An Exercise to Help Actors Remember the Other Character in Monologues

BY BRUCE MILLER Someone is An exercise to help actors remember the other character in monologues MOST ACTORS AGREE on one particular dialogue during which another actor- issue. They hate to do monologues. character is present and reacting. It’s one of the most difficult tasks an Sometimes the other actor periodically actor faces. There are several reasons inserts snippets of his own dialogue; for this, but the most glaring one is other times the reaction is non-verbal. that doing a monologue feels totally One way or another, there is always a unnatural. give and take between the actor-char- In some ways, performing a mono- acters. When a playwright writes the logue is similar to taking the SAT—a dialogue, she is well aware that the device used to measure one’s potential listening character, through his or her or aptitude for success. In reality, how- reactions, will be helping to steer the ever, neither has much in common course of the monologue with verbal with what a person would actually do and non-verbal feedback. The play- in the situations they’re supposed to wright intends for there to be give and measure. When we use monologues to take between characters, knowing that help us cast a play, we are asking ac- it will provide conflict as well as a dra- tors to talk to themselves or an imagi- matic arc as the speech unfolds. Of nary listener and make us believe that course, there are monologues in which this is what they are actually doing. the playwright intentionally writes for That seldom happens in the play we a character to address the audience di- will direct. Usually there is a person rectly. But even in these situations, the for the actor to talk to. Nevertheless, playwright expects that an exchange we expect our students to be convinc- will be going on between the character ing in their monologues, actually speak and the listening audience, and the ac- with purpose and urgency, and for- tor playing the character will be ex- ward the story. In addition, our actors pected to make adjustments according are doing all this without the full con- to that feedback. text of the play, but we still expect Too often, unfortunately, when be- them to make it all make sense. Some- ginning actors are auditioning for a times, and most painful of all, these role or trying to impress a college au- actors will break the fourth wall and ditor, they forget many of the things actually talk directly to us out in the that will help them perform believably. audience—making us complicit in their They end up performing their mono- problems and their pain. logue in a vacuum in a way that inad- The truth is, most monologues are vertently makes them ignore the very not really monologues, particularly things that auditors or directors want to when seen in the context of a play. see. Those include an ability to be be- They are actually extended pieces of lievable and to listen and react mo- 10 TEACHING THEATRE listening R.BRUHN TEACHING THEATRE 11 ment by moment; act physically; tell derstand and recognize the ingredients published by Samuel French, include the story clearly and sequentially; and that make up a good monologue. Next, Actors Write for Actors, Encore, and be compelling as well as natural. they will need to do the initial prepa- Both Sides of the Story. The fact is, an audition monologue ration on that monologue including Monologues from memoirs, oral his- is far stronger when the viewer is determining the given circumstances, tories, and novels written in the first aware that another character is present, and finding the storytelling arc, basic person are also excellent source mate- even when an actor performs it alone. conflict and objectives, and the most rial. Some of my own students, for ex- In other words, since most mono- dramatic moments. Once you give the ample, have had much success using logues are really dialogues, the actor assignment and have explained it fully, gender-specific material from female always needs to know how the other you should provide everyone ample writers—Jennifer Weiner’s novels, for character is reacting. Acting is about time to find and prepare the material instance, and selections from The Love- telling the story—not just saying the for presentation. Then have your stu- ly Bones by Alice Sebold. Others have words—and a central part of the un- dents present their monologues in found monologue-worthy excerpts folding story is the non-verbal part class and get feedback from you and from non-fiction offerings such as Re- where an actor gets to react to his or (if you allow it) the class. viving Ophelia by Mary Pipher or Nick- her scene partner. el and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich. What I’m going present here is a Discussion. If your students are so- The important thing is that their selec- three-step exercise that can help actors phisticated enough, you may want to tions sound like real people talking, prepare and deliver monologues more let them select their own material. The and contain a significant conflict and a effectively by forcing them to deal with material should be something that they dramatic arc. You might want to sug- a monologue as though it were a could actually play. Monologue work gest to your students that they start scene rather than a solo piece. This is difficult enough; no need to make it actively collecting potential material exercise will also aid actors with most even harder by using material that and keep it in a folder for future use. other essential elements of good acting will be too much of a stretch and re- Finding a good monologue is always including analysis, making choices quire choices beyond your students’ stressful, and what is not useful now from that analysis, physicalization, lis- understanding or physicality. If you may very well be later. tening and reacting, and telling the sto- don’t think your students have the ca- Once your students have selected ry in a believable fashion. pacity at this point to select for them- their monologues—a minute to a The purpose of this exercise is to selves, then you should pick their minute and a half is more than show young actors how to view scenes for them. The idea is for them enough material—they should begin monologues the same way as scenes. to be successful. In this exercise I like their analysis process and, before any Ultimately, every scene must have a to use monologues that do not come rehearsal begins, be solid on the fol- central conflict between characters; an from actual plays. Normally, I like to lowing: arc with a clear beginning, middle, make my students have to deal with • The given circumstances—the and end; and several storytelling mo- their work in the context of the bigger who, what, when, and where or, in ments that serve as dramatic stepping picture of the play, but for this kind other words, the context for the stones. Our actors must also keep in of introduction to monologuing, I speech. Who is talking to whom? What mind that good acting is not only have found it to be useful for students is their relationship, history, etc? about dialogue. Acting between the to have to make up viable given cir- Where are the characters? When does lines is as important as dialogue, and cumstances on their own. It forces this scene take place? physical action can be as telling as the them to think in terms of clear, exe- • What are the conflicts and obsta- words provided. The exercise is in- cutable choices that will make the sto- cles apparent in the scene? How do tended to give students an opportuni- ry compelling for the audience. they connect with the unfolding story ty to test and develop these concepts The problem is that many of those and the needs of the characters? No and help them to prepare and execute dozens of monologue collections that answers should be arbitrary. They a monologue with success. Depending you find in bookstores—especially should all contribute to the unity and on the time you have, you can do all those original ones for student actors— effectiveness of the story. the rounds in sequence or, if your are often not very good. You will need • What do the characters need from time is limited, jump right into the to judge them yourself, but I strongly each other (their objectives)? How second round. recommend that you approve any se- does the dialogue work to help the lections your students make before al- characters get what they need? What Round one: find a lowing them to begin working. Even a tactics are apparent or implied in the monologue that works good actor can be tripped up by bad monologue? What is the story arc or The first round of this exercise is de- material. I have found that the collec- dramatic progression? signed to teach your students how to tions written by Jason Milligan are very • What are the big storytelling mo- find monologue material that will serve effective for this kind of acting assign- ments in the monologue? How do they them well, or at least get them to un- ment. The three titles in his series, all set up what happens next? 12 TEACHING THEATRE These questions all have to be an- of the M5. And I realize. I am like a ing the dialogue to get what she needs swered specifically.

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