New comedic monologue for women: Freshly Squeezed

If you’re looking for a free, new (let’s say, um, “fresh”) comedic monologue for a female actor, check out Freshly Squeezed below. It’s a 1940s version of a someone who might sound a little stuck on herself, hence the comedy as she compares her “noble” qualities to the “poor” girls around her. But if you read the entire 10-minute piece from which it comes, Ruth and Harry & The Dinner Party, you see Ruth reveals a huge insecurity about her inability to become a mother, and strength despite society’s pressure, and her character takes on a much deeper note. This monologue runs about 1.5 minutes.

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New Comedic Monologue: On Washing Cereal Bowls and Other Millennial Matters

In 2016, the media went wild over research about why millennials were not eating as much cereal as their Gen Y and Gen X aunts and uncles. Just google it and you’ll see scores of articles with people really up in arms about the topic—and people up in arms about how people are up in arms about it! Apparently I was late to ingest this crucial news (was something else crucial going on in 2016?), as I didn’t hear about it until this year, when my elementary school child brought home a “close reading” article on the topic. He and I both had opinions on it, and while he got to share his thoughts in his homework, I took to dramatizing a moment inspired by it (thanks, Mrs. M.!). So check out my new 2-minute comedic (dramatic) monologue for young adults, On Washing Cereal Bowls and Other Millennial Matters

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New Dark Comedy Monologue: What I Did Before Bingo

If you’re looking for a dark comedy/dramatic monologue with a unique story, check out What I Did Before Bingo, from the full-length play, Free Space. Free Space is a dark comedy where canneries become bingo halls, mothers become sisters, and bingo chips give orders! Yes, it sounds weird (and it kind of is!), but Amelia is relatable in her desire to find her place and meaning in a cold world. Free Space, is a fast, funny “page turner,” and keeps the audience on the edge of their seat. It’s fun to act in, direct and design!

This free monologue is written for a female character, but the monologue is suitable for any gender, teen through young adult. It is somewhat dramatic, with pensive moments, but also has an eerie darkly comedic side, as, well, she is hearing a bingo chip talk to her! In the monologue,

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New Dark Comedy Monologue: Growing Up on the Wrong Side of Bingo

If you’re looking for a dark comedy monologue with dramatic intensity, from a full-length play, check out Amelia’s newly released monologue, Growing up on the Wrong Side of Bingo. It’s from the dark comedy play, Free Space, where canneries become bingo halls, mothers become sisters, and bingo chips give orders! Yes, it sounds weird (and it kind of is!), but Amelia is relatable in her desire to find her place and meaning in a cold world. Free Space, is a fast, funny “page turner,” and keeps the audience on the edge of their seat. It’s fun to act in, direct and design!

This free monologue is around 2 minutes long, written for a female character, but the monologue is suitable for any gender, teen through young adult. It’s funny, but dramatic also and a little strange. In the monologue…

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New 5-minute Children's Comedic Reader's Theater Play: The Shipwreck Solution

What do a box jellyfish, a mako shark, an anglerfish and a tiger shark have in common? They all want to live in the same abandonned shipwreck on the ocean floor—and no one wants to share! Check out The Shipwreck Solution to discover if these four, very different creatures, can find a way to work it out!

This is a 5-7 minute children’s comedic play, also appropriate for Reader’s Theater, for 4 actors (gender neutral)….

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What I'm Watching and Why: Forever - Season 1 - from Amazon Studios

The story of breaking away from the dissatisfaction of mundane life in the suburbs is nothing novel. It’s a fairly common theme because once your life settles into its trajectory, and the basic “what happens next” questions have been answered, there can be a lull of excitement. This is why we have the age-old midlife crisis, after all. New cars, affairs, jumping out of planes—people look for thrills when life might be less thrilling. We still have the afterlife, with all its glory and excitement, to look forward to though, right? But what happens when the afterlife is no more exciting than your current living life? What happens when you join the afterlife only to find there is no one to even address the “meaning of life” questions? What happens when you escape all of this earth-living to only find that in the afterlife, you still have to cook chicken, mow your lawn, and drawers get stuck. But there is no death in sight this time. This is forever. (And this is… “Forever.”)

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Grinching Mom: New Children's comedic monologue by guest playwright, 6-year-old, Luke B.

If you don’t know what grinching is yet, perhaps this monologue by guest playwright, 6-year-old, Luke B., will shed some insight. In it, Max is caught red-handed taking his mom’s lamp into his room. He has a perfectly good reason for doing this, but it may not be what you think… Check out this 1-minute comedic children’s monologue, Grinching Mom. And keep reading if you want to find out a bit more about the 6-year-old boy who wrote it…

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December 2018 Newsletter

Check out my December newsletter.

Amazon boxes on the porch, peppermint star cookies in my stomach, Elf playing on tv while I clean up from the Holiday Murder Mystery party I threw over the weekend--this is a slice of the middle of December for me. You?

However you celebrate the holidays, it's always fun to pack in a bit of theater (I loved the one-man show of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, told in an historic Dutch church from the 1600s!). So check out some of my festive pieces below--a new monologue, a "how to" on writing your own cheesy Christmas rom-com, and more.

Enjoy the season and Happy Creating!

Warmly,
Tara

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Nostalia and the Season: My Top Three Christmas Movies You Might Not Have Heard Of

Nostalgia rings loud and clear this time of year—scents, songs, books, movies. My mother passed away two years ago, and my childhood (and adulthood) memories with her practically explode this time of year. Our main December holiday in my family is Christmas, and my mother made this holiday so special for us. From parties to games to crafts, cookies, books, music, cards, service, prayers and more! All those singing stuffed animals in our hallway? Gifts to my kids from my mom. The burlap Advent Calendar hanging on our wall? My mom made it. The ornaments on our tree with permanent marker dates on the bottom? My mom dated of all of those. While nostalia comes in many forms, one thing that harkens me back to the magic of childhood Christmas is simply: Christmas movies. Those classic tales of…

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Black Friday Deal on Tara Meddaugh plays: 20% off all purchases!

Whoohoo! Yes, even my plays are on sale for Black Friday - as my thank you to YOU—my loyal patrons, fellow artists, actors, directors, writers, friends, teachers, designers, students…I’m grateful for all of you! So enjoy 20% off your purchase now through November 25! Just use coupon code BLACKFRIDAYPLAYS at the checkout. Happy shopping and Happy Creating!

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Now Available - 5 Minute Children's Play: My Best Myself

If you’re looking for a short play for children, check out this fun and poignant 5-minute comedic play for 2 female actors. While Megan and Kel are waiting for their school bus to arrive, Megan challenges Kel to prove how she received her latest Girl Scouts badge. But revelations soon afford the girls an opportunity to put down their rivalry and consider maybe, just maybe, becoming friends…

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New Christmas Holiday Comedic Monologue for male (or female) actor: Still Standing Under the Mistletoe

If you’re looking for a monologue for a male actor desperately trying to cling to an old romance, hopefully anxious, nervously excited (so much fun to act!), then check out my new monologue, Still Standing Under the Mistletoe. Larry is at a Christmas party and speaks to his ex-girlfriend Mindy. She is standing under the mistletoe and he nervously confesses he still has feelings for her. He hopes that she still has feelings for him too, and that if she notices she is standing under the mistletoe, she will not move away from it…

This is a comedic monologue for a male actor (teen through adult) and is approximately 1.5-2 minutes along,

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How to Write a Cheesy Romantic Christmas Movie in 10 Easy Steps (Or, Writing for the Hallmark Channel)

Well, Thanksgiving is not quite here, but we’re already into November, so…you know what that means? Tis the season for Cheesy Romantic Christmas movies! On November 2, the first new one of the season popped up on my Netflix account, boasting the crazy magical cupid-like hijinx of none other than, that’s right, an advent calendar. It’s not just angels, santas and mystical animals bringing you Holiday romance anymore. It’s now inanimate calendars too! I've been watching these types of movies for years, and have learned, as similar as they may be, it never hurts to add another 25-50 new Hallmark-Channel inspired Christmas movies to the season (I say Hallmark Channel, for those old enough to know that term, but it’s not just the Hallmark anymore. The digital services have the format down pat.)! So here I've given you 10 easy steps on how to write your own Cheesy Romantic Christmas movie. And who knows, if you follow these guidelines, maybe your screenplay will be produced in the next Amazon prime line-up of Holiday-themed romances! Write away!

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