Holiday Monologues for Men

December 02, 2024 by Tara Meddaugh in comedy monolog collection, Children's theatre, Christmas, monologues for male actor, monologue collections

From a hopeful mistletoe romantic to a dude with an axe or a video-game loving elf, enjoy these holiday/Christmas monologues for men!

30 Monologues About Love for Men and Women: New Monologue Compilation Packet

November 26, 2024 by Tara Meddaugh in monologue collections, monologue for female acto, Monologues, monologues for male actor

Check out my new digital download compilation of 30 MEMORABLE MONOLOGUES ABOUT LOVE!

There’s a reason so many plays center around the main character chasing love. 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, so stakes are high! Intense emotions make their way to the surface—extreme jealousy, divine passion, pitiful desperation, euphoric hope. 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.

In this compilation for digital download, I’ve chosen 30 unique monologues of 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. There is betrayal, longing, hope, hurt, empowerment. But these are just additional reasons they make for interesting and challenging drama. From a jealous cat on a blind zoom date to a drugstore clerk smitten with a customer, from a heart made out of fingernails to a raccoon grieving the love of his life, enjoy these unique and memorable monologues about love! Check out descriptions of each monologue here.

These comedic and dramatic monologues about love range from 1 minute to 5+ minutes. There are 16 monologues for women and 14 monologues for men. While roles are written for gender-specific characters, actors of any gender may feel free to play any role they connect with; actors have the playwright’s permission to change the character pronouns, if desired.

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?

Monologue from "When Marshmallows Burn" Published in The Best Men's Stage Monologues Anthology

January 25, 2023 by Tara Meddaugh in 1-minute monologue, absurdist theater, blind casting, comedic, dark comedy, dramatic, gender neutral casting, inclusive casting, monologue for child actor, monologue for female acto, monologues for male actor, Monologues, mystical creatures, one-act plays, outdoor theater, Plays, Publications, Teen, Suspense, ten-minute plays, theater of the absurd, thriller, tween

I’m honored that my monologue from When Marshmallows Burn has been published in Smith & Kraus’s anthology, The Best Men’s Stage Monologues 2022, edited by Debbie Lamedman. Did you know Smith & Kraus has been publishing anthologies of the best men’s and women’s stage monologues for over 30 years? Very cool! In my dark comedy/drama:

Sammy and his mom are enjoying roasting marshmallows over the fire under the full moon when something very strange starts to happen. Sammy’s arms look a little furry. His teeth look a lot like fangs. And he has a sudden urge to kill squirrels—and eat them raw. What (or who) else will he have an urge to kill? Is there anything his mother can do to stop him, or can she ultimately accept and love her wereson? Read the whole play here.

Missy Flower and Buchanan Highhouse in When Marshmallows Burn, directed by Nate Flower. Photography by @designbyraegan.

This is a play about a werewolf, yes. But moreover, it’s a play about a mom and her son. I recently read Celeste Ng’s new novel Our Missing Hearts and in it, a central mother character says, “But in the end every story I want to tell you is the same. Once upon a time, there was a boy. Once upon a time there was a mother. Once upon a time, there was a boy, and his mother loved him very much.”

This hits me hard.

And when I was telling my 2 sons basically the whole story of Our Missing Hearts, you can bet I was choking up relaying this part of the book (and then hugging them!).

When Marshmallows Burn is not only a dark comedy about a boy becoming a werewolf. It’s a story about familial acceptance and the love of a mom and a son, in the face of changing identity.

The monologue selected for the anthology (What My Fangs are For) takes place the moment Sammy has returned from his first kill in the woods. He is proud he found his late-night snack without troubling his mom for help. As he relays killing the squirrel to her, he realizes his mother is becoming increasingly scared of him and his pride turns to fear that she will no longer love him as a werewolf.

Sammy’s monologue runs about 1 minute long and is great for any gender actor. It gives the performer a significant journey from being proud of something new and exciting to being deeply worried and terrified to lose what matters most. It also lets an actor showcase both dark comedy as well as dramatic skills.

I was so lucky to have an outstanding team bring this play to life for the first time: Missy Flower as the mom, Buchanan Highhouse as the son, and Nate Flower as the director (produced by Free Space Theater, in collaboration with the Harrison Public Library). We performed the play around Halloween, at night in the great outdoors, and this was an absolute amazing backdrop for the play, which takes place at night, in the great outdoors…

Along with Sammy’s monologue, this anthology includes dozens of other wonderful monologues. As Ms. Lademan writes in her foreword, “These pieces present great acting challenges, and actors will have the pleasure of sinking their teeth into this sublime material while continuing to perfect their craft in their online or in-person workshops.”

Click here to get The Best Men’s Stage Monologues on amazon. You can also get Sammy’s monologue, What My Fangs are For, by itself here. Additionally, you can read an excerpt here of When Marshmallows Burn, or click below for the complete digital copy of that play:

When Marshmallows Burn, a 10-minute dark comedy by Tara Meddaugh

$5.99

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1-Minute Monologues

January 12, 2023 by Tara Meddaugh in 1-minute monologue, absurdist theater, animal theater, allegory, blind casting, child monolog collection, children, Children's theatre, comedic, comedy monolog collection, dark comedy, dramatic, dramatic monolog collecti, fairy tale, gender neutral casting, inclusive casting, monologue by child, monologue collections, monologue for child actor, monologue for female acto, monologue written by chil, Monologues, monologues for male actor, mystical creatures, pre-teen, Teen, teen monologue collection, tween

One-minute monologues are an important way to make a quick impression to agents, casting directors, schools/colleges/universities. While longer monologues definitely have their place, sometimes actors are required to stick with showing their chops in less than 60 seconds. One-minute monologues also fairly easy to memorize because, well, obviously, they’re short, and they work well for younger actors who may not be ready for a 2-minute monologue or longer. One-minute monologues are also great to perform in festivals, competitions or classes, and an accessible way for actors to hone their craft privately or with a coach.

Having only 1 minute to showcase yourself as an actor can be a bit daunting though, so I’ve started a new page of my 1-minute monologues to make things a little bit easier for actors. These monologues have story and character arc, even if short, and they help actors showcase versatility and evoke emotion from their audience. There are dramatic 1-minute monologues, comedic 1-minute monologues, 1-minute monologues for women, men, any gender, teens and children. From candy-inspired monologues for kids to mean girl monologues for teens to hopeful love or scorned love—these 35 monologues allow actors to dig into complexities and give a memorable performance, in one minute.

30-Second Monologues

December 27, 2022 by Tara Meddaugh in 30-second monologue, children, child monolog collection, comedic, comedy monolog collection, dramatic, dramatic monolog collecti, gender neutral casting, inclusive casting, monologue collections, monologue for child actor, monologue for female acto, Monologues, monologues for male actor, pre-teen, Teen, teen monologue collection, tween

While not as common, these bite-sized monologues can come in handy! So I’ve started a new page solely devoted to these 30-second monologues. Finding an impactful monologue that is less than 1 minute can be challenging. You want to convey engaging emotion, a bit or story and arc, and hopefully have a powerful opening and closing line. This is not easy in such a short time! But I’m up for the challenge and I know you, as actors/directors, are up for that too! So enjoy my growing list of memorable little monologues that can leave your mark in only 30 seconds.

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.

"Forgiveness and Defeat At a Pokemon Gym" and "If I Were A Flower" included in Performer Stuff's list of 10 "Monologues for Carefree Kids"

August 03, 2022 by Tara Meddaugh in children, Children's theatre, comedic, inclusive casting, gender neutral casting, monologue for child actor, Monologues, monologues for male actor, Teen, tween

Happy to have two of my pieces (Forgiveness and Defeat at Pokemon Gym and If I Were A Flower) featured in Performer Stuff’s collection of 10 Monologues for Carefree Kids (article written by Amanda Grace).

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!

Monologue from When Marshmallows Burn to be published in Smith & Kraus's "The Best Men's Stage Monologues”

February 15, 2022 by Tara Meddaugh in 1-minute monologue, animal theater, allegory, dark comedy, dramatic, monologue for female acto, monologues for male actor, Monologues, mystical creatures, outdoor theater, pre-teen, Suspense, Teen, ten-minute plays, thriller, thriller play, tween, 10-minute play

I’m honored that a monologue from my dark-comedy play, WHEN MARSHMALLOWS BURN, has been selected to be published by Smith & Kraus in the anthology, “The Best Men's Stage Monologues 2022” (editor Debbie Lamedman).

In the play, When Marshmallows Burn, Sammy and his mom are enjoying roasting marshmallows by the fire, under the full moon, when something very strange starts to happen. Sammy’s arms look a little furry. His teeth look a lot like fangs. And he has a sudden urge to kill squirrels—and eat them raw. What (or who) else will he have an urge to kill? Is there anything his mother can do to stop him, or can she ultimately accept and love him? This is a dark comedy about a boy becoming a werewolf, but it’s also a story about acceptance and love, in the face of changing identities.

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 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.

Great Virtual or Social Distancing Christmas Play: Christmas Superpowers and Believing in Blitzen

November 22, 2021 by Tara Meddaugh in 1-minute monologue, children, Children's theatre, Christmas, comedic, gender neutral casting, inclusive casting, holiday, monologue for child actor, monologue for female acto, Monologues, monologues for male actor, one-act plays, Plays, pre-teen, socially distant theater, Teen, Zoom plays, virtual theater

While some theaters and schools are open for in-person performances, there are many throughout the world which are not able to be open in this capacity yet. (We are all in different situations throughout the globe and my heart is with you all!) If your school or theater is looking for a family-friendly Christmas show which lends itself to social distancing or virtual theater, check out the one-act play, Christmas Superpowers and Believing in Blitzen. Since this is a monologue-heavy play, it allows for increased social distancing in rehearsals and performances and also slides more easily into virtual theater. CLICK FOR MORE

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!

Snowman Versus Sun by Tara Meddaugh: New Children's Comedic monologue

February 10, 2021 by Tara Meddaugh in 1-minute monologue, blind casting, children, Children's theatre, comedic, gender neutral casting, inclusive casting, monologue for child actor, monologue for female acto, Monologues, monologues for male actor, outdoor theater, winter, Christmas

My son recently gave me a writing prompt which has resulted in this wintery children’s monologue, Snowman Versus Sun. I also have to give him credit as he designed the monologue cover himself (his at-home-digital-design class with Mom: Canva!)

As the title indicates, the monologue is about that age-old problem: snowman v. sun. In this 1-minute free comedic monologue great for young kids, Titus takes on the sun directly himself. Do you think the sun will listen to him? He’s got a pretty big request…

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.