briansteffy

letsfigureitout: Thanks - we have a summary sheet outlining what every program wants; most want two 90 second monologues, but in his first two auditions, they are to be 2 minutes. Schools vary re: require classical, want only contrasting contemporary, or recommending Shakespeare only if the auditioner feels that he/she can handle it.
We have the plays (Samuel French, inc. is very fast) and, when it exists, have obtained some videos of theatrical productions.
At BU Summer, my S was advised not to use a monologue that is actually a narrative, meaning the character is telling a story/recollection to the audience. This was an important clarification because we were looking at 'Billy Bishop Goes to War' and Ronnie's rant in 'Autumn of Blue Leaves(?)'.
Most every university web site outlines instructions re: what to do (age specific) and what one should not do (i.e., dialect, mime, stand still, use panel as other character, etc.). I have read, likely on CC, that some programs like to hear the newer, 'interesting' plays, or plays that are obscure, though a hit among academic types (Brecht's 'Don Juan' or 'Mother Earth'). To assess this, I noted what some of the more experimental BFA programs are producing this year. Of course, as you state letsfigureitout, it is best to use a play that a HS senior can read and comprehend, or a monologue from a play that s/he has been in or seen.
A couple of programs recommend 'no coaching' (I cannot remember which) though I read on another program site that you should work on the monologue with your coach (cannot remember). Well, at this point, given our cultural isolation, my wife and I are serving as the S's principal coaches. That's the way it goes, though it likely puts my S at a disavantage relative to auditioners who attend performance high schools, high schools with drama teachers, or urbanites - we are not country hicks, but it is a hassle for us to get competent help. It will be interesting to see where we stand by the 'ides of march'.

briansteffy

Well, just saw that the program that my S is auditioning for in a few weeks just finished its production of 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof'. Should we chuck the Brick monologue idea?

alwaysamom

Brian, although I am not a good source of 'male' monologues, someone sent me a list of plays a while ago asking if I thought this was a good starting place for college audition kids (I replied yes). So, I'll share it with you, not sure how much help it will be because it's getting late in the game for kids to just be at the start of their search (I realize that your son is not in this category, but others here may be):

All My Sons, by Arthur Miller
Romantic Comedy, by Bernard Slade
Ring 'Round The Moon, by Jean Anouilh
Conduct of Life, by Maria Irene Fornes
Food Chain, by Nicky Silver
Bus Riley's Back In Town, by William Inge
Landscape Of The Body, by John Guare
Sylvia, by A.R. Gurney
Marie and Bruce, by Wally Shawn
Blue Window, by Craig Lucas
Danny and the Deep Blue Sea, J.P.Shanley
Dreamer Examines his pillow,J. P. shanley
Fat Men in Skirts, Nicky Silver
Marvin's Room, Scott McPhearson
Perfect Wedding, Charles Mee
WASP, Steve Martin
The Aristicrats, by Brian Friel
Fat Pig, by Neil LaButte
Substance Of Fire, By John Robin Baitz
Pterodactyls, by Nicky Silver
Look Back In Anger, by John Osborne
Picasso At The Lapin Agile, by Steve Martin
Slaughter City, by Naomi Wallace
Desdemona, by Paula Vogel

How about something from The Goat or Who is Sylvia? Billy's role would be appropriate (not sure if there's an acceptable monologue, though). Or maybe, the role of Alan Strang in Equus? Or Benjamin from The Graduate? Or Jason from Rabbit Hole? Or possibly something from the original Spring's Awakening by Wedekind? I think the problem your S might have with both Louis and Brick is that neither role is age appropriate.

NotMamaRose

FWIW, I have heard theater professionals who see a lot of kids auditioning say that they are SICK of seeing stuff from plays by Nicky Silver. They say those are overdone. On the other hand, if you talk to other people, they say there is no such thing as "overdone" and the point is to do whatever one does well.
I think one difficulty our kids are encountering is that they are in-betwixt-in-between, age-wise. Most colleges want kids to select something that is realistic for them to play, or at least close. (That's why most don't want to see a 17 year old girl come in and do Lady MacBeth.) But there seem to be very few plays that feature kids our kids' ages, so they often have the choice to either play a much younger child or an older man or woman. It's tough!
Brian, I agree with alwaysamom (OK, I admit I almost always agree with alwaysamom!) about Louis and Brick both being too old for the average high school senior. But it seems to me that the list she provided is a good place to begin. Good luck.

briansteffy

alwaysamom and NotMamaRose. Thanks for the feedback. I just ordered some of the plays and added to O 'Neil's Long Journey Into Night

hcpss

Regarding monologues, a former instructor at one of the universities told us to not to reject a monologue just because it might be overone. What they look at is how well the performer plays the part. Interestingly, she also said if you pick one that is not well known it might actually distract from the performer as the judges or whatever you call them are trying to figure out what the play is about; hence, distracting from the performer. I thought that was very interesting!

Frenchlaw

Briansteffy: I know nothing about the craft of acting and have not gotten involved in the audition process (you may recall that my S is applying to BA, not BFA, programs). However, in my limited experience, my S had to audition with a brief monologue to be admitted to his conservatory program last summer. My S is not your typical kid (are any of them?), so in his quirky way, he prepared and delivered a monologue as the character of Master Splinter of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle fame explaining how he became a karate master. He did this with a perfectly straight face, and the panel apparently loved it - it was a nice change from the intense or classic stuff they got from everyone else. So my suggestion is to find something that your S will have fun with, and he'll do a great job!

briansteffy

OK. This question takes it up a notch. For fun, my S just read 'Dog Sees God', the somewhat sarirical play of the Peanuts characters, as HS teenagers - its been criticized for being a bit 'cliche' (Lucy's an addict. etc.). Nevertheless, CB (Charlie Brown), the central character has a somewhat 'charlie brown' downer monologue about having to put Snooy down after contracting rabies and killing Woodstock - really, it's a dramatic monologue. Would this be comedy or drama? I am serious about the question; does it constitute a dramatic monologue?

hcss: glad to hear that: I like the O'Neil monologue; also, I like T. Williams (looking at Val in Orpheus descending' and Brick's piece. My S has the looks/physique of P. Newman and Matt Damon, the impulsivity of S. Penn, and the weirdness/manicness of J. Depp.

frenchlaw: I had one of the original Turtles in my class; he's very wealthy, and after getting his regular college degree (not in theater), he spends his time acting minor roles in minor plays. He has a continual income from the royalties; and his family was loaded to begin with.

NotMamaRose

We saw an amazing production of Orpheus Descending at Muhlenberg. It was as good, if not better, than anything we saw at various prestigious BFA programs we visited. Val is a very, very interesting character and will likely not be overdone.
I do think there are two schools of thought on the "overdone" thing. Some say it doesn't matter, and others say it does. In my opinion, it's best to avoid being the 10th kid who the panel has seen doing the same thing. That doesn't mean you have to search high and low for something absolutely obscure, of course. And the bottom line is that whatever you do, do it 100%.

Frenchlaw

A play can be a comedy and still have a dramatic monologue. Barbara Streisand's performance of "My Man" at the end of "Funny Girl" certainly wasn't a novelty song!

alwaysamom

Brian, Dog Sees God is definitely a black comedy (and not a very good one, in in my opinion!). I'd be wary of choosing a dramatic monologue from that play. It's been a while since I saw a reading of it that a couple of my D's friends were in, but I don't think that even the bits that seem 'dramatic' are meant to be anything but black comedy.

briansteffy

Thanks for the opinion alwaysamom. I do not think that there was one posititve review when I 'googled' Dog Sees God; criticisms were the same as you indicate. My S ordered it after seeing that it was recently staged at Tulane U. My S liked it less than I did, but, then again, he did not grow up with Peanuts. He thought CB's monologue was too flat and monotonic.
In a couple of days, we will have a couple of mid-20th century (O'Neil. Williams) and a more contemporary (N. Wallace) plays to compare for a dramatic monologue.

One more question: say that a school's requirement is two contrasting contemporary pieces; then they ask you for a third piece. Would it be appropriate to do a Shakespeare monologue? I suggested to my S that he ask them, 'which of these two would you like to hear; XXXXXXXX or YYYYYYYY', but when they want two contemporaries, do you just give them a contemporary for the third?

Sorry, another question, following a suggestion by hcss: my S can also do Joe Ferguson from Wilder's comedic play, 'The Male Animal'. The monologue involves some physical movement, as Joe (though Joe is 30, the monologue works for a college-aged student), an ex-football star (my S was the starting running back before he had his head injury), is showing off to the young women by showing/telling them a football play that the coach has created. Somewhere I read to avoid too much movement, as the movement itself distracts from the audition. This piece requires continual movement, though within a relatively small space (could be confined to an 8 ft square). Anyone know whether this monologue might be inappropriate because of the movement, or because it is too 'high school'? It could be our third monologue response; 'do you want Shakespeare or Joe Ferguson'.

HAVE A VERY HAPPY HOLIDAY. BLESS YOU FOR YOUR HELP.

alwaysamom

Brian, in my opinion, if after doing the required monologues, an auditor makes the request "do you have another?", you should be able to do a Shakespeare or one that might not exactly fit the parameters of the initial monologue requirements. If you have a Shakespeare and the Joe Ferguson monologues as your 'extras', I don't see a problem with that, at all. Although I agree that too much movement could present a distraction, if it's the third monologue you've performed, I doubt it would matter if he moved around a little during the course of it, especially if it is an essential part of performing the monologue well.

Best wishes to you and your family for a wonderful holiday week!

letsfigureitout

I agree! Brian's son will need a Shakespeare monologue at some point, so it can always be available as one that is offered! It is a good plan to have another "back-up" as well. It looks like there are lots of suggestions for monologues!

I also agree about the problems with using monologues that are particularly obscure. My daughter and a friend competed in a regional Shakespeare contest two years ago and used a scene from a piece that is not well-known. The judges looked confused at the beginning, and it seemed to take a while for them to settle in to watch the performance. By then, the scene was half over! In contrast, they won the contest another year by performing a nurse-Juilette scene from Romeo and Juilette--clearly a scene that is overdone! Anyway, some schools list the monologues that they DO NOT want to see. . .

Finding a Shakespeare monologue that is delivered by a 17-year-old is hard. It seems to me that the age-appropriate requirement can be "stretched" a little for Shakespeare.

Happy Holidays!

briansteffy

My S spent quite a bit of time at BU working on his Shakespeare monologue, one that BU recommends (web site) using for this year's auditions. He will use the Shakepeare monologue in all of his auditions, unless instructed that he has to draw from contemporary plays, but it sounds like it's a good choice for a third monologue, when the primary two are to be contemporary. 'Joe' is from his fall play.
Good news. A couple of hours ago, S got a letter from both Otterbein and Syracuse indicating that he got tuition exchange (makes it cheaper than going to an in-state college), pending (a BIG if) acceptance into the BFA program; a relief, because there is no way that he will get a tuition exchange grant from BU, as they only grant something like 5/year with probably a few hundred grant applicants. What a motivator! Since getting the letters he's been prepping his monologues.Nevertheless, he keeps asking, "but if I get into BU, can we afford it?" I just say that "I refuse to answer that question; we will cross that bridge if we get to it".