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. 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
- Eric Bogosian: SUBURBIA (late teens)
- William Inge: THE DARK AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS
- Howard Korder: BOY'S LIFE
- Eugene O’Neill: AH, WILDERNESS!, BEYOND THE HORIZON
- Neil Simon: BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS
20’s
- Eric Bogosian: SUBURBIA (actor must appear in late teens)
- Anton Chekhov: THE SEAGULL, THE CHERRY ORCHARD - late 20s
- John Guare: SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION
- Howard Korder: BOYS' LIFE
- Tony Kushner: Angels in America late 20s
- William Mastrosimone: THE WOOLGATHERER
- Clifford Odets: WAITING FOR LEFTY
- Eugene O’Neill: LONG DAY'S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT
- Suzan-Lori Parks: TOPDOG / UNDERDOG
- Paul Rudnick: I HATE HAMLET
- John Patrick Shanley: SAVAGE IN LIMBO - late 20s, leading man
- Renée Taylor and Joseph Bologna: LOVERS AND OTHER STRANGERS
- Tennessee Williams: SWEET BIRD OF YOUTH, THE GLASS MENAGERIE- Tom, THE GLASS MENAGERIE - Jim
- Studs Turkel: WORKING - 16-30 needs to look 20
- August Wilson (writes for African American actors): JITNEY
30's
- Anton Chekhov: THE CHERRY ORCHARD
- William Inge: THE DARK AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS
- Tony Kushner: ANGELS IN AMERICA
- Arthur Miller: ALL MY SONS, DEATH OF A SALESMAN
- Clifford Odets: WAITING FOR LEFTY
- Paul Rudnick: I HATE HAMLET
- John Patrick Shanley: SAVAGE IN LIMBO - late 20s, leading man
- Renée Taylor and Joseph Bologna: LOVERS AND OTHER STRANGERS
- Thornton Wilder: THE MATCHMAKER
- Tennessee Williams: THE GLASS MENAGERIE - Tom, THE GLASS MENAGERIE - Jim
- August Wilson (writes for African American actors): JOE TURNER'S COME AND GONE, JITNEY, THE PIANO LESSON
40's
- Robert Anderson: I NEVER SANG FOR MY FATHER
- Eric Bogosian: DRINKING IN AMERICA
- Anton Chekhov: THE CHERRY ORCHARD, THE SEAGULL
- Henrik Ibsen: AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE, THE LEAGUE OF YOUTH
- Donald Margulies: DINNER WITH FRIENDS, SIGHT UNSEEN
- Arthur Miller: A VIEW FROM A BRIDGE - actor needs to appear to be of Italian descent
- Eugene O’Neill: A MOON FOR THE MISBEGOTTEN - Irish accent
- Renée Taylor and Joseph Bologna: LOVERS AND OTHER STRANGERS
- Neil Simon: THE LAST OF THE RED HOT LOVERS
50's
- Eric Bogosian: DRINKING IN AMERICA
- Anton Chekhov: THE SEAGULL - Trigorin
- Henrik Ibsen: AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE, THE LEAGUE OF YOUTH
- Eugene O’Neill: AH, WILDERNESS!
- Arthur Miller: A VIEW FROM A BRIDGE - actor needs to appear to be of Italian descent
- August Wilson: THE PIANO LESSON
60's & 60’s+
- Jon Robin Baitz: THE SUBSTANCE OF FIRE
- Henrik Ibsen: AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE
- Arthur Miller: DEATH OF A SALESMAN
- Eugene O’Neill: LONG DAY'S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT
- Tennessee Williams: CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF - Southern accent
- August Wilson: JOE TURNER'S COME AND GONE
African-American actors
In addition to the pieces listed above, look into all writing by:
- Stephen Adly Guirgis
- James Baldwin
- Ed Bullins
- Charles Fuller
- Charles Gordone
- Lorraine Hansberry
- Langston Hughes
- Leroi Jones
- Suzan-Lori Parks
- Ntozake Shange
- August Wilson
Take a look at “The Ultimate Scene & Monologue Sourcebook*” by Ed Hooks which has over 1000 scenes & monologues from more than 300 contemporary plays.
*Please note all of these - with the exception of the David Mamet scenes - are great.