What are the most common mistakes actors make in choosing monologues?
I asked similar questions to 10 industry pros who have seen thousands of monologues during the “Overdone Monologue Survey” that is on my site (I answered it too). So this is not just my opinion. The biggest mistake is doing a monologue out of the actor’s age range. Followed closely by material that tries to accomplish too much/show too many facets of the actor, and material inappropriate for a particular audition (such as gratuitously gross, or too sexually and/or violently graphic with no payoff/justification), and also overdone material. In your DVD, you discuss the difference between choosing a monologue one might perform for an agent or casting director, versus a monologue that one might choose in order to audition for a theatrical season or a multiple of roles. Can you explain that difference? The agent or casting director, on first meeting, needs to see “who you are,” a role quite close to the actor that is not a stretch to imagine him playing. I call this a “Hello, this is me” m
