Need an example of a monologue for an audition or class? Choose a speech where a single character wants something, says it aloud and ends in a different place. Tom’s speech from The Glass Menagerie is a clean model.
The examples below suit solo study, scene work and showcases. They also fit a wider plan for how to produce a community theater show, where solo pieces often appear in auditions and rehearsals.
What a monologue is, and what people get wrong about it
A monologue is a speech delivered by a single character. It can be dramatic or comedic, taken from a play, a film or a television script, and it works best when it shows what the character wants. Most mistakes in choosing one come from a handful of assumptions.
The contrast below sets those assumptions against what the selection guidance supports.
| Common assumption | What holds up | Planning use |
|---|---|---|
| The most famous speech is the safest choice | Daily Actor cites Glengarry Glen Ross as a famous monologue to approach with caution because it is overused | Look for a strong speech the panel is less likely to have heard repeatedly |
| A longer speech shows more range | The Actors Pulse defines short monologues as lasting 2 minutes or less and calls them ideal for auditions, class exercises or home practice | Start with a short speech, and follow any limit in the audition notice |
| Any impressive speech will do | A monologue should reflect you and your experiences, and should be tailored to the type of role you are aiming for | Match the speech to the part before you fall for the writing |
| Comedic and dramatic pieces are interchangeable | Daily Actor files its library under separate comedic and dramatic categories | Decide the genre first, then search within it |
Figures and advice here come from The Actors Pulse short monologue library and Daily Actor’s film monologue guide, which are performer-facing resources rather than official bodies.
With those assumptions set aside, the examples below show what a usable monologue looks like in practice.
Dramatic monologue examples from theatre and film
A dramatic monologue puts a character’s inner pressure into words. The four speeches below come from The Actors Pulse library, and each shows a different way to do that in a few lines.
Tom in The Glass Menagerie
The Actors Pulse presents Tom’s speech as a short theatre monologue: “I didn’t go to the moon. I went much further–for time is the longest distance between two places.” The line denies a small claim, then replaces it with a larger, more abstract one. That makes it a good first study for a performer who wants to practise reflective storytelling, where the thought has to land without raising the volume.
Margaret in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
The same library lists Margaret’s speech: “You know what I feel like? I feel all the time like a cat on a hot tin roof.” Margaret asks a question and answers it herself with a single vivid image. A performer can use that structure to show a character who is thinking aloud and has decided to be honest, which suits an actor who wants to show restlessness without a long speech.
M’Lynn in Steel Magnolias
The Actors Pulse lists M’Lynn’s lines as a dramatic film monologue: “I’m supposed to go first. I’ve always been ready to go first.” The second sentence repeats the first and adds the word “always,” so the speaker’s history enters the speech in a single beat. Repetition like this gives an actor room to play a change in feeling between the two sentences.
Maggie in Million Dollar Baby
The Actors Pulse presents Maggie’s speech as one that reveals the character’s motive: “Problem is, this is the only thing I ever felt good doin’.” Character motive is the reason a person acts, and here it arrives in plain words. The line is a useful study of how little text is needed once the audience knows what is at stake for the speaker.
A comedic monologue example: Megan in Bridesmaids
A comedic monologue still needs a character with a want. The Actors Pulse lists a comedic film monologue from Bridesmaids for the character Megan: “I’m referring to myself when I say Megan, it’s me Megan.” The humour comes from the character explaining the obvious with total confidence. Read that way, the performance task is to commit to Megan’s certainty rather than to signal that the line is a joke.
Comedy and drama also sit in separate categories in Daily Actor’s library, which is a prompt to choose a genre on purpose. If your auditions call for both, prepare one speech in each.
A Shakespearean example: Hamlet’s “To be, or not to be”
Shakespeare’s plays are public domain, so this excerpt can be studied and performed freely:
To be, or not to be: that is the question:
Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles
And by opposing end them.
The speech opens with a question, then weighs two options against each other, so the audience hears a mind choosing in real time. The images of slings, arrows and a sea of troubles give the actor concrete pictures to play. A practical way to prepare is to paraphrase each line in plain modern speech, then return to the original words with that meaning in your voice.
Shakespeare collections can be large. One uploaded compilation titled 111 Shakespeare Monologues runs 144 pages, so decide on a character type before you browse and read for the speech that fits you.
What makes a monologue work
A monologue works when it gives an actor a clear reason to speak. The Actors Pulse describes short movie monologues as chances for “character insight, emotion and storytelling,” and the examples above show how that plays out in the text itself.
- A want the audience can name. Maggie’s line tells us why she keeps going. If you cannot say what your character wants from the first sentence, the speech will feel like recitation.
- A turn inside the speech. Tom moves from a denial to a larger claim, and Hamlet moves from a question to a weighing of choices. Mark the point where your character’s thinking changes and let the voice and body follow it.
- Specific language. A cat on a hot tin roof, slings and arrows, the longest distance between two places: each is a picture an actor can play. Vague speeches give you less to work with.
- Room for a physical life. Repetition, such as M’Lynn’s second sentence, and pauses, such as Megan’s over-explaining, are places where an action or a breath can say something the words do not.
Once the words are secure, movement choices come next. For how movement is planned around a speech, see our guide to what is blocking in theater.
Choosing a monologue for an audition
The best audition choice is a speech that fits you, the role and the room. Daily Actor’s guidance points to three decisions.
- Start from yourself. A monologue should be a reflection of you and your experiences, so choose a speech whose situation you can imagine from your own life.
- Aim at the role. Tailor the speech to the type of role you are going for, which means reading the audition notice before you browse a library.
- Keep it short. The Actors Pulse recommends short monologues of 2 minutes or less for auditions, class exercises and home practice, so a tight speech is a sound default.
The overused pick: Glengarry Glen Ross
Daily Actor names the Glengarry Glen Ross speech, associated with Alec Baldwin, as the kind of famous monologue to take on only if you dare. The risk is comparison: a panel that has heard a speech many times will measure you against the version they remember. A less familiar speech with a clear want gives you more room to be noticed.
Auditions and rehearsals involve more people than the performer. To see who else keeps a production on track, read What Does a Stage Manager Do? The Practical Guide To Their Role In Theatre (2026).
Frequently asked questions
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| How long is a short monologue, and where is it used? | The Actors Pulse defines short monologues as lasting 2 minutes or less and describes them as suited to auditions, class exercises and home practice. If an audition notice sets its own limit, follow that. |
| Does a monologue have to come from a play? | No. Daily Actor sorts its monologues by medium, with categories for movies, plays, TV and musicals, as well as by comedic and dramatic genre. |
| Does my age range matter when I choose a monologue? | Yes. Daily Actor says it is essential to choose a monologue that aligns with your age range, so check that the speaker’s situation is believable for you before you commit. |
