New Thriller Fairy Tale Monologue - White as Death, Red as Blood: Snow White's Cursed Sleep

in , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Just in time for Halloween theater, check out my new monologue, White as Death, Red as Blood: Snow White’s Cursed Sleep. It premiered this past weekend in a super cool outdoor Halloween Festival in Ossining, NY and you can get the spooky-fun 2-3-minute thriller/dramatic (with a touch of comedy) monologue here.

In the monologue, Snow White has recently awoken from the Evil Queen’s spell of cursed sleep, but Snow White is…well…let’s just say she doesn’t quite have the normal “Disney Princess” disposition anymore. She still sings to the birds, but her songs are a little, um…less cheery? And her relationship to the birds is a little, um… less friendly? And the 7 dwarves and that prince who kissed her are a little, um… less…around? But, don’t worry—I’m sure Snow White will be really really happy to see YOU, dear audience! My advice? Keep your running shoes on! (Click here for more info about the monologue.)

Read More

New Men's Dramatic/Comedic Monologue: Last First Broken Heart

in , , , , ,

A broken heart hurts. There are no two way around it. Broken things hurt; they’re broken. But knowing someone has your back is a comfort—however small, however unwanted, however annoying it might seem at the time. [Click here to jump to the dramatic/comedic monologue for men, LAST FIRST BROKEN HEART]

In this 2.5-3 minute dramatic/comedic monologue, LAST FIRST BROKEN HEART, Brian, tries to be that comfort to his 13-year-old son who has just experienced his first broken heart. Brian imparts his life-wisdom to his son, doing his best to use a sports analogy, and encourage him with the idea that, while it’s pretty awful right now, at least it’s the last “first broken heart” he’ll ever have. The part is over. Done. And hey… no reason to give up on love because even if love doesn’t get easier, it does get better…

Read More

New Comedic/Dramatic Monologue for men: You're Not Into Princesses

in , , ,

When is the last time you wore a fedora with a feather in the cap and someone called you a dashing prince? Okay, so it’s been about 2 years for Jason, the character in my new monologue, YOU’RE NOT INTO PRINCESSES. But it feels like yesterday… This is a monologue about a dad and his former-princess-loving daughter! (Click here for the monologue)

Read More

New Comedic/Dramatic Monologue for Young Child Actor: Time to Cross The Street

in , , , , , , , ,

If you’re looking for a monologue for even the very youngest of actors, check out TIME TO CROSS THE STREET. Beware, if you’re a child who performs this in front of a parent, ya’ just might get a few teary eyes! This is a cute one, funny but a little serious, topped with some genuine childlike sweetness and a poignancy that hits us. I read it to my husband (father of two growing-up children!), he teared up and said, “This is what every parent wants to hear!”

Read More

New Children's Comedic Monologue: Human Dad Body

in , , , , ,

In the 1-minute monologue, HUMAN DAD BODY, young Marco is hanging at an entertainment center (think go-karts, arcade, bowling, pizza and nachos) with other kids, including his kinda-friend, Brody. Brody has finished go-karting with his dad and excitedly told Marco about it. Having no father in the picture himself, Marco always feels a hint of jealousy and sadness when Brody talks about doing things with his dad. But Marco isn’t one to be left behind! He’s a problem solver. Marco has been using…did you guess it?…yup, he’s been using ChatGPT to stand in for a dad by asking it questions and having conversations, father/son style. Brody has made fun of him for that, but in this monologue, HUMAN DAD BODY, Marco tries to get a little power back in the friend dynamic by showing off about the good things of his “AI-dad-stand-in.” He tries to put down Brody’s experience go-karting with his human-dad and brags about how great it is that ChatGPT doesn’t have a dumb body to take up space go-karting.

He does make a case, with his childlike logic… Do you believe he believes it?

As I said, this is a comedy. But…

Read More

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

in , , ,

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.

Read More

New Dramatic Monologue about Grieving: Those Black Streaks

in , , , , ,

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.

Read More

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

in , , , , ,

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?

Read More

New Dramatic Monologue for Women: Holding On Tightly

in , ,

In this new dramatic monologue, HOLDING ON TIGHTLY, from the play THE VISITOR IN THE DOORWAY, Clare speaks to personified Grief himself, who has come to her cabin in the woods and keeps hounding her to let him inside after a recent tragedy. Clare is fed up with who Grief keeps haunting her with multiple deep losses in her life. In the monologue, HOLDING ON TIGHTLY, Clare begins to allow for Grief coming in, as she confesses how the most recent devastating loss has broken her. She asks Grief if the more losses she experiences, the easier it is for more losses to follow.

While the monologue is written for a woman in the play, HOLDING ON TIGHTLY, could be played by any gender with whom it resonates. It runs around 1.5-2 minutes or so, depending on performance. This is a powerful dramatic monologue for an actor really looking to sink into the after-effects of loss. Clare is angry, exhausted, filled with regret and guilt, irritated with Grief, and holds extreme intense sadness. It’s a beautiful and touching monologue as Clare starts to confront what has happened to her, through the support of Grief, standing by and listening. For more context, check out the play from which this comes, THE VISITOR IN THE DOORWAY, as you’ll get a complete feeling for both Clare and Grief.

Read More

Jingle Bell Hater: A New Christmas Comedic Monologue

in ,

Okay, if you had fun playing Tootsie Frosted Cookie Stockings and you want to play another Christmas Elf with a ridiculous Christmas-Elf name, you’re in luck! Check out Fluffy McWaffles Tart’s monologue here, JINGLE BELL HATER, from my new one-act Christmas comedy, Grinching 101. In this monologue, Fluffy McWaffles Tart explains his reasoning for signing up for the Grinching 101 seminar: It has to do with those “saccharine-stevia-monk-fruit-sugar-free” jingle bells! And brownies. And eggnog. It all comes back to eggnog…

This monologue runs about 1.5 minutes, is suitable for any gender actor, child, teen (or adult playing a young elf). You can find the play, Grinching 101, from which it comes, here. Enjoy and excerpt below:

Read More

New Comedic Christmas Monologue: Purring Ironically

in ,

So the issue of “do you dress up your cat” is a hot button topic for pet-people! Personally, my cat “dresses up” once a year in a burrito cape for about 30 seconds so I can snap a Halloween photo of her, and then, I take it off and we’re done. Not that she seems to care if the cape is on or off, to be honest! Well, in this new Christmas monologue, Violet definitely has strong opinions about her kitty wearing something.

When Violet arrives home from work, she’s horrified to see her dignified cat, Luna, dressed up in a holiday “ugly sweater” and matching Christmas-light tiara. As she tries to figure out who might have done this cheesy costuming to her precious kitty, and why (hint: Her boyfriend, Fred, is none too pleased Violet refuses to wear matching snowman sweaters, even though he knows she’s not sarcastic enough to pull it off!), she tries to take off the cat’s sweater. But Luna doesn’t seem to want to take it off… In fact, Luna seems to be liking it. Licking it. Even purring at it. Can Violet accept it if her couture kitty is now preferring Ugly Sweaters?

Read More

New Christmas Comedic Monologue: Forbidden in the Elf Manual

in ,

Okay, who wants to play a character named Tootsie Frosted Cooking Stockings? Here’s your chance with this new Christmas monologue, Forbidden in the Elf Manual, from my play, GRINCHING 101. In the play, Tootsie Frosted Cooking Stockings (let’s keep saying the whole name over and over!) is enrolled in a Grinching class for beginners and is pretty much failing every lesson.

In the monologue, Tootsie Frosted Cooking Stockings reveals to fellow classmates and grinching professors the reason he signed up for this class. (Hint: It’s all about the videogames.)

This monologue runs about 1 minute, is suitable for any gender actor, child, teen (or adult playing a young elf). You can find the play, Grinching 101, from which it comes, here. Enjoy and excerpt below:

Read More

New dark monologue: "My Motherhood," from the play, Knocking Louder

in

As Halloween rolls around, we’re all looking to add some more dark, creepy monologues to the roster. Here’s a newly released monologue, My Motherhood, from my absurdist dark comedy, Knocking Louder, that fits the chilling bill. In this 1-2 minute long monologue, Carol recalls the early stages of betrayal her younger sister displayed toward her… And how it’s all led to this moment: when Carol perceives Lilah is trying to take away the baby placed in Carol’s care. But there is no way Carol would ever let that happen. Nope. Nothing will stand in her way of motherhood.

My Motherhood is creepily fun and dramatic. A little weird, a little funny, a little sinister, a lot mean—while also tinged with hurt, bitterness and defensiveness - but also strength and resolve. Carol’s not the “good guy” of this play, but her intentions are not necessarily bad. Knocking Louder is a 3-person play which is absurdly funny, but also dark and tragic (also a good choice for some thrilling Halloween theater!). While absurd, it still touches on important political and social themes, which allow for discussion and reflection.

Read More

New Rom-Com Monologue: Head to Toe

in , , , , , , , , , ,

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, Head to Toe, 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.

Read More

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

in , , , , , , , , ,

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…

Read More

New Comedic Monologue for Unicorn-Lovers: CloudLily The Unicorn & Zoey

in , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Did someone say UNICORN??

magical forest with a unicorn horn and ears in bottom left. In blue and pink font, Title Cloudlily The Unicorn And Zoey. Subtitle in brown, A monologue by Tara Meddaugh

Okay, so there just are not enough monologues out there for unicorns! Right?? But here’s your chance to finally play one (I know you have always wanted to). Check out my comedic monologue, CloudLily The Unicorn & Zoey, which runs about 30 seconds to 1 minute long. In it, CloudLily, a unicorn, is talking to her loyal fan, 4-year-old, Zoey. Zoey has been visiting CloudLily in the magical forest and giving her super awesome gifts. You know the kind of gifts some 4-year-olds give you, right? Like…weeds…and clumps of dirt? So CloudLily is grateful. I mean, how could she not be? Zoey is an adorable child who is the definition of “pure of heart.” But…CloudLily also knows humans have access to some pretty cool things besides just, well, dirt. Check out what CloudLily asks Zoey for in the short funny monologue for any age actor (child, tween, teen, or adult!).

Also, gotta give some props to the inspiration for this monologue. One of my followers on Facebook messaged me he got a “Top Fan Badge” for my page. I gave him some virtual props and said, “you win!” He wisely asked me what he won. And I said, “hmmm…you or your kids can give me a topic and I’ll see if I can write a little monologue about it.” He told me his daughter loves rainbow unicorns. Well. Here’s your monologue, Zoey! Hope you enjoy!

Enjoy a little excerpt (and silly floating animated unicorn head video, as well!)!

CLOUDLILY  

(to 4-year-old Zoey)

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—CLICK HERE FOR MORE

My silly floating-head-unicorn amateur animation of “CloudLily The Unicorn & Zoey.”

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

in , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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.

Debbie Lamedman’s foreward

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

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

in , , , , , , ,

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.

Read More