New Dramatic Monologue about Grieving: Those Black Streaks

September 27, 2024 by Tara Meddaugh in 2-minute monologue, 1-minute monologue, dramatic, Grief, monologue for female acto, Monologues

If you’re looking for a reflective monologue about grief and its effects, check out my dramatic monologue, THOSE BLACK STREAKS (or These Black Streaks). In the monologue, Veronica speaks to her friend about her mother’s recent passing. Her mother didn’t give her much advice, even when she probably needed it. But she did always instruct Veronica to not leave the house before putting “her face on.” Veronica waxes to her friend about the irony that the makeup which would typically cover imperfections on her face, now betrays her emotions, mixing with tears to form black streaks on her face, exposing her to the world.

THOSE BLACK STREAKS runs around 1-2 minutes, and is good for a woman looking for a sad monologue, exploring grief, perception, mother-daughter relationships, and how one makes sense of the past in the context of the present.

New Monologue About Bullying for Adult Actor: The 119th Element

September 26, 2024 by Tara Meddaugh in 3-minute monologue, 2-minute monologue, dramatic, mature actors, Monologues, monologues for male actor

While many monologues about bullying are for teens or children, THE 119th ELEMENT is for a young to mature male adult actor (20s-80s). Paul is an embittered and awkward scientist, having been bullied all his life by boys, girls, and even his parents. In the monologue, Paul is more than pleased to accept an honor in recognition of his discovering the 119th element (which he has named after himself). He insists this discovery and award prove that despite all the bullying he has experienced, all the doubts and obstacles he’s faced, his most basic theory holds true: He is always right. But…

Did he really make this scientific discovery? And is he really accepting an award at all?

New Rom-Com Monologue: Head to Toe

March 28, 2023 by Tara Meddaugh in 2-minute monologue, 3-minute monologue, comedic, dramatic, love, monologue for female acto, Monologues, romance, Teen, virtual theater, Zoom plays

Sydney is on a first date. A blind date. And a zoom date during the covid-19 lockdown. Needless to say, she’s nervous—but she’s also excited to possibly form a new human connection. And during this date…her cat pees on the floor. Is her cat seeking attention, since he’s been the only one to get her affection for 8 weeks? And will her date wait for her while she cleans up the mess?

I wrote this monologue a couple of years ago, but for some reason, held onto it in the “laptop cave files” until today. Do any single folk remember what it was like to be isolated in a living quarters with literally no one else, except maybe a pet? Thank God for pets, right? Humans need affection, they need interaction, they need comfort and cuddles and touch. And while I ask “does anyone remember”—honestly, three years (or less) really isn’t that long ago…

This idea is forefront in my monologue, Head to Toe, although it’s sandwiched by a jealous cat who might be peeing to ruin Sydney’s blind date! Sydney is a fun role for an actor to play, or director to direct, as she has a lot of action (especially for someone on Zoom), coupled with humor, first-date nerves and excitement, as well as the poignancy of striving for connection amidst isolation.

Teen/Tween Monologue about Confronting a Bully from "What Happened at the Mud Puddle"

February 06, 2023 by Tara Meddaugh in 2-minute monologue, 3-minute monologue, dramatic, monologue for female acto, monologue for child actor, Monologues, one-act plays, pre-teen, Teen, tween

Have you heard the phrase, “hurt people hurt people?” It’s been used enough to sound a little cliche, but there’s truth to it. In my one-act play, What Happened at the Mud Puddle, our main tween antagonist is Taylor. She makes fun of others, steals boyfriends, hogs the spotlight, and acts out of spite in true “mean girl” fashion. She has a lot of learning and growing to do, well beyond this play. But even though she’s left a lot of people hurt in her wake, she has her own hurt and insecurity too.

This monologue takes place toward the end of the play, after Taylor has alienated all the guests at her extravagant yacht soiree and they’ve left to come to Chloe’s simple backyard birthday party. Taylor arrives at Chloe’s house—very angry and humiliated. Someone gets pushed in a mud puddle…And Taylor walks away, defeated. Chloe’s monologue recounts her final private confrontation with Taylor, where she realizes why this whole feud even started...and how Chloe is perhaps not entirely innocent either…

Teen/Tween Monologue about Bullying and Fitting In from “What Happened at the Mud Puddle”

January 23, 2023 by Tara Meddaugh in 2-minute monologue, dramatic, monologue for female acto, Monologues, pre-teen, Teen, tween, one-act plays

In my one-act play, What Happened at the Mud Puddle, Taylor, resident mean/popular girl, is creating a whole lot of uncomfortable drama for her entire grade. By the end of the play, we’ll realize, not everyone is quite as straight-forward as they seem (including Taylor), and the line of who is “mean” and who is “nice” sometimes get a little blurred in middle-school… What Happened at the Mud Puddle is a comedy that runs around 25 minutes, with a nice ensemble cast of 12 roles (8 female, 4 male). It has a lot of great monologues, so while it’s good in-person theater, it also transitions easily to zoom or virtual productions.

In this monologue, we learn about Amanda. Amanda is new to this middle school and it doesn’t take long for Taylor to humiliate her in front of the whole cafeteria. So why does Amanda still want to go to Taylor’s party?

Amanda’s monologue runs about 2 minutes. You can read an excerpt of Amanda’s monologue below and you can read the whole play, published by YouthPLAYS here.

The Reason I'm Single: Included in "10 Female Monologues from Love Sick Characters" Theatre Nerds

January 20, 2023 by Tara Meddaugh in 1-minute monologue, 2-minute monologue, dramatic, love, monologue for female acto, Monologues, romance, valentine's day

We’re less than a month away from Valentine’s Day and I know y’all have seen all that pink-heart stuff in CVS the moment the Christmas stuff went on sale! On this “love note”, I’m happy my piece, The Reason I’m Single, was included in this collection from Theatre Nerds of 10 Female Monologues From Love Sick Characters (Ashleigh Gardner). About the collection, Gardner writes:

Competition and audition season is quickly approaching! Have you found your monologue yet? If not, we have you covered. Below are 10 monologues (5 dramatic and 5 comedic) from love-sick female characters who have a bone to pick with love.

In my comedic/dramatic monologue, The Reason I’m Single, Rebecca finally admits to her friend, Kelly, why she doesn’t have a boyfriend. And it’s not why Kelly thinks… As of this post, PerformerStuff is the only place you can get the monologue too (you can read an excerpt and more info there).

Hope you’re not lovesick for real, but it’s good theater playing someone who is!

Holiday Treats: Plays, Monologues, Movies and…Chocolates!

December 01, 2022 by Tara Meddaugh in 1-minute monologue, 2-minute monologue, 3-minute monologue, 5-minute monologue, 5-minute play, comedic, dramatic, holiday, inclusive casting, Monologues, monologues for male actor, one-act plays, Plays, pre-teen, socially distant theater, Teen, tween, Christmas

It’s December 1st, friends! That means I can whip out our family’s 2022 Advent Calendars! Which would you choose? 1) Funko Marvel 2) Chocolates in a penguin 3) Cocktail truffles? Hm… Mind you, young folks, my advent calendar as a kid consisted of opening a door on Santa’s sleigh and the reward was viewing a drawing of a toy! And I had to rotate every third day, sharing with my 2 brothers. Ah, but since we didn’t know what chocolates we were missing, that paper sleigh was still so sweet.

December 1 also means that I can post sans judgment about all the fun Christmas and Holiday theater you’ve been emailing me about and downloading since August! And personally, I’m fine thinking Christmas in August—because holiday theater takes some prep. Auditions for Christmas plays started months ago, and seasonal rehearsals don’t rehearse themselves a week before they open, right?

Dramatic and Comedic pieces for Halloween Monologue Competitions

October 18, 2022 by Tara Meddaugh in 1-minute monologue, 10-minute monologue, 2-minute monologue, 5-minute monologue, child monolog collection, comedic, comedy monolog collection, dark comedy, dramatic monolog collecti, dramatic, Halloween, monologue collections, monologue for child actor, monologue for female acto, Monologues, monologues for male actor, mystical creatures, Suspense, Teen, teen monologue collection, thriller, tween

If you’re looking for a great monologue to use in a Halloween Monologue Competition, check out the monologues below, beginning with creepy Halloween monologues, followed by comedic Halloween monologues. Monologues range from 1 minute to 10 minutes, children, teen and adult.

Summer Monologues

August 01, 2022 by Tara Meddaugh in 1-minute monologue, 2-minute monologue, 3-minute monologue, 30-second monologue, 5-minute monologue, absurdist theater, allegory, blind casting, child monolog collection, children, Children's theatre, comedic, comedy monolog collection, dark comedy, dramatic, dramatic monolog collecti, gender neutral casting, inclusive casting, mermaids, monologue collections, monologue for child actor, monologue for female acto, Monologues, monologues for male actor, mystical creatures, Teen, teen monologue collection, thriller, tween, summer

If you’re looking to beat (or lean into!) the heat of the season with a summer-themed monologue, check out this list of 17 monologues that go along nicely with Summertime. Whether it’s someone’s connection to growing veggies, a safari vacation that goes amiss (in all the coolest ways), seeing a lame mermaid at the beach, pushing someone in a mud puddle, spooky things that happen in the woods at night, or ice cream your dog can’t have—enjoy these 17 comedic, dramatic, thriller, teen and children’s monologues that are great for Summer!

A Whole Lot of Monologues About Love

February 02, 2022 by Tara Meddaugh in 1-minute monologue, 2-minute monologue, 3-minute monologue, 5-minute monologue, comedic, comedy monolog collection, dark comedy, dramatic, dramatic monolog collecti, holiday, love, monologue collections, monologue for female acto, Monologues, monologues for male actor, romance, Suspense, Teen, teen monologue collection, valentine's day

Well, we are less than 2 weeks from Valentine’s Day! If you’re looking for a monologue about love for a performance, monologue slam, audition or anything else, check out these pieces. From dark to hopeful, you can find passionate monologues for women and men (and many for any gender), highlighting love in its various dramatic forms.

New 2-Minute Woman's Christmas Monologue - More Than Santa

December 13, 2021 by Tara Meddaugh in 2-minute monologue, Christmas, comedic, dramatic, holiday, love, monologue for female acto, Monologues, romance, Teen, women

So…you’ve fallen in love with the Mall Santa. I mean, what’s not to love, right? (Well…) But what if you’ve never seen him sans-white beard and velvet coat? Can you be sure you’ve fallen for the real man behind the suit? Will you still be happy to share hot cocoa with him when he doesn’t smell like candy canes?

This is the situation Brandy, and her new Mall-Santa-Boyfriend, Kris, find themselves in. Kris is scared Brandy won’t love him when he doesn’t hold Holiday Celebrity Status anymore. He’s been dumped by women post-Christmas before. In the monologue, More Than Santa, Brandy has to convince Kris that she is not only attracted to his white beard (because, come on—that beard!), but she will keep on being attracted to him when she sees him for the first time tomorrow, December 26, not dressed as Santa.

New Christmas Monologue for Women: Christmas China That Can Only Be Handwashed

December 02, 2021 by Tara Meddaugh in 1-minute monologue, 2-minute monologue, Christmas, comedic, dramatic, holiday, love, monologue for female acto, Monologues, romance, women

If you’re a woman looking for a short comedic Christmas monologue, check out Christmas China That Can Only Be Handwashed. In the monologue, it’s Christmas Night. Daphne and her partner, Jamie, have enjoyed a large Christmas dinner with family. Daphne has lovingly spent many hours preparing the meal she knows Jamie will enjoy, on the Christmas China she knows Jamie loves. But now it’s time for Daphne to feel a little love… and it just might take the shape of someone else (ahem: Jamie) hand-washing all those Christmas plates…

This is a comedic monologue which runs around 1.5 minutes, and is appropriate for a female actor in her 20s-50s. Check out below to read and excerpt and to download the free monologue of Christmas China That Can Only Be Handwashed.

New Comedic Christmas Monologue: A Case for Astronaut Caroling

November 22, 2021 by Tara Meddaugh in 2-minute monologue, blind casting, children, Children's theatre, Christmas, comedic, gender neutral casting, holiday, inclusive casting, monologue for child actor, monologue for female acto, Monologues, monologues for male actor, pre-teen, Teen, tween

Have you ever wanted to spice up a traditional Christmas Caroling outing? Santa hats are fine and all, but how much cooler would you look if you wore…say…an astronaut costume? That is Sam’s small request in this 2-minute comedic monologue, A Case for Astronaut Caroling. But before he can sing into that awesome voice-changing space helmet, he has to convince his mom of his plan… Does he make a compelling enough case to win her over?

Check out my free comedic monologue, A Case for Astronaut Caroling. This monologue comes from the one-act play, Christmas Superpowers and Beleving in Blitzen (check out that play here. It has a lot of other comedic monologues). The character role is a child, so this monologue is great for children actors, or tween through young adults who would like to play children (good audition material for children’s plays). This role is gender inclusive/flexible.

New Comedic Christmas Monologue: "Santa Just Wants You to be Healthy"

November 02, 2021 by Tara Meddaugh in 1-minute monologue, 2-minute monologue, Christmas, comedic, family, holiday, monologue for female acto, Monologues

Today on an afternoon walk, I spied a silver bell and garland on a friend’s railing, while another friend mentioned she saw a Hallmark Christmas rom-com last night. I’ve been receiving royalty requests for a Christmas play for a few months now, so I think we are all justified to be looking to holiday theater on November 2, right? In the spirit of the holiday season to come, enjoy a new comedic monologue, Santa Just Wants You to be Healthy:

It’s Christmas morning and Vita’s child, Cameron, has just come to her bedroom at 5am to complain that Santa gave him a boring orange in his stocking. Vita tries to make Cameron understand that Santa simply cares about him and is looking out for his good health and happiness. Knowing the orange is a bit less than exciting though, Vita encourages Cameron to dig down deep to find another treat—most likely something spectacular. But what her child finds is (d’oh!) not exactly what Vita had in mind!

This is a monologue for a female actor (could also be male), 20s-40s and runs about 1.5 minutes long. Check out an excerpt below:

Funny Monologues for Halloween

October 11, 2021 by Tara Meddaugh in 1-minute monologue, 2-minute monologue, blind casting, child monolog collection, children, comedic, comedy monolog collection, gender neutral casting, Halloween, holiday, inclusive casting, monologue collections, monologue for child actor, monologue for female acto, monologues for male actor, Monologues, teen monologue collection, tween

Okay--Halloween Theater doesn't ALL have to be sca ry! Check out these comedic monologues, perfect for this time of year, including:
My Missing Skittles, A Dad’s Defense, I Don’t Wanna Be A Jedi, Apple Pie Pain, The Real Value of Candy, Baby Ants in a Pie.
Click below for more details on the monologues.

New Thriller Monologue: Where's Your Hand, Chloe?

September 17, 2021 by Tara Meddaugh in 2-minute monologue, 3-minute monologue, dramatic, gender neutral casting, Halloween, inclusive casting, monologue for female acto, monologues for male actor, Monologues, outdoor theater, pre-teen, Suspense, Teen, thriller, tween

Let’s be honest - the woods at night can be creepy for even the bravest of us. It’s not quite so bad though if we have someone by our side. But what if that someone suddenly…disappears? And leaves us alone, calling their name, only to find…someone else appear instead?

That is the premise behind my new thriller/dramatic/horror monologue, Where’s Your Hand, Chloe? Addison’s friend, Chloe, disappears on their walk home in the woods (NEVER TAKE THE SHORTCUT THROUGH THE WOODS!). At first, Addison is relieved when she thinks the person in the distance is her friend. But she soon discovers the bloodied soul that is getting closer and closer to Addison is not at all Chloe. Addison’s panic increases as she sees the grotesque Being holds Chloe’s braid wrapped around its shoulder.

As we round the corner toward Halloween and all things spooky, check out my new suspenseful 2-3 minute monologue, Where’s Your Hand, Chloe? This is a great monologue for actors who really want to tap into their horror/frightened/panicking-but-trying-to-stay-calm side. The monologue arrives to you just in time for those awesome Halloween Monologue Slams! Enjoy an excerpt below and check out other suspenseful monologues here or creepy monologues here.

21 Mom Monologues

May 07, 2021 by Tara Meddaugh in 1-minute monologue, 2-minute monologue, 3-minute monologue, 5-minute play, absurdist theater, children, Children's theatre, comedic, comedy monolog collection, dark comedy, dramatic monolog collecti, dramatic, gender neutral casting, inclusive casting, monologue collections, monologue by child, monologue for child actor, monologue for female acto, monologue written by chil, Monologues, monologues for male actor, pre-teen, Teen, teen monologue collection, theater of the absurd, tween

As we honor our mothers for this season (and every day!), enjoy over fifteen (15) “mom monologues.” These monologues are either specifically about moms, spoken to moms, or spoken by moms. From a werewolf’s conflicting feelings about his mother to children asking their mom for a pet skunk, from a mother struggling with her own mortality to a woman adopting a child in her 50s, these monologues range from comedic to absurd to dramatic. Enjoy these children, teen and adult monologues all centering around mother relationships!

Todd Etelson's Backstage list of 6 Playwrights Young Actors Can Turn to for Monologues

February 19, 2021 by Tara Meddaugh in 1-minute monologue, 10-minute monologue, 2-minute monologue, 30-second monologue, Monologues, monologues for male actor, monologue for female acto, monologue for child actor, Publications, Teen, tween

I’m honored to be included in Backstage’s list, 6 Playwrights Young Actors Can Turn To for Monologues, by top NYC youth acting coach, Todd Etelson. I love writing both comedic and dramatic monologues for children and teens, so I’m grateful to be recognized here.

Regardless of style or content, she [Meddaugh] writes her plays in such a way as they are uniquely theatrical, clearly in her own voice, and truly original pieces that belong on the stage. From comedic to dramatic to everything in-between, you can find her well-written monologues on her website.
-Todd Etelson

Check out the other five (5) playwrights in this list who write awesome monologues for children and teens!

13 Monologues about Love for Men

February 09, 2021 by Tara Meddaugh in 1-minute monologue, 2-minute monologue, 5-minute play, comedic, comedy monolog collection, dark comedy, dramatic monolog collecti, dramatic, holiday, love, monologue collections, Monologues, monologues for male actor, outdoor theater, romance, Teen, teen monologue collection, valentine's day

In this compilation, I’ve chosen ten (10) unique monologues of male characters who really dig into the idea of love from one angle or another. From a drugstore clerk smitten with a customer to a man begging his ex to forgive him of his criminal charges to a Klingon hoping his love can be a plotline, enjoy these ten (10) unique and memorable monologues about love!

You can browse each monologue individually below, or you can check out the monologue compilation packet: 10 Monologues About Love for Men, containing all ten (10) unique, compelling and memorable monologues for male characters (a great value at only $9.99 for all 10 monologues!). Monologues range in length from 1 minute to 5 minutes, or more, depending on performance, and are suitable for adult, or older teen, actors. Please note: while roles in these monologues are written for gender-specific characters, actors of any gender may feel free to play any role they connect with.

14 Monologues about Love for Women

February 08, 2021 by Tara Meddaugh in 1-minute monologue, 2-minute monologue, 5-minute play, comedic, comedy monolog collection, dark comedy, dramatic, dramatic monolog collecti, love, monologue collections, monologue for female acto, Monologues, romance, Teen, teen monologue collection, valentine's day

How many plays, movies or books center around the main character looking for love? If you reflect back on hit movies, favorite books, or well-known plays (even taking all the Hallmark Christmas rom-coms out of the mix!), you will probably come up with a list that shows at least half (dare I say 3/4?) of popular stories center around the idea of finding or chasing love. There’s a reason for this. Besides the fact that we all need and want some form of love in our lives, pursuing love is dramatic. Characters put a lot on the line hoping for love. Intense emotions make their way to the surface—extreme jealousy, pitiful desperation, raging anger, divine passion. So if you’re looking to make an impact performing a short piece of drama (while showcasing some memorable acting or directing chops), using a monologue about love can be a great option.

A week before Valentine’s Day, I’ve compiled nine (9) unique monologues of female characters who really dig into the idea of love from one angle or another. The love in these monologues is not clean or perfect; these experiences with love are complicated, layered, sometimes funny, sometimes dark, sometimes desperate, hurt, or empowered. But that’s another reason they make for interesting and challenging drama. From a heart made out of fingernails to a jealous iphone to a pregnant newlywed whose husband is fighting in a war, enjoy these unique and memorable monologues about love!