Once, when I was teaching Acting to a group of precocious eleven year old girls, I asked what a “Monologue” is. One young woman rolled her eyes, sighed, and said: “It’s a dialogue where one person is talking.” Brilliant!
When preparing for an audition or one-person show, Monologues are opportunities for actors to practice making relationships and connections to their listeners using their imagination. They challenge the actor to find specifics and active choices rather than just talking and telling stories. As a musician does scales to achieve excellence, monologues are the way an actor can practice their craft.
In the “Art of the Monologue class,” the actors explore their character’s “back story” by recreating scenes from the past using group improvisations, research and creative exercises. It’s an exhilarating experience that brings forth multi-dimensional, vibrant and authentic performances that are memorable.
And besides being an extremely creative and satisfying challenge for an actor, working on a Monologue is also useful: In the end, you have another excellent piece to use at auditions to showcase your unique talent.
If you are interested in working with me, click here for information about upcoming classes and workshops or email me at wren@wrenross.com.