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 if you wish. 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 it to memory.
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
- LONERGAN, Kenneth: THIS IS OUR YOUTH
- 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 - Treplev, THE CHERRY ORCHARD - Trofimov
- GUIRGIS, Stephen Adly: DEN OF THIEVES
- KORDER, Howard: BOYS' LIFE
- KUSHNER, Tony: ANGELS IN AMERICA late 20s
- LOGAN, John: RED role of Ken (apprentice to the painter Mark Rothko)
- LONERGAN, Kenneth: THIS IS OUR YOUTH
- MILLER, Arthur: DEATH OF A SALESMAN
- 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
- TERKEL, Studs: WORKING (actor needs to appear around 20 yrs old)
- WILLIAMS, Tennessee: SWEET BIRD OF YOUTH, THE GLASS MENAGERIE- Tom, THE GLASS MENAGERIE - Jim
- WILSON, August: JITNEY, FENCES
30's
- AUBURN, David: PROOF
- BOGOSIAN, Eric: THE STUD
- CHEKHOV, Anton: THE CHERRY ORCHARD - Lopakhin, THE CHERRY ORCHARD #2- Trofimov
- DURANG, Christopher: LAUGHING WILD (I used to be a negative person.)
- GUIRGIS, Stephen Adly: DEN OF THIEVES
- GUIRGIS, Stephen Adly THE MOTHERF-CKER WITH THE HAT - Cousin Julio (Hispanic Actor)
- HADDON, Mark: THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME
- HANSBERRY, Lorraine: A RAISIN IN THE SUN (Black Actor)
- INGE, William: THE DARK AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS
- KUSHNER, Tony: ANGELS IN AMERICA
- LOGAN, John: RED role of Ken (apprentice to the painter Mark Rothko)
- MARGULIES, Donald: TIME STANDS STILL
- MILLER, Arthur: ALL MY SONS, DEATH OF A SALESMAN
- MORISSEAU, Dominique: SUNSET BABY (Actor of color)
- RUDNICK, Paul: I HATE HAMLET
- SHANLEY, John Patrick: DANNY AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA
- WILLIAMS, Tennessee: THE GLASS MENAGERIE - Tom, THE GLASS MENAGERIE - Jim
- WILSON, August (writes for black actors): JITNEY, THE PIANO LESSON
40's
- ANDERSON, Robert: I NEVER SANG FOR MY FATHER
- ANDERSON, Robert: I NEVER SANG FOR MY FATHER - Gene
- BOGOSIAN, Eric: DRINKING IN AMERICA, THE STUD
- CHEKHOV, Anton: THE CHERRY ORCHARD, THE SEAGULL
- DURANG, Christopher: LAUGHING WILD (I used to be a negative person.)
- GUIRGIS, Stephen Adly THE MOTHERF-CKER WITH THE HAT - Cousin Julio (Hispanic Actor)
- HADDON, Mark: THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME
- HANSBERRY, Lorraine: A RAISIN IN THE SUN (Black Actor)
- IBSEN, Henrik: AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE, THE LEAGUE OF YOUTH
- MARGULIES, Donald: DINNER WITH FRIENDS - Gabe
- MARGULIES, Donald: DINNER WITH FRIENDS - Tom
- MARGULIES, Donald: TIME STANDS STILL, SIGHT UNSEEN
- MCNALLY, Terrence: FRANKIE AND JOHNNY IN THE CLAIR DE LUNE
- MILLER, Arthur: A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE (Actor should appear to be of Italian descent)
- MORISSEAU, Dominique: SUNSET BABY (Actor of color)
50's
- ALBEE, Edward: WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?
- ANDERSON, Robert: I NEVER SANG FOR MY FATHER - Gene
- BOGOSIAN, Eric: DRINKING IN AMERICA
- CHAYEFSKY, Paddy: MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT
- CHEKHOV, Anton: THE SEAGULL - Trigorin
- DURANG, Christopher: LAUGHING WILD (I used to be a negative person.)
- GRISHAM, John (David Rabe, Robert Towne, and David Rayfiel): THE FIRM
- HADDON, Mark: THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME
- MARGULIES, Donald: DINNER WITH FRIENDS - Tom, SIGHT UNSEEN
- MCNALLY, Terrence: FRANKIE AND JOHNNY IN THE CLAIRE DE LUNE
- MILLER, Arthur: A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE (Actor should appear to be of Italian descent)
60's & 60’s+
- BAITZ, Jon Robin: THE SUBSTANCE OF FIRE
- DURANG, Christopher: LAUGHING WILD (I used to be a negative person.)
- GRISHAM, John (David Rabe, Robert Towne, and David Rayfiel): THE FIRM
- MILLER, Arthur: A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE (Actor should appear to be of Italian descent)
- MILLER, Miller: DEATH OF A SALESMAN
- WILLIAMS, Tennessee: CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF - Big Daddy 1 - Southern accent
- WILLIAMS, Tennessee: CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF - Big Daddy 2 - Southern accent
- WILSON, August (writes for African American actors): JOE TURNER'S COME AND GONE
For black actors:
In addition to the pieces listed above, look into all writing by:
- BALDWIN, James
- BULLINS, Ed
- FULLER, Charles
- GORDONE, Charles
- GUIRGIS, Stephen Adly
- GURIRA, Danai
- HANSBERRY, Lorraine
- HUGHES, Langston
- 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 Cycle"
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.
Take a look at "100 Monologues" by Eric Bogosian.