Every actor should have at least two classical monologues in their back pocket and given that Shakespeare is the most-produced playwright in the country, it’s a no-brainer that at least one of these monologues be from his work.
After you’ve done the essentials—read the play, clarified who you are talking to and what you want from them, what the circumstances are—you’ll want to focus your energy on how to make your audition come alive and really show off your text skills. To help you get started, here are five things to keep in mind as you prepare you Shakespeare monologue.
Know what you are saying.This seems obvious, but make sure you take the time to really understand what your character is saying. The Arden Shakespeare series is great for notes on complex passages. David Crystal’s “Shakespeare’s Words” is essential for looking up words you don’t understand as well as those you only think you understand. Gary Logan’s “The Eloquent Shakespeare” is very handy for learning how to pronounce uncommon words. Finally, paraphrase Shakespeare’s words into your own so you can connect deeper to your character’s thoughts and
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