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

Here near New York City, we have had quite a snowy February! When we received half an inch of snow at the end of January, my son and I spent almost an hour rolling up shreds of snow to create a small snowboy. I think he was half leaves and mulch, but hey; we had a little snow and were going to enjoy it! Of course, if we’d only waited a few days…we would have found ourselves in a true Winter Wonderland! A Nor’easter gifted us a glorious 2 feet of perfect packing snow! Needless to say, making a much larger snowman after that storm took a whole of five minutes. Not even a week later, we found ourselves receiving at least another foot of snow, and there’s more to come this week.

So—our family has made some sort of large snow-army in our backyard, a snow Bill Cipher, a snow-slide and lots of mini snowmen. Going on walks in the neighborhood is a treat, as we get to take in all the awesome snow creations people have made around us (we’ve even created “Snowman Certificates” to leave on people’s porches). So yes, we have snow on our brains! And…since my son has been responding to fiction writing-prompts for his schoolwork, he gave me a writing prompt himself 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…

10 Monologues about Love for Men: Monologue Compilation Packet

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.

11 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!

9 Memorable Monologues about Scorned Love: Monologue Compilation Packet

January 31, 2021 by Tara Meddaugh in 1-minute monologue, 2-minute monologue, absurdist theater, comedic, comedy monolog collection, dark comedy, dramatic, dramatic monolog collecti, holiday, love, monologue collections, monologue for female acto, Monologues, monologues for male actor, Teen, teen monologue collection, theater of the absurd, valentine's day

Some people are lucky enough to hold onto beautiful romantic love all their adult lives, but if you’re looking for a dramatic piece more on the “sadder but wiser” side of love, check out these nine (9) monologues about “scorned love.” That’s right—all of these characters have had their loved one betray them, leave them or never love them back to begin with. ☹ Of course, their responses to a love lost are varied: we have hopeful or pleading, to angry or downright criminal. But in each case, these monologues make for a fun acting challenge. Whether you’re playing a man bleeding out at a hospital, a betrayed woman by a chopped down tree, or a teen whose truck-jumping-stunt did not quite win him the love of his dreams, enjoy these nine unique monologues about “scorned love!”

You can check out each monologue individually below, or you can purchase a monologue compilation packet containing all nine (9) unique, compelling and memorable monologues about “scorned love” (a great value at only $9 for all 9 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.

Click “READ MORE” below for the 9 monologues about scorned love.

Fingernail Heart by Tara Meddaugh: a dark comedy monologue about love

January 29, 2021 by Tara Meddaugh in comedic, dark comedy, dramatic, love, monologue for female acto, Monologues, outdoor theater, romance, Teen, valentine's day, 2-minute monologue, absurdist theater, theater of the absurd

Well, folks. It’s that time of year again! With just over 2 weeks away from Valentine’s Day, I’ll be spending the next few blog posts giving you some loved-based theater! (Can you hear the “love” sound effects in your mind? Birds? “Aws?” A glorious harpsichord? ) No guarantee it will be requited love, however. In fact, many of my “love-based” monologues tend to lean more on the side of yearning love, desperate love, unhappy love, a little…weird love… Which brings me to…

My brand new monologue, Fingernail Heart. Um, yes. You read that right. Fingernail heart. What the…??? Okay, I can explain. Well… Maybe it’s better if I let our protagonist, Emily (below), explain. After all, she’s put in the hard work to craft this fingernail heart. But I will say, if you’re a fan of Ferret Envy, then I think you’ll enjoy the quirky desperation of Fingernail Heart. Emily is confronting her ex-boyfriend (who clearly does NOT want to see her), and offering, yes, that’s right, her gift of a fingernail heart. This monologue is a blast for actors who are okay with slightly off-beat roles, because you can really lean into the absurdity, the humor, but at the same time, the gravity, emotional instability and darkness—all with that underlying feeling of “she is reaching a breaking point…she is reaching a breaking point…”. You’ll enjoy finding all those delightful moments to shift the tone, the tactic, while keeping the same basic intention (“will girl get boy?”).

This monologue runs around 1.5-2 minutes, and while written for a female character, as with most of my monologues, it can be suitable for inclusive casting, as long as the actor connects with it.

Enjoy an excerpt below!…

Unknown Playwrights Monologue Mondays Feature: Single Crutch by Tara Meddaugh

January 28, 2021 by Tara Meddaugh in comedic, dramatic, love, Monologue Performances, Monologues, monologues for male actor, outdoor theater, Playwriting, Teen, marching band

Thanks to Bryan Stubbles, playwright and blogger of Unknown Playwrights, for his feature of my comedic teen monologue, Single Crutch. In his series, Monologue Mondays, he shares several video performances of the monologue (and points out this is my second monologue which mentions a marching band! Hadn’t thought of that before).

After a bully steals Ben’s crutch, Ben begs his friend to lend him his old “Tiny Tim” crutch so he can make Marching Band auditions in time. Ben points out that his friend kind of owes him. After all, he wouldn’t have broken his leg if his friend hadn’t advised him to jump out of a moving truck to impress a girl in the first place (And it didn’t even work!).

Single Crutch is a monologue which was inspired by an actor at Carnegie Mellon University (where I received my MFA in Dramatic Writing). In one class, playwrights worked with actors to write monologues tailored to the actors’ specific talents/requests. In fact, March in Line, Rising Fast, Purple Banana Nose, Disappointing Hell, Ferret Envy and Crispy Leaves were all written for CMU actors in the same process (I’ve given the character names these talented actors’ first names.). One of the actors I was working with, Ben, told me he’d always wanted to walk out on stage with a crutch. So… I gave him a crutch! The crutch became my jumping off point, and coupled with his comedic talents, I was inspired to create this Single Crutch. Since then, Single Crutch has been performed by hundreds, if not thousands, of actors. It has been used in classrooms, theaters, universities, competitions, showcases and performances around the world. It was published in 2019 by London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts (LAMDA), in Acting Anthology: Volume 4 (under the name “Lost Crutch”).

It was a joy to write and I hope it’s a joy to perform! The monologue is about 2 minutes along and great for teen actors. Check out an excerpt below!

"Cutting Down the Tree" by Tara Meddaugh: A dark comedy monologue

January 24, 2021 by Tara Meddaugh in comedic, dark comedy, dramatic, monologue for female acto, Monologues, thriller, outdoor theater, Halloween

If you’re looking for a humorous monologue with a dark undertone, check out my new monologue, Cutting Down the Maple Tree. Kari is pushed too far by her (presumably cheating) husband and lashes out in vengeance, cutting down a taunting tree and trapping his drunken legs under it. Now, at least, the tree will no longer have hold over her and she looks forward to a “fresh start” with her husband.

This dark comedy/thriller/dramatic monologue is approximately 2 1/2 minutes long, and is appropriate for adults, 20s to 60s. It is a fun and challenging role for an actor, as Kari’s intentions, emotions and state of mind are complex and varied. Enjoy an except below:

The Meaning of Plants by Tara Meddaugh: A Dramatic monologue from the play, Brush Them Fleas

January 14, 2021 by Tara Meddaugh in 1-minute monologue, comedic, dramatic, monologue for female acto, Monologues, monologues for male actor, inclusive casting, Teen, full-length plays

If you’re looking for a dramatic (slightly comedic) monologue from a full-length play, check out my 2-minute or 1-minute version of the monologue, The Meaning of Plants. In it, Stacy expresses her disdain for pretty flowers which hold meaning from the giver (like, “I love you,” “I’m sorry” or “you died”). She prefers the brightness and freedom of dandelions, but most of all, she loves potatoes. Their existence is hidden below the common world, but while humble, is very important.

Stacy is not entirely unlike the humble, but important potato, lying undiscovered. She is a hard working employee at a dog grooming salon. She’s awkward, a bit uncomfortable in her own skin. She endures harassment and lies from another employee, but has found Mr. Boland, the client she speaks to about plants, to be an unassuming, gentle soul. Through the play, Brush Them Fleas, Stacy struggles against accusations and lies, and ultimately finds her own voice and strength. Click here to read the full-length absurdist comedy, Brush Them Fleas or an excerpt from the play.

This monologue has a 1-minute version here (which ends before Stacy speaks about potatoes), as well as a longer 2-minute version here, including her musings on the potato.

Learn the brief description of the play, Brush Them Fleas, from which this monologue comes, then enjoy and excerpt below from the monologue, The Meaning of Plants.

20 + Christmas Monologues

November 13, 2020 by Tara Meddaugh in 1-minute monologue, 5-minute play, blind casting, child monolog collection, children, Children's theatre, Christmas, comedic, comedy monolog collection, dark comedy, dramatic, dramatic monolog collecti, gender neutral casting, holiday, inclusive casting, monologue collections, monologue for child actor, monologue by child, monologue for female acto, monologue written by chil, Monologues, monologues for male actor, pre-teen, Teen, teen monologue collection, tween

Holiday lights and decorations are going up EARLY this year! While live productions in theater are rare right now (what a surreal/hard thing to say…), many performers are turning to monologues as they gear up for streamed shows, classroom performances, or socially distanced live theater. Monologue-based performances allow actors to rehearse on their own, and lend themselves easily to a Zoom-style platform. Whether you’re able to manage covid-precautioned in-person theater or are using a video service, holiday monologues can be a nice way to keep festive theater on the mind.

Check out these ten (10) Christmas monologues below, plus a packet of additional Christmas monologues for children, extracted from my one-act play, Christmas Superpowers and Believing in Blitzen. These monologues range in length from 30 seconds to 5 minutes.

Christmas Kale by Tara Meddaugh: a 1-minute children's comedic monologue

November 10, 2020 by Tara Meddaugh in blind casting, children, Children's theatre, Christmas, comedic, dramatic, gender neutral casting, holiday, inclusive casting, monologue for child actor, monologue for female acto, Monologues, monologues for male actor, pre-teen, tween, 1-minute monologue

It’s Christmas morning and Sam has a problem. He is outraged that Santa has, yet again, given him oranges in his stocking, despite his previous complaints that he doesn’t like them. Since Santa has not heeded his requests, Sam devises a simple plan that will teach Santa a lesson.

Christmas Kale is a one-minute comedic children’s monologue, for an inclusive cast (not gender specific). It’s suitable for children or pre-teens.

Christmas Kale is from the one-act play, Christmas Superpowers and Believing in Blitzen.

Children/Teen Monologue: Second-Hand Dirt by Tara Meddaugh

October 14, 2020 by Tara Meddaugh in blind casting, children, Children's theatre, comedic, dramatic, gender neutral casting, inclusive casting, monologue for child actor, monologue for female acto, Monologues, monologues for male actor, Teen, ten-minute plays, allegory, one-act plays, outdoor theater

In Sharing Soil (a 10-minute play within my longer vignette-style piece, Movements of the Wind), Carrot and Potato risk safety and rejection from their own garden cultures when they embark on a new friendship in the face of soil prejudices.

Carrot’s monologue, Second-Hand Dirt, from Sharing Soil, shows a moment of how hurt can be masked with scapegoating. Carrot has just been bullied by other carrots, even having her carrot tip bitten off by them. When Potato finds her crying, Carrot lashes out in misplaced anger toward the quizzical young vegetable. Potato does not stand for this, and Carrot shares how her attempts to be kind to other carrots have not been reciprocated, leading her to become “mean.”

Newly Released 10-Minute Play for 2 Actors: Waiting For Wind by Tara Meddaugh

October 06, 2020 by Tara Meddaugh in comedic, dramatic, gender neutral casting, love, outdoor theater, one-act plays, Plays, Playwriting, romance, Teen, ten-minute plays, inclusive casting, blind casting

Two tulips’ lives change for the better when they meet each other at high sun. They have a connection and it is clear they were meant for each other. Yet can they overcome their fears about the future, and lift each other up, despite the stagnant air? (CLICK HERE FOR THE PLAY)

Waiting for Wind is a 2-person dramatic/comedic play with a running time of approximately 10 minutes. It’s set in a flower garden and has flexible inclusive/blind casting (the characters are flowers!). It’s great for festivals, performances, outdoor theater, duo interpretation forensics competitions, classroom or theater study, workshops, and themed productions.

Dramatic Halloween Read-Aloud from Chat-n-Read: Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds, illustrated by Peter Brown

October 05, 2020 by Tara Meddaugh in children, comedic, Community, dark comedy, Drama in real life, dramatic, Education, family, holiday, Literary, social, Suspense

Of all the holidays, Halloween just might be the most dramatic! Anything can become spooky melodrama when you put on an eerie voice, add a bit of black-and-white illustration, and make inanimate objects start FOLLOWING YOU! Kids - enjoy this spooky and fun read-aloud from Chat-n-Read (one of my other adventures!) of Creepy Carrots written by Aaron Reynolds and illustrated by Peter Brown.

We’ll chat about what makes things creepy and then share the story of Jasper Rabbit and what happens to him when his favorite garden snack starts creeping him out! Make sure you stick around to the end, because it’s quite clever!

Now, say this in a spooky voice and wave your hands around all creepy-like: “Enjoooooooy!”

Jumping the Wind by Tara Meddaugh: 10-minute play for outdoor theater

October 02, 2020 by Tara Meddaugh in children, Children's theatre, comedic, dark comedy, dramatic, gender neutral casting, one-act plays, outdoor theater, Plays, socially distant theater, Teen, ten-minute plays

Have you ever seen a play about pollen before? I’m not talking documentary-style. I’m talking about pieces of individual pollen, with their own hopes, dreams and fears. In my allegory, Jumping the Wind, you meet two pieces of pollen, Pollen V-6 and Pollen K-10. The flower on which Pollen V-6 and Pollen K-10 have lived their entire lives has wilted and is dying. If they do not make a dangerous jump to a fresh flower, Cat will destroy the flower and any remaining pollen that night. All other pollen have already made the jump to presumed safety, but Pollen V-6 has been too frightened to leave. She doubts the tales that anything better lies beyond. The leader, Pollen K-10, has remained behind with her, and has to decide how long he will stay to rally her before his own safety is in jeopardy. Jumping the Wind is a story of leaving the familiar, taking risks for the promise of something better. It’s the story of facts versus hope. And a story of friendship and trust.

Here are seven (7) reasons why Jumping the Wind is a memorable (and practical!) play to produce:

"The Thing About Mermaids" by Tara Meddaugh: New children's comedic 1-minute monologue

September 21, 2020 by Tara Meddaugh in Children's theatre, comedic, monologue for child actor, monologue for female acto, Monologues, monologues for male actor, gender neutral casting, children, mystical creatures, fairy tale, mermaids

Okay, so if you had to choose one mystical creature to be real, which would you choose? In my new monologue, The Thing About Mermaids, Riley encounters a real live mermaid…but is Riley excited by this discovery or does Riley think it’s a waste of a mystical creature?

Enjoy this free 45 second - 1 minute long comedic monologue for children, gender neutral casting. (For a dramatic 10-minute monologue play about mermaids, click here for Marsopa’s Tale).

Special thanks to Julian (and his mom), for inspiring this monologue!

Check out the excerpt below from, THE THING ABOUT MERMAIDS:

Ruby and Millie & The Old Chemical Plant by Tara Meddaugh: A One-Act Play for 2 female actors

September 17, 2020 by Tara Meddaugh in dramatic, comedic, full-length plays, one-act plays, Plays, women, women in the arts

If you’re looking for a 15-minute comedy/drama for 2 female actors in their 60s, check out Ruby and Millie & The Old Chemical Plant. Sisters, Ruby and Millie, have been through a lot together. During WW2, 9-year-old Ruby took charge of her apartment building’s rooftop Victory Garden, hoping her patriotic war efforts on the home front would help bring her father back from a prisoner-of-war camp. Teenage Millie, disillusioned as her own boyfriend was fighting in the war abroad, cared for her younger sister as their mother took on a job, working long hours.

Now, over fifty years later, Ruby and Millie still live just down the hall from each other, in a senior living community. They still tend to a community garden. And they still take care of each other. But today, something is different. It’s not just that Ruby sat on her glasses watching Seinfeld last night or that Millie is suspicious someone has been stealing their tomatoes. Today, Ruby and Millie both have secrets and dreams to share which may, after all these years, lead them in very different directions, very far away from each other…

New Full Length Play: The Victory Garden Plays by Tara Meddaugh

August 20, 2020 by Tara Meddaugh in children, comedic, Community, dramatic, family, Plays, Teen, ten-minute plays, full-length plays

How many of you decided that Pandemic 2020 would be the year you started your own edible garden? Whether it was in a luscious back yard, an upper story deck, or a window sill (friends and I started seeing how many vegetables we could grow in water jars from mere root cuts!), people all over seemed to be growing vegetation to eat like no other time in the 21st Century. In March, many of us found flour, bread and toilet paper impossible to purchase and there was a panic as we contemplated our food supply chain breaking. Growing our own produce seemed to offer stability, predictability, a tiny sense of control and perhaps even purpose during our unsettling time staying at home. (click below for continued post or click here for The Victory Garden Plays)

5 Great “Mean-Girl” monologues for teens: Comedy with a sharp edge!

August 19, 2020 by Tara Meddaugh in comedic, comedy monolog collection, dark comedy, dramatic, monologue collections, monologue for female acto, Monologues, Teen, teen monologue collection

You don’t have to be auditioning for Mean Girls on Broadway to appreciate these monologues. For teens, or young adults, looking to show off their cutting, yet comedic side, these monologues are great for auditions, competitions, and performances. These monologues are funny and, well, kind of mean, operating under the layered humor I find interesting: show your self-absorption and cruelty under the guise of being nice. Check out these monologues about friendships, dance class, high-heeled shoes, Calculus and more!…

New comedic/dramatic monologue: "The Best General Tso's" by Tara Meddaugh

August 18, 2020 by Tara Meddaugh in comedic, Community, Drama in real life, dramatic, monologue for female acto, Monologues, monologues for male actor

My short monologue, The Best General Tso’s is about finding old General Tso’s chicken in the refrigerator during stay-at-home measures. While losses are certainly felt in big moments, I’ve often found that it’s in mundane moments that our pains become acute. Because these moments are day-to-day, they’re also frequent and hard to escape. The Best General Tso's is, on one hand, a comedic moment between Larissa and her almond-bag-buying partner, but it also draws on the complex feelings and experiences underlying a simple mundane moment. Sometimes a leftover is not just a leftover.

Enjoy this new monologue for a female (or male) actor, older teens through adult, which runs about 1.5 minutes long. Check out an excerpt below and click at the end for the full piece.