About the Book
Contemporary Monologues for Young Actors features 54 original monologues created specifically for actors and acting students ages 7-14 and for the teachers, directors and acting coaches who work with them.
These refreshing monologues encompass a broad range of circumstances and emotions perfect for young actors seeking new material to explore - some of which will appeal to slightly younger actors and others of which will excite slightly older actors. Here are some of the features of this book:
- A broad range of circumstances and emotions, from comedic to heartfelt to quirky
- Emotional arcs and strong endings to challenge actors and keep audiences engaged
- Modern day topics with contemporary language
- Convenient organization from "younger" to "older" as the book progresses
- Ideal for auditions, as short performance pieces or for use in the classroom
This resource was created by Beat by Beat Press, the same award-winning publisher of Teaching Drama: The Essential Handbook, a #1 best-seller on Amazon which has sold over 35,000 copies and has been translated into 5 languages.
PLEASE NOTE: This is the only official volume of this title that has been tested and proven in thousands of classrooms around the world. Please check for the Beat by Beat logo before purchasing any similar products online to assure you're receiving the highest quality of material for young actors.
Below are sample monologues from the book:
SHARING
Some people think I don't like sharing, but that isn't true at all. I love sharing. I mean, what's not to love about being able to go up to someone and say, "Hey, can I have some of that candy?" And then they give you some! Or, "Can I ride your bike for a while?" And then you get to ride their bike! Sharing is awesome. Sometimes you have to be careful, though. Like if someone comes up to me and says, "Can I have one of your cookies?" Well, if I gave them a cookie, then I might not have any cookies left to share with other people and that would be, like, the opposite of sharing. So I have to say no. Because sharing is really important.
SCOUT
Before we moved here, we had this big dog named Scout. Mom always said he was a total mutt, but I think he was also part collie. And maybe part golden retriever. But he was definitely at least half mutt. Scout was supposed to be the whole family's dog, but he was really mine. I mean, after school, it was me he would be waiting for. And when anyone threw his ball, I'm the one he always brought it back to. And at night, it was always my bed he slept in. But before we moved here, my Mom found out we weren't allowed to have any pets, so we had to give him away to my cousins. I don't really talk about it, but sometimes I dream about Scout. He's got his ball in his mouth and he's looking for me. And I'm saying, "Here, Scout. I'm right here." But he doesn't hear me, and he can't see me, and I'm saying, "I'm right here. Scout. I'm right here." And then, I don't know, I guess I wake up . . . I don't know if Scout dreams about me.
About the Author: DOUGLAS M. PARKER is an award-winning playwright and lyricist. His works include the musical, Life on the Mississippi (book and lyrics), based on Mark Twain's classic autobiographical coming-of-age tale; BESSIE: The Life and Music of Bessie Smith, based on the rise and fall of the great American blues singer; Thicker Than Water, a drama based on the Andrea Yates tragedy; Declarations, a Young Audience historical drama drawn from the letters of John and Abigail Adams from their earliest courtship through the summer of 1776; and The Private History of a Campaign That Failed, a Young Audience comedy based on Mark Twain's true, humorous memoire of his time as a lieutenant in the Confederacy's least accomplished, most forgotten regiment.
