This list is intended as a guide for actors who are new to the Tom Todoroff Studio. Actors who have been coached by Tom on a monologue at least once in the past, may select a piece by an author on this list or a piece from one of the 250+ authors on the Syllabus within your Welcome email. For those pieces which require certain casting or accents, we've made a note accordingly. Please ensure your piece has been approved by the TT Team before you begin working on it. Feel free to contact us with any questions while you are selecting or rehearsing your piece – we're happy to help!
TEENS
In addition to the pieces below, take a look at the book “Monologues for Young Actors” by Lorraine Cohen
- BOBOSIAN, Eric: SUBURBIA (late teens)
- INGE, William: THE DARK AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS
- KORDER, Howard: BOY'S LIFE
- O'NEILL, Eugene: AH, WILDERNESS!, BEYOND THE HORIZON
- SIMON, Neil: BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS
20’s
- BOGOSIAN, Eric: SUBURBIA (actor must appear in late teens)
- CHEKHOV, Anton: THE SEAGULL, THE CHERRY ORCHARD - late 20s, THE CHERRY ORCHARD #2
- GUARE, John: SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION
- KORDER, Howard: BOYS' LIFE
- KUSHNER, Tony: ANGELS IN AMERICA late 20s
- MASTROSIMONE, William: THE WOOLGATHERER
- ODETS, Clifford: WAITING FOR LEFTY
- O'NEILL, Eugene: LONG DAY'S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT
- PARKS, Suzan-Lori: TOPDOG / UNDERDOG
- RUDNICK, Paul: I HATE HAMLET
- SHANLEY, John Patrick: SAVAGE IN LIMBO - late 20s, leading man, DANNY AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA - late 20's
- TAYLOR, Renée and BOLOGNA, Joseph: LOVERS AND OTHER STRANGERS
- TERKEL, Studs: WORKING - 16-30 needs to look 20
- WILLIAMS, Tennessee: SWEET BIRD OF YOUTH, THE GLASS MENAGERIE- Tom, THE GLASS MENAGERIE - Jim
- WILSON, August (writes for African American actors): JITNEY
30's
- AUBURN, David: PROOF
- BOGOSIAN, Eric: THE STUD
- CHEKHOV, Anton: THE CHERRY ORCHARD, THE CHERRY ORCHARD #2
- DE GROEN, Alma: GOING HOME
- HADDON, Mark: THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME
- INGE, William: THE DARK AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS
- KUSHNER, Tony: ANGELS IN AMERICA
- MILLER, Arthur: ALL MY SONS, DEATH OF A SALESMAN
- ODETS, Clifford: WAITING FOR LEFTY
- RUDNICK, Paul: I HATE HAMLET
- TAYLOR, Renée and BOLOGNA, Joseph: LOVERS AND OTHER STRANGERS
- WILSER, Thornton: THE MATCHMAKER
- WILLIAMS, Tennessee: THE GLASS MENAGERIE - Tom, THE GLASS MENAGERIE - Jim
- WILSON, August (writes for African American actors): JOE TURNER'S COME AND GONE, JITNEY, THE PIANO LESSON
40's
- ANDERSON, Robert: I NEVER SANG FOR MY FATHER
- BOGOSIAN, Eric: DRINKING IN AMERICA, THE STUD
- CHEKHOV, Anton: THE CHERRY ORCHARD, THE SEAGULL
- DE GROEN, Alma: GOING HOME
- HADDON, Mark: THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME
- IBSEN, Henrik: AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE, THE LEAGUE OF YOUTH
- MARGULIES, Donald: DINNER WITH FRIENDS, SIGHT UNSEEN
- MCNALLY, Terrence: FRANKIE AND JOHNNY IN THE CLAIR DE LUNE
- MILLER, Arthur: A VIEW FROM A BRIDGE - actor needs to appear to be of Italian descent , AFTER THE FALL
- O'NEILL, Eugene: A MOON FOR THE MISBEGOTTEN - Irish accent
- SHANLEY, John Patrick: JOE VERSUS THE VOLCANO
- SIMON, Neil: THE LAST OF THE RED HOT LOVERS
- SLADE, Bernard: SAME TIME NEXT YEAR
- TAYLOR, Renée and BOLOGNA, Joseph: LOVERS AND OTHER STRANGERS
50's
- ALBEE, Edward: WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOLF
- BOGOSIAN, Eric: DRINKING IN AMERICA
- CHAYEFSKY, Paddy: MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT
- CHEKHOV, Anton: THE SEAGULL - Trigorin
- HADDON, Mark: THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME
- IBSEN, Henrik: AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE, THE LEAGUE OF YOUTH
- MCNALLY, Terrence: FRANKIE AND JOHNNY IN THE CLAIR DE LUNE
- MILLER, Arthur: A VIEW FROM A BRIDGE - actor needs to appear to be of Italian descent
- O'NEILL, Eugene: AH, WILDERNESS!
- SHANLEY, John Patrick: JOE VERSUS THE VOLCANO
- SLADE, Bernard: SAME TIME NEXT YEAR
- WILSON, August (writes for African American actors): THE PIANO LESSON
60's & 60’s+
- ALBEE, Edward: WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF
- BAITZ, Jon Robin: THE SUBSTANCE OF FIRE
- IBSEN, Henrik: AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE
- MILLER, Miller: DEATH OF A SALESMAN
- O'NEILL, Eugene: LONG DAY'S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT
- SIMON, Neil: LOST IN YONKERS
- WILLIAMS, Tennessee: CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF - Southern accent
- WILSON, August (writes for African American actors): JOE TURNER'S COME AND GONE
For African American actors:
In addition to the pieces listed above, look into all writing by:
- BLADWIN, James
- BULLINS, Ed
- FULLER, Charles
- GORDONE, Charles
- GUIRGIS, Stephen Adly
- HANSBERRY, Lorraine
- HUGHES, Langston
- JONES, Leroi
- PARKS, Suzan-Lori
- SHANGE, Ntozake
- WILSON, August
Take a look at "The Ultimate Scene and Monologue Sourcebook" by Ed Hooks which has over 1000 scenes & monologues from more than 300 contemporary plays.