Workshop Monologues

Here are some different monologues you can choose from so that I can get a feeling for how your voice sounds.

They are organized in Male and Female parts. Please choose ONE monologue to record.
Practice it until you can perform it without mistakes.

Record an MP3 of yourself performing the monologue and e-mail it to classes@voiceactingmastery.com. Make sure you include your full name and the class you are signed up for in the e-mail.

Female Monologues

Title: Labyrinth, Character: Sarah
[Sarah’s baby brother Toby is crying in his crib incessantly. Sarah picks him up to try and quiet him.] What do you want? Do you want a story? Huh? Ok. Once upon a time there was a beautiful young girl whose stepmother always made her stay home with the baby. And the baby was a spoiled child and he wanted everything for himself, and the young girl was practically a slave. But what no one knew was that the king of the goblins had fallen in love with the girl and he had given her certain powers. So one night, when the baby had been particularly cruel to her she asked the goblins for help. “Say your right words,” the Goblins said, ” And we’ll take the baby to the Goblin City and you will be free.” But the girl knew that the king of the goblins would keep the baby in his castle forever and ever, and turn it into a goblin. So she suffered in silence until one night when she was tired from a day of housework and hurt by the harsh words of her stepmother and she could no longer stand it. [Toby continues to cry.] Oh, all right! All right! [she picks him up out of his crib] Knock it off. Come on. Stop it! Stop it! I’ll say the words. No, I mustn’t. I mustn’t say… I wish… I wish… I can bear it no longer! Goblin King! Goblin King! Wherever you may be, take this child of mine far away from me!

Title: Lord of the Rings, Character: Galadriel
[Frodo has offered the Ring of Power to Galadriel. She responds.] And now at last it comes. You will give me the Ring freely! I do not deny that my heart has greatly desired this. In place of the Dark Lord you will set up a Queen. And I shall not be dark, but beautiful and terrible as the Morning and the Night! Fair as the Sea and the Sun and the Snow upon the Mountain! Dreadful as the Storm and the Lightning! Stronger than the foundations of the earth. All shall love me and despair! [Galadriel stops herself and backs away from the ring, refusing it.] I pass the test. I will diminish, and go into the West, and remain Galadriel.

Title: Lord of the Rings, Character: Eowyn
[Eowyn addresses Aragorn, expressing her frustration with being left behind and not being allowed to ride into battle.] Women of this country learned long ago: those without swords may still die upon them. All your words are but to say: you are a woman, and your part is in the house. But when the men have died in battle and honour, you have leave to be burned in the house, for the men will need it no more. But I am of the House of Eorl and not a serving-woman. I can ride and wield blade, and I do not fear either pain or death. I fear a cage. To stay behind bars until use and old age accept them. And all chance of valor has gone beyond recall or desire. If you must go, then let me ride in your following. For I am weary of skulking in the hills, and wish to face peril and battle.

Title: Pirates of the Caribbean 3, Character: Elizabeth Swann
[The Pirate Kings are surrounded and outnumbered by the East India Trading Company. They have given up hope, but Elizabeth rallies them to fight.] It’s not over. There’s still a fight to be had. We’ve an armada against us, and there’s only a fool’s chance. Well then, what shall we die for? [to crew] You will listen to me. Listen! The brethren will still be looking here to us, to the Black Pearl to lead, and what will they see? Frightened bilge rats aboard a derelict ship? No! They will see free men, and freedom. And what the enemy will see is the flash of our cannons, they will hear the ring of our swords and they will know what we can do! By the sweat of our brows, and the strength of our backs, and the courage of our hearts…gentlemen, hoist the colors!

Male Monologues

Title: The Princess Bride, Character: Man in Black
The Man in Black tells Buttercup how he killed her love, Westley.] I remember this farm boy of yours, I think. This would be, what, five years ago? He died well, that should please you. No bribe attempts or blubbering. He simply said, “Please. Please, I need to live.” It was the “please” that caught my memory. I asked him what was so important for him. “True love,” he replied. And then he spoke of a girl of surpassing beauty and faithfulness. I can only assume he meant you. You should bless me for destroying him before he found out what you really are. Faithfulness he talked of, madam. Your enduring faithfulness. Now, tell me truly. When you found out he was gone, did you get engaged to your prince that same hour, or did you wait a whole week out of respect for the dead?

Title: The Princess Bride, Character: Count Rugen
[Count Rugen talks to Westley who is strapped in to a torture device.] Beautiful, isn’t it? It took me half a lifetime to invent it. I’m sure you’ve discovered my deep and abiding interest in pain. At present I’m writing the definitive work on the subject. So I want you to be totally honest with me on how The Machine makes you feel. This being our first try, I’ll use the lowest setting. [Count Rugen activates the device and tortures Westley. After a short while, the machine stops.] As you know, the concept of the suction pump is centuries old. Well, really, that’s all this is. Except that instead of sucking water, I’m sucking life. I’ve just sucked one year of your life away. I might one day go as high as five, but I really don’t know what that would do to you. So, let’s just start with what we have. What did this do to you? Tell me. And remember, this is for posterity, so be honest — how do you feel?

Title: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Character: Willy Wonka
[Willy Wonka asks Charlie if he likes the Chocolate Factory. Charlie says he loves it and Willy Wonka responds.] I’m very pleased to hear you say that because I’m giving it to you. That’s all right, isn’t it? I can’t go on forever, and I don’t really want to try. So, who can I trust to run the factory when I leave and take care of the Oompa Loompas for me? Not a grownup. A grownup would want to do everything his own way, not mine. That’s why I decided a long time ago I had to find a child. A very honest, loving child to whom I can tell all my most precious candy making secrets. So the factory’s yours, Charlie; you can move in immediately. The whole family. I want you to bring them all. But Charlie… don’t forget what happened to the man who suddenly got everything he always wanted… He lived happily ever after.

Title: Lord of the Rings, Character: Aragorn
[Aragorn addresses his army before the black gates of Mordor.] Hold your ground – hold your ground! Sons of Gondor – of Rohan … my brothers! I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of Men fails; when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship; but it is not this day – an hour of wolves and shattered shields, when the Age of Men comes crashing down – but it is not this day!! This day we fight! By all that you hold dear on this good earth – I bid you stand! Men of the West!