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.”

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:

11 Great Dramatic Monologues for Children

July 27, 2020 by Tara Meddaugh in child monolog collection, children, Children's theatre, dramatic, monologue collections, monologue for child actor, monologue for female acto, Monologues, monologues for male actor, Reader's Theater, dramatic monolog collecti

Finding a dramatic children’s monologue that is thoughtful, relatable, and age-appropriate can be a challenge. Here, I’ve collected ten (10) dramatic children’s monologues for you that are unique, memorable and fun for kids to act. These monologues range from 30 seconds to around 2 minutes. From Goldilocks having second thoughts to Lindsey confronting a bully who took a precious souvenir to Jenna facing an angry sister and a floor of broken glass—enjoy these 10 monologues show which can showcase your child’s dramatic talent and range!

Thirteen (13) Great Comedic Children's Monologues Involving Child to Parent Confrontations

July 22, 2020 by Tara Meddaugh in children, Children's theatre, comedic, monologue by child, monologue collections, monologue for child actor, monologue for female acto, monologue written by chil, Monologues, monologues for male actor, star wars, Reader's Theater, child monolog collection, comedy monolog collection

Is there anything more comically dramatic than a child breaking the bad news to his dad that he doesn’t want to be a Jedi? Or a daughter justifying to her mom why she should have a pet skunk? Okay…maybe a few things are a bit more dramatic, but emotions are emotions, and these clever children’s monologues are full of fun, clean drama, comedic timing and relatability. Muster up your passion for Animal Crossing, iPads and candy, and showcase your acting talent with these twelve (12) great comedic children’s monologues where a child confronts a parent. And definitely, have fun doing it!

New 1-minute children's comedic monologue: Cotton Candy Ice Cream Cone

February 29, 2020 by Tara Meddaugh in children, Children's theatre, comedic, monologue for child actor, monologue for female acto, Monologues

Are you enjoying this extra leap-day of Winter this year? We had a few snowflakes in Southern New York today, but over in this hemisphere, I’m already dreaming of Summer and sand and, of course, ice cream! If you are too (or you’re ready to start!), check out my new children’s comedic monologue, Cotton Candy Ice Cream Cone. It’s about 1 minute long and great for a young female or male actor. In the monologue, Yuri breaks some bad new to her dog. She can’t share her ice cream with him, because, you know, chocolate can kill a dog. But maybe if he stops chewing her shoes…she will let him have the cone. Enjoy this excerpt of COTTON CANDY ICE CREAM CONE, and you can download the complete monologue at the end, for free!

A Grinching Good Time!

December 14, 2019 by Tara Meddaugh in Children's theatre, Christmas, comedic, Community, family, monologue by child, monologue for child actor, monologue written by chil, Monologues, monologues for male actor, Movies, music, Shows, Streaming Videos, Television, What I'm Watching

My youngest son has a Grinch-inspired holiday party coming up this week, and in discussing this, I’ve realized how many Grinch dramatizations we’ve actually seen. If you’re looking to add another Grinch-drama to your holiday mix, check out these 5 incarnations of the classic green-haired creature (and beware—there are tons more grinchy-dramas out there!).

New 30-second Christmas monologue: Meeting Blitzen

November 20, 2019 by Tara Meddaugh in children, Children's theatre, Christmas, comedic, dramatic, family, monologue for child actor, monologue for female acto, Monologues, monologues for male actor, one-act plays, Teen

Have you ever dreamed of being that special person chosen to hear the voice of an animal? Or better yet, to be chosen to be the friend of a very special animal? Say…a special animal who knows someone pretty famous, especially come December 24? Annie gets to experience just that in the play, Christmas Superpowers and Believing in Blitzen. Santa’s reindeer, Blitzen, chooses to befriend her, and he supports her during Christmas crafts, her role in the local pageant, and even through a single-parent household. This is one cool reindeer! So enjoy this 30-second monologue, Meeting Blitzen, when Annie tells her friends that she’s seen a talking reindeer for the first time. The monologue is designed for children, but really could apply to anyone of any age who might dream of being seen by someone special—as someone special.

Parent/Child Theater: Monologue Duo for adult and child actor about halloween candy!

November 01, 2019 by Tara Meddaugh in children, Children's theatre, Community, dramatic, family, Halloween, monologue for child actor, Monologues, monologues for male actor, monologue collections, child monolog collection, comedy monolog collection

Well, it’s the day after Halloween. Crisp, light candy wrappers in the trash. Piles of crushed red-dye candy coating on the floor. Parents—did you check your kids’ candy last night and “skim” any off the top? Kids—did you do an inventory last night and confirm your tally this morning? Okay, so a lot of families are happily generous with their candy on Halloween (thank you!), but transparency is nice, right?

So today, on the morning after October 31st, enjoy this duo of monologues about disappearing Halloween candy! In the first one, My Missing Skittles, Sal catches his dad, red-handed at midnight, eating his Halloween candy! In the second, A Dad’s Defense, Doug justifies to Sal that he’s never pretended to be perfect in the first place. But he comes up with the resolution that hopefully satisfies both parties (Just don’t tell Mom!).

Enjoy these funny monologues, from child to parent, and parent to child! My Missing Skittles is about 1 minute long and suitable for any child! A Dad’s Defense is about 1.5 - 2 minutes long and great for adults. If you've been looking for a monologue duo perfect for a child and adult to act out together (Parent/Child Theater, here we come!), this is a great match! Have fun!

10 Funny Monologues about Food!

October 07, 2019 by Tara Meddaugh in Children's theatre, comedic, dark comedy, Drama in real life, monologue for child actor, monologue for female acto, Monologues, monologues for male actor, Teen, monologue collections, comedy monolog collection

Food and Humor just go together, don’t they? I don’t know why, but isn’t a scene just funnier if someone mentions cheetos or some moldy blueberries (hm…idea for a new monologue?)? Food is real, tangible, something we all know. It’s messy, it tastes good or it tastes bad, it can make you sick, it can make you choke, it can make you happy, it can distract you. It brings out jealousy, love, anger, pride, selfishness, selflessness. Food is, when it comes down to it, a really powerful tool in life that fuels a lot of heavy emotion! So, of course it’s dramatic! Here are ten (10) funny monologues about food! From donuts and apple pies to skittles and jelly beans (and even a dog toenail in a can of corn), check out these comedic monologues all featuring food!

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

January 29, 2019 by Tara Meddaugh in 5-minute play, children, Children's theatre, Education, Plays, Reader's Theater

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)….

Christmas Plays: talking reindeer, mistletoe melancholy, Christmas tree blood and more!

December 03, 2018 by Tara Meddaugh in children, monologue for child actor, monologue for female acto, Monologues, monologues for male actor, monologue collections, 2-minute monologue, 3-minute monologue, 30-second monologue, 5-minute monologue, 5-minute play, child monolog collection, Children's theatre, Christmas, comedic, comedy monolog collection, dramatic monolog collecti, inclusive casting, one-act plays, Plays, pre-teen, socially distant theater, Teen, teen monologue collection, tween, virtual theater, play collection

As we sled into December, first, a very warm Happy Hannukah or Happy Chanukah (or use one of the other 14 spellings!)! And second, the Christmas Theater season is upon us! Is there a classic holiday play you see every year? Or a new Christmas show you are looking forward to this season? For me, I recently enjoyed A Charlie Brown Christmas: Live On Stage followed by one of those crazy milkshakes shared by 4 of us (check out the pic!)! Nothing says Christmas like tons of sweets, right (Okay, yes, lots of things say Christmas other than sweets! But one must exert some sugar will power around the holidays!)? Next weekend, I’m looking forward to nestling into an historic Dutch church in legendary Sleepy Hollow to watch a one-man show of Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol. The following weekend, I’ll enjoy a one-hour version of The Nutcracker. I love to suppor theater year-round, but there is something special about seeing a warm holiday show in December!

As much as I love seeing Christmas Drama, I also love writing it! So check out some of my Christmas theater below (a one-act play, a 5-minute one-man show, and several monologues for kids to adults)! Click on the links to read excerpts from all of the holiday monologues or holiday plays or to get the full versions. Enjoy the holiday season!…

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

November 16, 2018 by Tara Meddaugh in 5-minute play, children, Children's theatre, Plays, Reader's Theater

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…

19 Children's Monologues from Christmas Superpowers and Believing in Blitzen: Monologue Packet

November 09, 2018 by Tara Meddaugh in Children's theatre, family, monologue for child actor, monologue for female acto, Monologues, monologues for male actor, one-act plays, monologue collections, child monolog collection, comedy monolog collection, dramatic monolog collecti, Christmas

Enjoy a new monologue packet, featuring 19 comedic monologues for children extracted from the one-act play, Christmas Superpowers and Believing in Blitzen. Monologues range from 30 seconds to 3 minutes, and average approximately 1-2 minutes long. Check out two free sample monologues from this packet, Santa’s Lousy Job and Shepherd Superheroes. About the play: Take a snowy walk through the child-like magic of Christmas, where reindeer talk, Santa is real, and who wants super powers?…

3 Related Monologues for Children: Skunk Moms

October 18, 2016 by Tara Meddaugh in children, Children's theatre, Monologues, Playwriting, Teen, child monolog collection, comedy monolog collection

Check out my new free comedic children's monologues below. Three siblings try to convince their mother that a skunk would be the perfect pet. The monologues vary slightly in length, making it a good fit for younger children as well as older children...

3 Year Old Reads "Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type" by Doreen Cronin

May 26, 2016 by Tara Meddaugh in Children's theatre, Community, Education, family, Literary, children, Drama in real life, Reader's Theater

Okay, so he's not actually reading here, but at three years old, this is as close as this little guy gets to it. One thing I love about this is how you can hear his dramatic interpretation of the events (and even a slight southern accent for the farmer)...

New Comedic Children's Monologue: A Waste of a Totally Good Jelly Bean

May 01, 2016 by Tara Meddaugh in Children's theatre, Monologues, Playwriting

Check out my new comedic children's monologue below. If you've ever watched someone shove a dozen different flavored jelly beans in their mouth at the same time and cringed--then you can relate to Steven...

A WASTE OF A TOTALLY GOOD JELLY BEAN

New comedic/dramatic 10-minute play for 2 actors

January 09, 2016 by Tara Meddaugh in Children's theatre, Plays, Playwriting, Teen

Check out my new 10-minute play, A Life Spurred into Meaningful Adventure--great for production, festivals, and competitions. It's for 2 young adults, teens or children actors and casts a new light on the whole Goldilocks story...What if Goldilocks and Little Bear were friends? And had been friends for a long time before the famous porridge/chair/bed incident that got her kicked out? What would happen to their friendship when she is kicked out? Would they see each other again? And if so...where would they go? ...

New dramatic monologue for children, teens, adults

January 03, 2016 by Tara Meddaugh in Children's theatre, Monologues, Plays, Teen

Enjoy this new dramatic monologue, ranging in actor age from 12 to adult.

COVERING MY EARS
Genre: DRAMATIC/CHILDREN/TEEN monologue
Cast: FEMALE/MALE
Setting: A bathroom
Age Range: 12-70+
Description: Whitney is in a bathroom. She speaks out.
____________________

WHITNEY

I cover my ears in the shower. I stand there—letting the water drip down my hair, my back. I turn into it. It flows down my face. It’s loud. Not like thunder. It’s…it’s…peaceful. Like…I’m swimming under water, in a lake, it’s dark and the rain is pouring down. It’s loud under water. But it’s quiet. Muffled. Calm. There are no problems under water. There is no yelling. No hurt. No pain. Everything is erased. And no one knows me. What I’ve done. What’s been done to me. I’m nothing under the water. And Nothing is…freeing. To me...

Meet the Winner!

December 23, 2015 by Tara Meddaugh in Children's theatre, Community, Monologue Performances, Interviews

I recently had the pleasure to e-meet the winner of my Christmas Superpowers and Believing in Blitzen Monologue Contest, and this is one talented young actor! Ryan Henzi is from Ankeny, Iowa; he's 10 years old and he's been acting for years already! Now you can get to know this budding young actor too, and take a look at his great video performance of "Shepherd Superheroes."...