This page is currently under construction and does not reflect Tara Meddaugh’s entire collection of monologues that are 30 seconds in length. Please continue to view monologues under genre (comedic, dramatic, teen, children) and look for running time for a more complete list.
Butterfly in the Tomato Plant, monologue Genre: CHILDREN/DRAMATIC/TWEEN, Cast: FEMALE/MALE, Setting: A PARK
Eiffel Tower Keychain, monologue Genre: CHILDREN/DRAMATIC, Cast: FEMALE/MALE, Setting: SCHOOLYARD
Cloudlily The Unicorn & Zoey, monologue Genre: COMEDY/CHILDREN/TEEN/ADULT, Cast: FEMALE/MALE/ANY GENDER, Setting: FOREST
Haircuts for Hannah, monologue Genre: TEEN/COMEDIC, Cast: FEMALE, Setting: DANCE STUDIO
Meeting Blitzen, monologue Genre: CHILDREN/COMEDIC, Cast: FEMALE (male), Setting: House/Christmastime
Nature With You, monologue Genre: TEEN/COMEDIC, Cast: FEMALE, Setting: FOREST
Pitfalls and Treasures—Mary’s Monologue Genre: DARK COMEDY/HEIGHTENED/DRAMA, Cast: FEMALE, Setting: Parking Lot
Pit Trap Meredith monologue Genre: DARK COMEDY/DRAMA, Cast: FEMALE (male/any gender), Setting: RIVERBANK
Candy Wrappers at Midnight Genre: Teen/Tween/Children, Cast: MALE/FEMALE, Setting: Dining room/kitchen
Skunk Moms monologue Genre: Children/Comedy, Cast: FEMALE/male, Setting: A home. Jenny’s monologue 30-60 seconds.
The Beautiful Bracelet Monologue Genre: Dramatic, Tween/Teen, Cast: FEMALE, Setting: Coffee Shop
The Reason I’m Single Monologue Genre: COMEDIC, Cast: FEMALE
BUTTERFLY IN THE TOMATO PLANT
NICOLE relates to a butterfly with a torn wing, after a group of children mishandled it. She offers the butterfly a safe home in her windowsill.
DETAILS
Genre: Dramatic/Children/Tween/Teen
Cast: Female/male
Age range: 5-12
Setting: A park
Running time: Approximately 30 seconds
Great for: children, dramatic monologue for children, short monologue, competitions, auditions, monologues relating to bullying, finding strength, caring for others
Originally Commissioned by American Pageants.
_____________________
NICOLE
Oh…Little Butterfly…they ripped your wing…Didn’t they? Those kids…They’re in my class but they are not nice kids. They ripped my bag yesterday too. My mom sewed it up, but you can still see the hole. I thought if I had wings—END OF EXCERPT
Click below for the complete digital copy of the 30-second monologue, Butterfly in the Tomato Plant.
CLOUDLILY THE UNICORN & ZOEY
a comedy
Cloudlily, a rainbow unicorn, looooves all the “thoughtful” gifts her young admirer, Zoey, brings her every day in the magical forest. Sure, weeds and clumps of dirt are nice, since they’re given with the pure heart of a 4-year-old. But… Cloudlily thinks it’s time she can put in a request for a gift that’s a little more…well…yummy.
DETAILS
Genre: Comedy, fantasy
Cast: Female/male/any gender
Age range: children through adult
Setting: magical forest
Time period: Present
Running time: Approximately 30 seconds-1 minute
CLOUDLILY
(to Zoey, a girl of around 4)
Zoey. I love the dandelions and clovers and…clumps of dirt you keep bringing me every day. They’re all really cool and special and I know it’s super fun watching my magical unicorn horn turn them into rainbow colors and make them dance and stuff like that.
But I hear——END OF EXCERPT
Click here to for the complete free monologue, Cloudlily The Unicorn & Zoey. The monologue is free to download, but if you would like to support the playwright and her craft, you may do so below:
EIFFEL TOWER KEYCHAIN
A dramatic children’s monologue
LINDSEY gains strength as she confronts a bully who has taken a precious glass souvenir of hers.
DETAILS
Genre: Dramatic/Children/Tween/Teen
Cast: Female/male
Age range: 5-12
Setting: A schoolyard
Running time: Approximately 30 seconds
EXCERPT BELOW:
_____________________
LINDSEY
It’s from Paris—please! Don’t drop—it’s glass! Please. Listen—Just— (pause) My dad gave it to me. That Eiffel Tower keychain. He…he moved there, to France, last year and I don’t…I don’t see him much now. And…(pause) I know you think it’s just a dumb keychain and—END OF EXCERPT
This monologue is free to download above, but if you would like to support the playwright and her craft, you may do so below:
HAIRCUTS FOR HANNAH
EMMA is talking to a group of her dance friends. She feels bad for a girl in their class who is not as stylish as they are and comes up with a novel way to make her feel included.
DETAILS:
Genre: Comedy/Teen
Running time: Around 30 seconds-1 minute
Cast: Female
Age range: tween/teen
Setting: outside a dance studio
Time period: Contemporary
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EMMA
She’s so plain, but super sweet. I feel so bad. Everyone’s look is so on point in dance class and then there’s Hannah. Hand-me-down tights and oh, did you hear? She said her mom cuts her hair! It’s way too short for her face, and I would know because I took an online quiz and it said I was practically a professional stylist! Also an empath. And it’s like—END OF EXCERPT
Click below for the complete 30-45 second monologue. Please note: This is an adapted/edited 30-60 second version of the monologue, She’s So Ugly.
MEETING BLITZEN
This monologue, Meeting Blitzen, is extracted and edited from the one-act play, Christmas Superpowers and Believing in Blitzen.
While making Christmas cookies, Annie speaks to her friends about her first encounter with her new friend, one of Santa’s reindeer. And he said his name is Blitzen.
DETAILS:
Genre: Children/Comedy/Drama/Christmas/Holiday
Setting: Kitchen
Cast: Female/Male
Age range: around 5-16
Running time: Approximately 30 seconds
___________________
ANNIE
So I’m sitting on the couch and not really paying attention to what I’m watching when…I hear this sound outside the window. It was, it was like this heavy sound, like a horse or something, crunching the snow. Remember how we had that snow at Thanksgiving? So I hear this sound and I look out the window—END OF EXCERPT
Click to download the free 30-second monologue, Meeting Blitzen, by Tara Meddaugh.This monologue is free to download, but if you would like to support the playwright and her craft, you may do so below:
To learn more about Annie and for the entire play, Christmas Superpowers and Believing in Blitzen, from which this monologue comes, click below:
To four young children, Christmas is no simple sleigh ride. Annie’s new best friend is a talking reindeer, and she’s not sure if that’s really okay... Sam is experiencing the pressure of being the Lead Shepherd in the church pageant. Dylan has a very secretive wish he hopes Santa can deliver. And Lauren needs to make sure someone is giving her little brother a very special Christmas. Experience the joys and challenges of Christmas through the eyes of these children in this monologue-driven one-act comedy.
-This is a one-act Christmas-themed comedic play filled with great monologues. Running time is approximately 25 minutes.
-Cast: With doubling there is a cast off 5 actors: 3 male, 2 female - even with this breakdown, all roles are fairly gender flexible. Without doubling, the 1 adult character role may be split into 3 roles, so cast would be 7 actors: 3 male, 2 female, 2 male/female/neutral/flexible
Minimal set.
NATURE WITH YOU
KYRA is on a walk with her best friend, Emily, when a bug lands on Kyra’s head. She implores Emily to get it off, and can’t believe her friend is not helping her!
Genre: Comedic
Setting: The woods
Running time: Approximately 30-60 seconds
Age range: Tween to young adult
Cast: Female (male)
Time period: Contemporary
Originally Commissioned by American Pageants.
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KYRA
It’s so disgusting—oh my gosh! What is it? What is it? I don’t care what it is! Just get it out of my hair! It’s walking down my neck! I can feel its little—Ew, I think it has a bunch of feet! Are you backing away? Are you seriously—END OF EXCERPT CLICK FOR ENTIRE NATURE WITH YOU monologue. This monologue is free to download, but if you would like to support the playwright and her craft, you may do so below:
PITFALLS AND TREASURES – Mary’s monologue
About the play, Pitfalls and Treasures:
Mary and Andrew are lonely and troubled seagulls, each ostracized by their former flocks. When Mary embarks on the desperate challenge of removing twine wrapped around Andrew’s leg, they both must decide how much to trust each other in the hope of finding a better life.
About the monologue:
While seagull, Mary, is helping fellow seagull, Andrew, search through a littered parking lot for something that will help cut off the twine wrapped around his leg, she warns him of dangerous litter pitfalls which might appear treasures to Andrew if he is not careful. Andrew has sincere gratitude for Mary and marvels at how he survived without her. Mary warns him not to be too open and trusting of her—or anyone, as she gets lost in thoughts of her own experience.
DETAILS
Genre: Dark comedy/heightened/drama
Cast: Female
Age range: late teens through adult
Setting: Outside, parking lot
Time period: Present
Running time: Approximately 30 seconds
____________________________
MARY
Even if someone is trustworthy, it doesn’t mean they can thwart death for themselves, or revive a nest full of eggs that will never hatch, or prevent leaving you entirely alone and excluded from everyone because they think a curse is wrapped around your neck and follows you everywhere you go—even though—END OF EXCERPT. CLICK HERE for the entire free digital monologue, Pitfalls and Treasures—Mary’s Monologue. This monologue is free to download, but if you would like to support the playwright and her craft, you may do so below:
For more information on Mary and to purchase the entire play, Pitfalls and Treasures, click below:
This is a 10-minute 2 person dark comedy/drama/comedy play. Mary and Andrew are lonely and troubled seagulls, each ostracized by their former flocks. When Mary embarks on the desperate challenge of removing twine wrapped around Andrew’s leg, they both must decide how much to trust each other in the hope of finding a better life.
PIT TRAP MEREDITH
A dark comedy
ABOUT THE MONOLOGUE, PIT TRAP MEREDITH:
Meredith has been searching for her wounded sister, Selina, and is happy to find her at last. Selina is upset with Meredith, however, thinking she abandoned her in a tree stump, just like all the other rabbits abandoned her after she was injured. In this monologue, Meredith defends the unjust accusation.
ABOUT THE PLAY, THE MOON RIVER RAFT:
When the rabbit, Selina, breaks her leg, she knows she will not survive long in a forest filled with predators. While the rest of her rabbit colony has ostracized her as a “magnet of death,” her sister, Meredith, remains loyal and plans to keep her safe by hiding her in a tree stump forever. But when Meredith finds Selina at a very creepy river in the middle of the night, Selina reveals a secret she has learned from the elder-rabbits that will save her: The Moon River Raft is arriving tonight and will take all “woundeds” to a perfect place where injuries are healed and no predators exist. Selina pleads with Meredith to come with her, but Meredith has serious doubts. As the Moon River Raft approaches, their fate becomes clear and their loyalty to each other is truly tested.
DETAILS:
Genre: Comedy/Drama/dark comedy
Running time: Approximately 30 seconds-1 minute
Cast: Female (could be any gender)
Age range: Teen-adult
Setting: Middle of the night, in a forest, by a riverbank
Time period: contemporary
MEREDITH
Don’t lump me in with them! Who sleeps with you every night and grooms you every day? You know I’m different! Do you see all the mud in my fur? Probably ticks too—I haven’t had time to clean. I tried to get to you sooner, Selina—as soon as the dogs left. But the other rabbits trapped me in a pit. They said it was a game, but I’ve never heard of “Pit Trap Meredith.” Have you? (pause) They wouldn’t let me out until sunset but—END OF EXCERPT
Click here for the complete free monologue, Pit Trap Meredith. Click here to learn more about the play The Moon River Raft, from which this monologue comes. The monologue is free to download, but if you would like to support the playwright and her craft, you may do so below:
To get the complete play, The Moon River Raft, from which this monologue comes, click below:
CANDY WRAPPERS AT MIDNIGHT
By Tara Meddaugh
Genre: Comedic
Age range: 5-15
Cast: Male/female
Setting: Kitchen home
Running time: 30-60 seconds
Originally Commissioned by American Pageants.
ADRIAN wakes up in the middle of the night and confronts his father who stands by the kitchen pantry, guiltily holding Adrian’s Halloween candy wrappers.
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ADRIAN
Now you’re the one looking guilty, Dad. I know that face. I made that same face last night when you found me past bedtime on my iphone. But we’re not talking about me now, are we? Cause I’m not the one with candy wrappers in my hands at midnight!—END OF EXCERPT
Click below for the complete 30-60 second monologue, Candy Wrappers at Midnight. NOTE: This monologue is adapted/edited from Tara’s previous monologue, My Missing Skittles.
SKUNK MOMS
A trio of related monologues for children
JENNY (youngest), ALEXA (middle) and DEIRDRE (oldest) are sisters. They are speaking to their mother, pleading their case of why a baby skunk would make a good pet for their household. Jenny makes the case of how cute they are. Alexa points out how she usually thinks Jenny is wrong, but in this case, she agrees and they must have a baby skunk. Deirdre emphasizes how having a baby skunk will unite the three sisters, in getting along with each other, as well as learning responsibility. It is such a clear case to the sisters. They are so completely ready to be skunk moms. But is their mom?
DETAILS
Genre: COMEDY/CHILDREN'S
Cast: FEMALE (male)
Setting: A home
Age range: 4-12 years old
Running times:
Jenny (youngest)—Around 30-60 seconds
Alexa (middle)—Around 1 minute
Deirdre (oldest)—Around 1-1.5 minutes
____________________
JENNY
(*Jenny’s monologue runs around 30-60 seconds)
No one gives skunks a chance because they stink, like really badly, but have you seen a baby skunk, Mom? You would never say that if you had seen a baby skunk because we saw one yesterday, with Daddy, or really, it was a whole family of skunks. Like, a mom and four baby skunks, and we were in the car, and Daddy stopped the car because they were crossing the road and they were cuter than cats because their tails were so fluffy, like the rug you have on the chair that I put my face in sometimes, and there is no cat, I mean, not even one single cat in the whole universe, that has a tail that’s as fluffy at that. And--END OF EXCERPT
click for the complete trio of monologues, Skunk Moms.
____________________
ALEXA
You know Jenny is usually wrong, Mom. And I have to tell her all of her mistakes, like even this morning, she was saying that Canada is not a country, and that’s it part of the United States, but I was telling her, no, it’s a country, and they have accents and their own money and we even went to Niagara Falls and had to have passports, but she wouldn’t believe me because now that she’s in Kindergarten, she thinks she knows everything, but you and I, Mom, we know, because we’re older, that she’s wrong so many times. She even told me her teacher is a pokemon trainer. She’s not. Clearly. Pokemon aren’t real. So, like, if I agree with Jenny--END OF EXCERPT
click for the complete trio of monologues, Skunk Moms.
____________________
DEIRDRE
You might be a little scared thinking of a skunk living in our house, and spraying its yellow stink-poison all over the couch, but the thing is, it doesn’t have to be like that. You can take the sprayers out, wait, just listen—you can take them out, because Alexa and I asked Siri about and people do this. People really keep skunks as pets and you can just, you can just take the sprayers out and put them, I don’t know, in the trash or use them for Science or something. And then they’re just like, a cat, but so much better, as Jenny was saying, and we can use the doll brush to brush its hair, because we know it will need brushing, and we’re all okay taking turns doing that. And really, we’ll take turns with everything. Feeding it, and walking it, and I had the idea to put little shoes on it. Wouldn’t that be really cute? And I think it’s actually a way to bring all three of us together, like as sisters, and--END OF EXCERPT
click for the complete trio of monologues, Skunk Moms. These Skunk Mom monologues are free to download, but if you would like to support the playwright and her craft, you may do so below:
THE BEAUTIFUL BRACELET
By Tara Meddaugh
RILEY confronts her grieving friend, Hayley, whom she saw shoplift a bracelet.
DETAILS:
Genre: Dramatic
Setting: A coffee shop
Age range: Tween, teen
Cast: Female
Time period: Contemporary
Running time: Approximately 30-60 seconds
Originally Commissioned by American Pageants
____________________________
RILEY
That’s really, um, that’s a…beautiful bracelet. But…Haley, I’m not a psychologist or anything and I’m not trying to pretend that I am, but…You haven’t been calling or texting since your mom died, and I get it—you must be devastated and maybe you don’t want to talk, but…END OF EXCERPT. This monologue, The Beautiful Bracelet, is free to download here, but if you would like to support the playwright and her craft, you may do so below:
THE REASON I’M SINGLE
Rebecca is finally ready to confess to her friend, Kelly, why she doesn’t have a boyfriend…
DETAILS
Genre: Comedic
Cast: Female
Age: Late teens-adult
Running time: 30 seconds-1 minute
Explicit - S
Currently, this monologue is only available on PerfomerStuff.com. You can find the monologue and brief excerpt here.