, you must first love it.

Also, it's important to choose a few contrasting monologues. Have at least four monologues ready to go at all times:

• A classical comedic
• A classical dramatic
• A contemporary comedic
• A contemporary dramatic

After you decide, read it aloud to yourself. Don't feel any pressure to act. Just listen to the words fall out of you. How do they make you feel? What images come to mind? Maybe you'll want to write down your reactions.

From a Published Play?

It's important to note that the audition monologues featured on this site are NOT from published plays. (With a few exceptions.) We're not in the business of violating intellectual property laws.

If the audition you're preparing for absolutely requires that your material be from a published play,

Is It Overdone?

If you've ever sat in on an audition process, especially if the audition was for a young teenage girl, you've probably heard the Luisa monologue from The Fantasticks. You know the one.... she talks about tasting her tears and her hair turning purple.

When a young teenage actress comes into the audition room with this monologue, the folks behind the table will probably be disappointed. Why? Because they've literally heard that monologue hundreds of times in their career.

It's trite. It's overdone.

There's an unofficial list of monologues that are considered overdone. It's not printed anywhere. It doesn't exist in any place except the collective mind of the theatre community at large. Over the years it expands and contracts, shifting with current times and tastes. If you're unsure about the perceived 'triteness' of a monologue, ask someone: Your audition coach, your drama teacher, a trusted friend.

We won't tell you to steer clear of all monologues that are perceived as overdone, that's for you to decide. But we will say this...

Unless you can bring something you KNOW is unique and special to that otherwise tired, worn-out, dead horse... choose something else.

There's a whole ocean of good material out there. And if you're reading these words, that means you've found some really awesome monologues. Just consult the list below.