Theater Juliette Abbott Writing a Monologue Theater Juliette Abbott

Anything can be a monologue: A short story, flash fiction, or even a poem. If you structure the piece correctly, a monologue will engage the audience and allow the actor to shine in his or her role.

Where do monologues Go? Monologues arrive at a point in the play when a character needs to share his or her perspective or provide some sort of explanation for action that occurs offstage. Not every play has a show-stopping monologue, but a good monologue can make the play memorable. After all, where would Hamlet be without asking “to be or not to be?”

Relax! If you have problems writing monologues, the first thing you should do is take a deep breath and relax. In theater action occurs in the present, so put aside past experiences. There’s no need to relive previous frustrations. To get past any nervousness, or even to just stretch your writing skills, practice writing monologues. When I was in college, a friend told me that he had a difficult time writing monologues, so he forced himself to write as many as he could. I wrote 18 monologues last summer and while not all of them were my best work, the act of writing them gave me confidence and provided me with some great material for future projects.

So what exactly is the structure of a monologue?

The Initial Contact: Is there an idea you would like to convey? Is the character’s voice speaking to you? Where is the character? Allow the environment to inform your work. If she is on the subway, what is her experience? Who is around her? Where is she going?

The Hook: Why is your character speaking? Inevitably, this question will provide you with “the hook.” Occurring within the first few moments of the piece, this thought will draw the audience’s attention to the character. Sometimes, the hook can be a question. (To be or not to be?) Other times, it will be a compelling statement. However you choose to write it, the hook automatically creates tension in the story. It sets the major dramatic question into motion. What is the character looking to discover or explain?

Character: Now that the journey has begun, it is time to let the character talk. He or she may elaborate on issues around the theme or story. Allow the character to have a variety of feelings or thoughts. Actors refer to each thought or feeling segment as a “beat”. Consider each beat as a step forward in the story. The tension should be building towards the climax.

Take a look at the examples on the back of your notes page. Where are the beats? (Write this down) Beats are changes of intention, where pauses will occur when the character’s brain shifts gear.

Beats Example: Copy the beats for monologue one. MONOLOGUE ONE: Aliens are coming! Aliens are coming! (BEAT) I saw their ship fly by just a moment ago and land behind the Krispy-Kreme! They’re in their right now using the partially hydrogenated oil that Krispy-Kreme fries their donuts in to fuel their ship! (BEAT) And once they do that they will begin their invasion to steal all our natural resources! (BEAT) I swear, you can go back there and look for yourself! But I wouldn’t if I were you. Their ships my run on donut oil, but they will suck out your brain and then put a parasite in it to run your body so no one will know the difference! (BEAT) You all better run! I’d run if I were you! (BEAT) The only reason why I’m not running is because I’m sacrificing myself for the greater good, so that you all might live! Hurry, I’ll slow the aliens down so you can get away!

You Try: Write in the beats for monologue two. MONOLOGUE TWO: I’m not that smart. My siblings have been telling me that for years – that I’m not that smart. We’re schooled at home. They see who’s bright. It breaks my heart that I’m not that smart. I have a gentle personality, which, you’ll all agree, is an abhorrence to my more aggressive family. Everyone keeps swatting and yelling. How could a flea, such as me, think he’d be good at spelling? I don’t know. I like my hair. Really, it is pleasant to the touch. I toss my hair, a bit too much. It doesn’t move, it simply sits, I make a part. I’m not that smart. I like to laugh, I like to spell, I like to never hear the bell, and if this competition’s hell…at least I’m finally a part of something, I feel my heart begin to swell! I like to spell! I think! I know, I’m smart!

What is the character really trying to say? The Climax: If the story is like a wave, then the climax is where the water crests before it crashes into the sand. Without a climax, there would be no payoff for the audience, the actor or the character. The climax encompasses the core thought of the story. What is the character really trying to say?

The Ending: It is very important to have an ending to your monologue. The ending provides resolution and closure. It doesn’t have to be long. With only a sentence or two, you can answer the dramatic question, let the audience know where the character ended up, or simply complete a thought.

Closing Thoughts: While there are no hard and fast rules for writing them, the above components are absolutely essential to creating a compelling monologue. The hook, beats, climax and ending create tension, and that tension is the fuel that will propel your monologue forward.

You will be writing 3 monologues this week. Rubric: You will be writing 3 monologues this week. Monologue 1: Comedy Monologue 2: Tragedy Monologue 3: A monologue for your play. All monologues must be 1 page written out!