Professional Documents
Culture Documents
2019 Commencement
If applying for more than one of the courses below, you may use the same
monologue for each audition.
Feel free to choose monologues from either the male or female lists.
You must prepare two pieces from the monologues provided: one
Shakespearean piece; and one contemporary piece.
You must prepare any one piece from the monologues provided in addition
to the two songs.
You must prepare one piece from the contemporary monologues provided.
Some monologues may have been edited. Please prepare the version
provided.
MALE CONTEMPORARY
MALE SHAKESPEARE
LAUGHING WILD
by Christopher Durang
Man
I was in the supermarket the other day about to buy some tuna fish when I
sensed this very disturbed presence right behind me. There was something
about her focus that made it very clear to me that she was a disturbed
person. So I thought – well you should never look at a crazy person
directly, so I thought, I’ll just keep looking at these tuna fish cans,
pretending to be engrossed in whether they’re in oil or in water, and the
person will then go away. But instead wham! she brings her fist down on
my head and screams ‘would you move, asshole’! Now why did she do
that? She hadn’t even said, ‘would you please move’ at some initial point,
so I would’ve known what her problem was. Admittedly I don’t always tell
people what I want either – like the people in the movie theatres who keep
talking, you know, I just give up and resent them – but on the other hand, I
don’t take my fist and go wham! on their heads! I mean, analyzing it,
looking at it in a positive light, this woman probably had some really
horrible life story that, you know, kind of, explained how she got to this
point in time, hitting me in the supermarket. And perhaps if her life – since
birth – had been explained to me, I could probably have made some sense
out of her action and how she got there. But even with that knowledge –
which I didn’t have – it was my head she was hitting, and it’s just so unfair.
It makes me want to never leave my apartment ever, ever again.
BLACKROCK
by Nick Enright
Ricko
You back me up, I’ll back you up. Then whatever happened we’re not in it.
I know you didn’t kill her! I did. I fucken killed her. (A beat) Shana come on
to me, then she backed off. Spider says it’s a full moon, heaps of other
chicks down the beach, take anyone on. I knew which ones were up for it,
mate. We both did. We checked them out together. And they were
checking us out, weren’t they? You and me and every other prick. The
whole fucken netball squad. So, I get out there. Wazza’s getting head from
some bush-pig up against the dunny wall. One of them young babes,
Leanne? I don’t know, comes running up to me, calls my name, Ricko, hey,
Ricko! She grabs me, pashes me off. She’s on, no, she’s fucken not, she’s
with some fucken grommet, he takes her off down the south end. I head
towards the rock. I hear my name again. Ricko. Ricko. It’s Tracy Warner. I
go, right, Jared was here. It’s cool. I’ll take his seconds. She’s on her hands
and knees. Says will I help her. She’s lost her earring, belongs to Cherie,
she has to give it back. There’s something shiny hanging off the back of her
T-shirt. I grab it, I say, here it is. She can’t see it. I give it to her. I say what
are going to give me? She says she’s going home, she’s hurting. I say
hurting from what? Guys, she says, those guys. Take me home, Ricko.
Tells me I’m a legend, says she feels okay with me. Look after me, Ricko.
Take me home. Puts her arm around me. I put mine round her. I feel okay
now, Ricko. She feels more than okay. I say I’ll take you home, babe, but
first things first. I lay her down on the sand, but she pushes me off. Oh,
she likes it rough. I give it to her rough. Then she fucken bites me. Kicks
me in the nuts. My hand comes down on a rock…A rock in one hand and
her earring in the other. (Silence) It was like it just happened. The cops
wouldn’t buy that, but. Would they? Now if I was with you…Will you back
me up, mate? You got to. You got to. Please. Please, Jazza.
OUR AJAX
by Timberlake Wertenbaker
Ajax
The executioner must always stand in the strong position. (He finds a spot,
rifle ready, listening.)
The last patrol. (He looks around)
All quiet, too quiet
and then the ambush
from all sides – fuck fuck fuck
the shell explodes
shrapnel cordite-
I hear the scream-
we have to move forward
under fire to the compound-comes the choice-
throw in a grenade
or force open the door
split second decision
put civilians at risk
put my men at risk
option 2 this time, instinct.
In the room
a family
and the child with the wide open eyes.
I never had a problem with the body parts
one leg here one leg there
like a film, seen it all
but the eyes of the child
age of my child
unfathomable openness
into the depth of terror
and the silent question
what is all this for?
Fear mirroring mine as I reflect his
in this hall of recurring fears.
I break down and cry
maybe relief I didn’t kill him
or do I already know I’ve lost 3 men?
And there’s no medal for saving civilians
and for how long anyway? and who are they hiding?
If I’m his nightmare now how’s he gonna stop it?
Except one day do the same thing for me?
His eyes in flashback, always: better not to sleep.
The thing is: did I really see them?
Is it a film I can’t remember? A picture.
In my brain, it all looks the same.
And sometimes I see the first option:
The grenade, as real as if it happened,
the dead child, ball in his hand
the film running parallel
and none of it is real
until you get killed. That’s gotta be real.
GOODBYE CHARLES
by Gabriel Davis
I’m not the kind of guy who spends hundreds on a last minute flight, back
to New York, tears across town, then run up six flights of stairs and knocks
on my best friend’s girlfriend’s door in order to run off and elope with her
based on one crazy, thoughtless, inexplicable romantic night.
So what am I doing here, Audrey? I’m not passionate. I’m a fact checker
for Christ’s sake. And the fact of me – being here – doesn’t check out. It’s
nuts! Soul mates? I don’t believe in them. Never have. So how can I be
yours? The fact is, you hardly know me! And I hardly know you!
Because the fact is you are in a relationship. Because the fact is we just
met yesterday. Because the fact is I’m not the kind of guy who falls in love.
That’s a fact. A cold hard fact. And facts are supposed to be true.
But the problem is….despite every fact I can muster, there’s something that
still doesn’t check out. Because the truth is despite all facts to the
contrary…I still love you madly. And it just defies all reason. All morality.
All sense. But I do. I love you madly. And it’s not like me. And I don’t want
to. But I can’t help it.
Love me Tender
by Tom Holloway
Chorus
I’m a cop, right? It’s my job. It’s just my job. But it means I see things. I sit
there in the patrol car and I drive around the streets of this town both day
and night, yeah? And I go everywhere… The good parts of town, the bad
parts of town… And so I see… Well… everything. Really. Everything. You
know what I mean? All kinds. All sorts. And the thing is, you see… I see us.
You and me. I see us doing amazing things. Saving. Rescuing. Loving.
Caring. Supporting. Sacrificing. Going without. Working hard. Being there
for each other. Being pretty bloody amazing to each other. Really.
Amazing. But I also see… because of my job… I also see us… I see us like…
as if we were animals. As if we’re still animals. Tearing. Ripping. Killing.
But worse. Worse than animals because they have a need. Some kind of
need. You know? But us? But for us? And that makes me ask myself this
question… if we do all… If that is what we’re really like… Good and bad
and all that… How do we cope with that? How do we try to comes to
terms with something like that?
BROTHERS WRECK
by Jada Alberts
Ruben
Konstantin
It was such a pathetic failure. It must have been awful for you. And
women, yes? They never forgive a failure do they? I burnt it. The play.
Every page. Every copy. If you had the slightest idea how desperate I am.
Every day you get colder and colder. It’s started to scare me. It’s like I’ve
woken up and the lake has dried into the earth. You’re wrong, you know.
About people not being able to understand me. That’s not the problem.
The problem is that there’s nothing about me for people to understand.
Everybody hated my play. Even you. I thought you were my inspiration.
But you clearly find me ridiculous. I mean, clearly. I’m insignificant. To
you. I mean nothing. Do you know what I am to you? I’m ordinary.
Now here. This is a real writer. Here he comes. Shh. Watch him. He’s got
his little notebook. Doesn’t he? That’s what real writers do. Like Hamlet.
‘Words words words’. He doesn’t even know you’re here but look at you.
The way you look at him. Your eyes light up. Don’t worry. I won’t get in
your way.
He leaves.
MALE SHAKESPEARE
Suffolk
Puck
Clarence
Edmund
Romeo
Iago
King Henry V