Choosing Your Monologue
Pick a monologue you love. Passion shows, so when you have the opportunity to pick your monologue, make sure to pick something that you really like. That passion will come through in your delivery. If you're bored by the monologue, it will show to the audience. Try looking for monologues at sites like https://stageagent.com/monologues and http://www.monologuearchive.com/.
Look at dramatic literature for your monologue. Don't choose a sonnet or poem, for instance, as that doesn't give your audience enough information about how you perform dramatic works. Choose a text that's meant to be performed in a dramatic context, unless otherwise specified. Similarly, don't pick a self-written piece or even a stand-alone piece you find in a monologue book that was written by that author. Make sure it comes from a play, musical, or film/television unless the casting director or agent requests something different. For instance, an example of a classic monologue is Hamlet's "To Be or Not To Be" speech.
Opt for a piece that has transitions between different emotions. A 1-note monologue doesn't really show off your acting. Instead, look for something that moves between several emotions, which will better display your talent. For example, don't pick something that has you crying through the whole piece. Instead, try something that has you cry at one point and get exasperated the next, for instance.
Rely on your type to help you choose your monologue. You likely know what "type" you get cast as or you read as. Maybe you look a bit older than you are, or you can play people who are preppy. Pick a monologue that plays into your type so that you can do it really well. For instance, if you're 28 but you're often cast as a college student, don't pick a monologue that's appropriate for an older adult. Pick something appropriate for a college student to read.
Keep 2 monologues ready for auditions. While it can be good to choose specific ones for particular auditions, you should also have a couple memorized that you can use anytime. You may need to have one on short notice, so always be prepared. Try preparing a classical monologue (think: Shakespeare) and a more contemporary one, usually something from the last 50 years or so. Pick monologues that contrast each other. In other words, you don't want to pick 2 monologues that are both sad, as that won't properly show off your skills. Instead, pick 2 that engage different emotions and that are written in different styles. If you read dialogue at an audition, you can sometimes ask to also give a monologue. That allows you the chance to show off your skills.
Look for monologues that are about 1-2 minutes long for auditions. Most casting directors have short attention spans, and many drama schools and other types of auditions request short monologues. Anything much longer than 1-2 minutes, and you may lose your audience. Of course, if a longer monologue is specified, go with that. Try searching for "1-minute monologues" or simply test out a few to see how long they are with your delivery.
Contextualizing Your Monologue
Read through the monologue 2-3 times in your head to get a feel for it. Take it chunk by chunk, and read through the monologue. Don't just speed through it. Think about what you're reading as you go over it, trying to make sense of the words and sentences. This step helps you become familiar with the monologue. Look up any unfamiliar words, so you understand how to pronounce them in a minute.
Look at the whole play. While you can read the whole play, you can also just take a few steps to become familiar with it. Read the plot online and the descriptions of the main characters. Try reading the opening scene, and make sure to read through the scene where your monologue appears. You can also try reading through some of the most famous scenes to get an idea of the context.
Establish the who, what, when, and where of your particular monologue. Make sure you know what is happening in the play, when it's happening, and the location. Also, most importantly, figure out who exactly you're talking to, and your character's motivation in the scene. Be as specific as you can. For instance, don't just say the scene is in London. Say it's in a small, smoke-filled pub on the outskirts of Soho. Think about what your character is trying to get out of the scene. What do they want from the other characters? It can help to take a few notes for the scene so you can reference them later.
Consider the main roadblocks or conflicts in the scene. These are the things that are causing the tension in the scene, helping create the story. They may also be what's keeping the character from getting what they want. It's important to consider these roadblocks because they help you understand the emotional impact of the scene. For instance, maybe your character wants more from their relationship, but the character you're talking to is unwilling to give it. That's a conflict in the scene that helps drive it.
Rewrite sections in your own words. You're not going to use these rewritten sections when you give your monologue. Rather, this exercise just helps you connect with the text. Once you are more emotionally connected, it will be easier to add in emotion as you deliver it. Plus, connecting with the text helps it stick in your mind so you don't forget it.
Committing the Monologue to Memory
Break the monologue up into chunks or "beats." A "beat" in a monologue just means a chunk that has the same tone or topic before shifting to the next beat. Breaking your monologue up into smaller chunks makes it more manageable, so you're not overwhelmed by having to memorize it all at once.
Write the chunks out on notecards. The act of writing it out will help commit to it your memory, and then you can use the notecards to work on memorizing the monologue. Try writing the whole chunk on one side, and then write a few cue words on the other side to help jog your memory. Start by reading through the speech several times with the full-text version, then try just using the cue words to help you say it.
Use a speech-memorization app. If notecards aren't your style, you can also use an app that is designed to assist you with memorization. Put your text in the app, and it will help you work through the lines until you memorize them. You can try Rehearsal Pro, Script Rehearsal , or Mind Vault.
Write the monologue out by hand again. Writing it out several times is a great way to help solidify the words in your mind, as you are going over it word by word. Just make sure that you're paying attention to what you're writing, not just doing it without thinking.
Polishing Your Monologue
Work with a partner to help establish emotion. When you're delivering a monologue, you must consider who you're saying it to within the context of the story. You're not just speaking to an empty room. You're talking to someone specific, and working with a partner can help you establish the emotional context, as well as help you remember that every monologue is a part of a scene in some way. The person can add dialogue if the text merits it, but it should stay the same each time you do it. If the text doesn't need added dialogue, the person should react and respond with gestures, facial expressions, and so on as you speak. Rehearse this way several times to help drive home the emotions you need to use.
Add in gestures and movement. If you haven't done so already, think about how the character would move while saying these lines. Maybe they'd throw their hands up at a certain point, turn away, or pace. These elements make your acting more realistic. Try to put yourself in the scene, and think about what you'd do if you were feeling the way the character is.
Take a video of yourself to see how you're doing. Read through your monologue on camera, then play back the video for yourself. Use this opportunity to take notes on how you can improve and incorporate those changes into your monologue. For instance, you may notice you have a nervous habit like twirling your hair that doesn't quite fit the scene. Alternatively, you may find you need to project a bit more so the audience can hear you. Don't forget to note what you're doing well! If a gesture looks great, pat yourself on the back and keep it in your monologue.
Check your length again. Time yourself reading the monologue, and make sure you are within the required length. No one is going to appreciate you going over, and many times, you will even be cut off if you go over the requested length.
Practice the monologue until you can do it without thinking. Do the monologue over and over until you can say it in your sleep. Try it out in front of friends and family to get any feedback. Say it in front of the mirror. Just keep doing it until you feel really comfortable with it.
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