This list is intended as a guide for actors who are new to the Tom Todoroff Studio! Please choose from this list of recommendations for the first monologue you work on in the class.
Thereafter, feel free to bring in monologues and scenes from other sources, or continue using this list - up to you! If the monologue or scene you’d like to work on is not on this recommended list - sign up to read it as a “Work Read” in class first. This way, you’ll get feedback on the material before committing the piece to memory.
Feel free to contact us with any questions while you are selecting or rehearsing your piece – we're happy to help!
YOUNG ACTORS 11-17
In addition to the pieces below, take a look at the book “Monologues for Young Actors” by Lorraine Cohen
- CHEKHOV, Anton: THE THREE SISTERS - Irina
- DAMASHEK, Barbara and NEWMAN, Molly: QUILTERS
- GOLDMAN-SHERMAN, Emma: BUG STUDY
- GOODRICH, Frances and HACKETT, Albert: DIARY OF ANNE FRANK
- HEIFNER, Jack: VANITIES
- JONES, Tom & SCHMIDT Harvey: THE FANTASTIKS
- LEONARD, Jim: THE DIVINERS
- MAJOK, Martyna: THE COST OF LIVING (actor must appear Hispanic)
- ROYAL, Bert V.: EASY A (actor must appear 17 yrs old)
- SHAKESPEARE, William: ROMEO AND JULIET
- SIMON, Neil: I OUGHT TO BE IN PICTURES, BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS
- WILSON, Landford: 5th OF JULY
- BRADFORD, Wade: TOMORROW'S WISH
- ZINDEL, Paul: THE EFFECT OF GAMMA RAYS ON MAN-IN-THE-MOON MARIGOLDS
20’s
- BEBER, Neena: JUMP / CUT - must be 25+
- CHAYEFSKY, Paddy: MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT
- CHEKHOV, Anton: THREE SISTERS - Irina, THE SEAGULL - Nina, THE SEAGULL - Masha, IVANOV - Sasha, IVANOV - Sasha #2
- HANLEY, William: SLOW DANCE ON THE KILLING GROUND
- INGE, William: COMANCHE CAFÉ, PICNIC - Millie
- MAJOK, Martyna: THE COST OF LIVING (actor must appear Hispanic)
- MASTROSIMONE, William: THE WOOLGATHERER
- MOSES, Itmar: COMPLETENESS
- RABE, David: IN THE BOOM BOOM ROOM - Chrissy
- REBECK, Theresa: SPIKE HEELS - Georgie
- RUDNICK, Paul: IN AND OUT
- SHANLEY, John Patrick: SAVAGE IN LIMBO (Linda)
- SHEPARD, Sam: COWBOY MOUTH - Cavale
- SIMON, Neil: STAR SPANGLED GIRL (Neutral or Southern accent)
- VAN DRUTEN, John: I AM A CAMERA (British accent required - eliminate Christopher's lines)
- WADE, Kevin: KEY EXCHANGE
- WELLER, Michael: LOOSE ENDS - Janice - must be 25+, Also look for monologues by Susan
- WILLIAMS, Tennessee: SUMMER AND SMOKE - Alma, THE GLASS MENAGERIE
- WILSON, August: (Writes for African American actors) JITNEY - Rena
30's
- AYCKBOURN, Alan: ABSENT FRIENDS *requires British accent
- ALLEN, Woody: PLAY IT AGAIN, SAM
- CHAYEFSKY, Paddy: MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT
- CHEKHOV, Anton: IVANOV - Sasha, IVANOV - Sasha #2
- EPHRON, Nora & Delia: LOVE, LOSS AND WHAT I WORE
- HENLEY, Beth: CRIMES OF THE HEART *requires Southern accent
- IBSEN, Henrik: A DOLL'S HOUSE
- INGE, William: PICNIC - Rosemary
- IIZUKA, Naomi: ALOHA, SAY ALL THE PRETTY GIRLS
- LINKLATER, Richard; Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke: BEFORE SUNSET
- MAJOK, Martyna: THE COST OF LIVING (hispanic actor)
- NOTTAGE, Lynn: INTIMATE APPAREL (black actor)
- MOSES, Itmar: COMPLETENESS
- RABE, David: IN THE BOOM BOOM ROOM (Susan)
- REBECK, Theresa: LOOSE KNIT, SPIKE HEELS - Georgie (#1), SPIKE HEELS - Georgie (#2)
- RUDNICK, Paul: IN AND OUT
- SANCHEZ-SCOTT, Micha: ROOSTERS (hispanic actor)
- SARCHO, Tanya: ENFRASCADA
- SHANLEY, John Patrick: SAVAGE IN LIMBO (Linda), DANNY AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA, SAVAGE IN LIMBO
- SILVER, Joan Micklin: A MY NAME IS STILL ALICE
- SIMON, Neil: JAKE’S WOMEN - Karen
- VAN DRUTEN, John: I AM A CAMERA (British accent required - eliminate Christopher's lines)
- VOGEL, Paul: HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE
- WELLER, Michael: LOOSE ENDS - Janice - Also look for monologues by Susan
- WILSON, August: (Writes for African American actors) JITNEY - Rena
40's
- AYCKBOURN, Alan: ABSENT FRIENDS *requires British dialect
- ALLEN, Woody: PLAY IT AGAIN, SAM
- CHEKHOV, Anton: CHERRY ORCHARD, IVANOV - Sasha, IVANOV - Sasha #2, CHERRY ORCHARD - Madame Ranevskaya
- CRISTOFER, Michael: THE SHADOW BOX - Maggie
- EPHRON, Nora & Delia: LOVE, LOSS AND WHAT I WORE
- INGE, William: PICNIC - Rosemary
- LINDSAY-ABAIRE, David: GOOD PEOPLE (Margie)
- LETTS, Tracy: AUGUST OSAGE COUNTY
- MCNALLY, Terrence: FRANKIE AND JOHNNY IN THE CLAIR DE LUNE
- NAGY, Phyllis: CAROL
- REBECK, Theresa: LOOSE KNIT
- RUHL, Sarah: CLEAN HOUSE
- RUDNICK, Paul: IN AND OUT
- SANCHEZ-SCOTT, Micha: ROOSTERS (hispanic actor)
- SARCHO, Tanya: ENFRASCADA
- SHANLEY, John Patrick: SAVAGE IN LIMBO (Linda)
- SHAW, George Bernard: MRS. WARREN'S PROFESSION #1, MRS. WARREN'S PROFESSION #2 (British Accent)
- SILVER, Joan Micklin: A MY NAME IS STILL ALICE
- SIMON, Neil: JAKE’S WOMEN - Karen
- STELTER, Brian - THE MORNING SHOW (Brian Stelter's book Top of the Morning: Inside the Cutthroat World of Morning TV)
- VOGEL, Paula: HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE
- WILLIAMS, Tennessee: THE GLASS MENAGERIE
- WILSON, August: JOE TURNER'S COME AND GONE (black actor)
50's
- AYCKBOURN, Alan: ABSENT FRIENDS *requires British dialect
- BLESSING, Lee: NICE PEOPLE DANCING TO GOOD COUNTRY MUSIC - Eve
- CHEKHOV, Anton: CHERRY ORCHARD, THE SEAGULL, CHERRY ORCHARD - Madame Ranevskaya
- CRISTOFER, Michael: THE SHADOW BOX - Maggie
- DUDLEY, Anton: FLYING LEAP
- EPHRON, Nora & Delia: LOVE, LOSS AND WHAT I WORE
- HARLING, Robert: STEEL MAGNOLIAS
- LINDSAY-ABAIRE, David: GOOD PEOPLE (Margie)
- MARGULIES, Donald: COLLECTED STORIES - option 1, COLLECTED STORIES - option 2
- MILLER, Arthur: DEATH OF A SALESMAN
- MURRAY-SMITH, Joanna: THE FEMALE OF THE SPECIES
- NOTTAGE, Lynn: RUINED (actor of color, Congolese accent needed)
- NAGY, Phyllis: CAROL
- PAYNE, Alexander: ABOUT SCHMIDT
- REBECK, Theresa: LOOSE KNIT
- RUHL, Sarah: CLEAN HOUSE
- SARCHO, Tanya: ENFRASCADA
- SHAW, George Bernard: MRS. WARREN'S PROFESSION #1, MRS. WARREN'S PROFESSION #2 (British Accent)
- SILVER, Nicky: RAISED IN CAPTIVITY - Bernadette
- SIMON, Neil: JAKE’S WOMEN - Karen
- STELTER, Brian - THE MORNING SHOW (Brian Stelter's book Top of the Morning: Inside the Cutthroat World of Morning TV).
60's+
- BLESSING, Lee: NICE PEOPLE DANCING TO GOOD COUNTRY MUSIC - Eve
- CHEKHOV, Anton: CHERRY ORCHARD, THE SEAGULL, CHERRY ORCHARD - Madame Ranevskaya
- CRISTOFER, Michael: THE SHADOW BOX - Maggie
- DUDLEY, Anton: FLYING LEAP
- LETTS, Tracy: AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY
MARGULIES, Donald: COLLECTED STORIES - option 1, COLLECTED STORIES - option 2 - MILLER, Arthur: DEATH OF A SALESMAN
- MURRAY-SMITH, Joanna: THE FEMALE OF THE SPECIES
- NOTTAGE, Lynn: RUINED (actor of color, Congolese accent needed)
- NAGY, Phyllis: CAROL
- RUHL, Sarah: CLEAN HOUSE
- SARCHO, Tanya: ENFRASCADA
- SHAW, George Bernard: MRS. WARREN'S PROFESSION #1, MRS. WARREN'S PROFESSION #2 (British Accent)
- SILVER, Nicky: RAISED IN CAPTIVITY - Bernadette
Shakespeare Pieces:
Click here for a list of suggestions
For Black Actors:
In addition to the pieces listed above, look into all writing by:
- DuVERNAY, Ava
- BALDWIN, James
- BULLINS, Ed
- FULLER, Charles
- GORDONE, Charles
- GUIRGIS, Stephen Adly
- GURIRA, Danai
- HANSBERRY, Lorraine
- HUGHES, Langston
- JACOBS-JENKINS, Brandon
- JONES, Leroi
- McCRANEY, Tarell-Alvin
- PARKS, Suzan-Lori
- SHANGE, Ntozake
- WAITHE, Lena
- WILSON, August --> Go here for a listing of recommended monologues from August Wilson's "Century Cyle"
Take a look at "The Ultimate Scene and Monologue Book” by Ed Hooks which has over 1000 scenes & monologues from more than 300 contemporary plays.