I need help for a Drama Class project

Author: Nanner Split
Time: 27-Oct-2005 1:51 AM
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We're supposed to present a monologue from a play at the end of the semester, and all of the available ones our teacher has are terrible. Could someone point me towards one (preferably silly, but witty), and maybe a link to the script? That would be really great.

Author: Gaffer Tape
Time: 27-Oct-2005 2:09 AM
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I'm a theatre major, so I should be able to do that, but I must say that the Internet (at least for me) blows chunks when it comes to finding good monologues. Are you allowed to write your own?

But if you're allowed to do things from mediums other than plays, try snltranscripts.jt.org

There is no lingerie in space…

Author: Nanner Split
Time: 27-Oct-2005 3:44 AM
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I do believe that it has to be an already-written play, and I'm pretty sure SNL doesn't count. I could always try asking though.

Can you think of a humorous or witty/biting play that I could try to hunt down on my own, then?

Author: Mavimao
Time: 27-Oct-2005 4:29 AM
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"Rosencrantz and Gildenstern are Dead", "Look Back in Anger" (rather serious but it does have its moment), Anything by Oscar Wilde.

There's an obscure play called "One Way Pendulum" that's absolutely absurd. A little too absurd, maybe...

"The Marriage of Figaro" and "The Barber of Seville" by Beaumarchais are hysterical (even after 300 years). Moliere can be funny, but it's rather high-brow and I have no idea how it translates into English.

Shakespeare can be funny but that's demanding for a monologue.

So yeah, there you go. Have fun!

What’s the internal temperature of a TaunTaun? Luke warm.

Author: Mavimao
Time: 27-Oct-2005 4:32 AM
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Here's a quote from The marriage of Figaro just so you see how funny it is. (perhaps? yes?) Basically, Figaro is a servant to an idiotic Spanish aristocrat and he's giving him a piece of his mind:

"No, Monsieur le Comte, you shan't have her! You shan't have her. Just because you are a great noble, you think you are a great genius! Nobility, a fortune, a rank, appointments to office: all this makes a man so proud! What did you do to earn all this? You took the trouble to get born - nothing more. Moreover, you're really a pretty ordinary fellow. While as for me, lost in the crowd, I've had to use more knowledge, more brains, just to keep alive than your likes have to spend on governing Spain and the Empire for a century. And you want to contest with me."

What’s the internal temperature of a TaunTaun? Luke warm.

Author: Mavimao
Time: 27-Oct-2005 4:34 AM
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I don't remember it all too well, but doesn't "Waiting for Godot" have some funny monologues?

It's been too long.

What’s the internal temperature of a TaunTaun? Luke warm.

Author: Nanner Split
Time: 27-Oct-2005 8:59 AM
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Thanks guys. You've been a world of help.

Author: Gaffer Tape
Time: 27-Oct-2005 4:00 PM
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If you really want to do Shakespeare, The Comedy of Errors holds up pretty well to a modern audience. It's not Shakespeare's best verse, but that actually helps it to be more easily understood now. It's really, really funny.

I'm actually doing a monologue from it in about half an hour.

There is no lingerie in space…

Author: ricarleite
Time: 27-Oct-2005 4:52 PM
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Break a leg!

“Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.” — Nazi Reich Marshal Hermann Goering

Author: Gaffer Tape
Time: 27-Oct-2005 5:41 PM
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Thank you. I'm done now, though. It was just a first round performance, and my teacher said it was going in the right direction, but the physicality was about 50% of where it needed to be. I'm actually very happy with that because he's a stickler, and I found out after the class that he actually hates The Comedy of Errors. And less than half the class actually made it all the way through their monolougues at all! So I feel good.

There is no lingerie in space…

Author: ricarleite
Time: 27-Oct-2005 9:36 PM
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I congratulate both you, Gaffer Tape, and Nanner Split. Performing monologues is VERY difficult, and it amazes me that we have such brilliant performers here who can pull it off. Just... don't overact, like this old actor and theater director over here (he is a mix between Andy Warhol, Yoko Ono, Neil Simon and Daffy Duck), he acts and directs this bizarre post-modern performatic plays, and for some time he used to perform this 4 hour complex dramatic monologue, and after performing it so many times he eventually got completely insane.

“Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.” — Nazi Reich Marshal Hermann Goering

Author: GundarkHunter
Time: 27-Oct-2005 9:45 PM
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Too bad it has to be a play. The "to the pain" monologue in "The Princess Bride" is brilliant, and would be fun to perform. I'll admit that it's not a pure monologue, but the interjections are so slight, it almost qualifies.

Princess Leia: I happen to like nice men.
Han Solo: I'm a nice man.

Author: ricarleite
Time: 27-Oct-2005 9:48 PM
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I get reminded of my stand up experiences, which are monologues in a way. Hard to face audiences when it's only you there, and it's even harder to come up with material that can keep up the pace, timing and the jokes with the performance... So I know what I'm talking about when I congratulated you guys.

“Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.” — Nazi Reich Marshal Hermann Goering

Author: Gaffer Tape
Time: 28-Oct-2005 1:49 AM
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Originally posted by: GundarkHunter
Too bad it has to be a play. The "to the pain" monologue in "The Princess Bride" is brilliant, and would be fun to perform. I'll admit that it's not a pure monologue, but the interjections are so slight, it almost qualifies.

Hey, some of the best monologues are created by taking other people's parts out and combining things together. I find it very fun to cut monologues to fit a time length or transform a dialogue to a monologue, if I can pull it off. It just makes the work seem that much more your own, and it almost guarantees that if someone else does use the same monologue in an audition that it's not going to be the same cut.

And thanks again, ric. Good stand-up comics are definitely a joy. We have an improv troupe at my school that I've thought about joining if I'm not too busy. But they do stand-up as well.

There is no lingerie in space…

Author: Nanner Split
Time: 28-Oct-2005 2:24 AM
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I've been working on my improv skills lately too, but since i'm only a junior in high school, I guess I've still got plenty of time.

At my school, we have this play every December called the Boar's Head Festival, which is a medieval banquety thingy. The main fun character is the Lord of Misrule, a.k.a. the court jester, which is, of course, the most desired part. At first I wanted this part, but after consulting with the drama teacher, I have created my own character for the play: the Lord of Misrule's page. Basically, I follow him around, and help him do things, and act out stories he's telling, and basically, I'm the guy that gets all the physical abuse. Should open the door for lots of good slapstick, which seems to be my forte these days.

What about you, Gaffer? What do you specialize in?

Author: Gaffer Tape
Time: 28-Oct-2005 2:42 AM
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Eh, I don't know if I've really developed a specialty. I'm going for my Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, and our classes are set up in studio style. We have three teachers who each have their own assignments in different areas (i.e., we have a voice teacher and we have a movement teacher) although they evaluate us cooperatively. So we pretty much get to dabble around in every kind of performance aspect.

And outside of performance, I'm taking some directing classes. More specifically, I'm taking Introduction to Film Production this semester, which leads to Film Directing. It required me to work crew for an independent film my teacher was making.

There is no lingerie in space…

Author: ricarleite
Time: 28-Oct-2005 7:29 AM
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Originally posted by: Gaffer Tape

Hey, some of the best monologues are created by taking other people's parts out and combining things together. I find it very fun to cut monologues to fit a time length or transform a dialogue to a monologue, if I can pull it off. It just makes the work seem that much more your own, and it almost guarantees that if someone else does use the same monologue in an audition that it's not going to be the same cut.

And thanks again, ric. Good stand-up comics are definitely a joy. We have an improv troupe at my school that I've thought about joining if I'm not too busy. But they do stand-up as well.

By transforming a dialogue into a monologue, would you plainly describe the conversation, like someone saying "and then he told me...", or play both parts? Jonh Leguizamo used to do this play in which he played several different characters all by himself, it was interesting.

I was part once of this teathrical group that did improv, I was the youngest there... But then they wanted to do political satyre plays and go away from the wacky improv comedy so I decided not to be part of that anymore.

“Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.” — Nazi Reich Marshal Hermann Goering

Author: Gaffer Tape
Time: 28-Oct-2005 12:17 PM
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Originally posted by: ricarleite

Originally posted by: Gaffer Tape

Hey, some of the best monologues are created by taking other people's parts out and combining things together. I find it very fun to cut monologues to fit a time length or transform a dialogue to a monologue, if I can pull it off. It just makes the work seem that much more your own, and it almost guarantees that if someone else does use the same monologue in an audition that it's not going to be the same cut.

And thanks again, ric. Good stand-up comics are definitely a joy. We have an improv troupe at my school that I've thought about joining if I'm not too busy. But they do stand-up as well.

By transforming a dialogue into a monologue, would you plainly describe the conversation, like someone saying "and then he told me...", or play both parts? Jonh Leguizamo used to do this play in which he played several different characters all by himself, it was interesting.

I was part once of this teathrical group that did improv, I was the youngest there... But then they wanted to do political satyre plays and go away from the wacky improv comedy so I decided not to be part of that anymore.

Well, it depends. The easiest way is if oen person is clearly talking much more than the other person. Then, the second person's lines can simply be cut to make a monologue. Of course, sometimes, the first person's lines will have to be slightly altered to cover that up. There are also some instances where you can incorporate some lines of the other person into your own monologue to make it make more sense, or it sounds better. But it's usually working around and removing the lines of the other person. But describing the conversation... well, adding made up lines is usually taking a few too many liberties with the piece.

There is no lingerie in space…

Author: Nanner Split
Time: 7-Nov-2005 2:38 PM
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Does anyone know any websites that act like Cliffnotes, but with plays? I have a character analysis for the Player from "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead" due in about 45 minutes, and I'm a little stuck.

Author: TV's Frink
Time: 2-Mar-2010 6:21 PM
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Am I too late too help? Unfortunately, I don't know the answer.

im looking for the one they call VOTEFOR PALPATINE

Author: vote_for_palpatine
Time: 2-Mar-2010 6:53 PM (Edited)
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Who is...{DoS} Hellhound?

I'll take "Architecture" for $400, Alex.

Want to book yourself or a guest on THE VFP Show? PM me!

Author: Octorox
Time: 2-Mar-2010 10:23 PM (Edited)
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Author: TV's Frink
Time: 2-Mar-2010 10:27 PM
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:P

Author: Gaffer Tape
Time: 3-Mar-2010 2:05 PM
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Wow, this thread scared the crap out of me! I didn't remember it at all but saw a whole bunch of posts, ostensibly from me, but I'm not entirely convinced I ever said any of that. Necroposting is horror! O_O

There is no lingerie in space…

Author: doubleofive
Time: 3-Mar-2010 4:34 PM
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I almost congratulated you on a monologue you gave FIVE YEARS AGO. This is scary stuff here, this necro junk.

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