Overdone Classical Audition Monologues
As we enjoy the last few days of summer, another school year and another audition season are about to begin! Whether you are getting ready to audition for your school play, community or professional productions, or upcoming college auditions, audition material selection is one of the most important parts of the audition process.
When you audition with a piece that fits you perfectly that you love performing and you know the girl or guy before you hasn't just done it in the audition room, you feel like...
When you audition with an overdone audition piece, the audition panel might feel a little like...
So to help you all "Nail it!" with your audition material selection, we have put together some of the top overdone classical & contemporary audition monologues and overdone uptempo & ballad audition songs for women and men that you might want to consider avoiding at your next audition.
This week's feature:
Overdone Classical Audition Monologues
Overdone Female Classical Monologues
As You Like It (Phebe): “I would not be thy executioner” (Act III, Scene V)
As You Like It (Phebe): “Think not I love him, though I ask for him” (Act III, Scene V)
Henry IV, Part II (Lady Percy): O yet, for God’s sake, go not to these wars!” (Act II, Scene III)
Macbeth (Lady Macbeth): “Was the hope drunk wherein you dressed yourself?” (Act I, Scene VII)
Macbeth (Lady Macbeth): “Out, damned spot! Out, I say!” (Act V, Scene I)
Merchant of Venice (Portia): “The quality of mercy is not strained” (Act IV, Scene I)
A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Helena): “How happy some o’er other some can be!” (Act I, Scene I)
Richard III (Lady Anne): “Set down your honorable load” (Act I, Scene II)
Romeo and Juliet (Juliet): “O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo?... (Act II, Scene II)
Romeo and Juliet (Juliet): “The clock struck nine when I did send the nurse” (Act II, Scene V)
Romeo and Juliet (Juliet): “Gallop apace, you fiery-footed steeds” (Act III, Scene II)
Romeo and Juliet (Juliet): “Shall I speak ill of him that is my husband?” (Act III, Scene II)
Twelfth Night (Viola): “I left no ring with her” (Act II, Scene II)
Two Gentlemen of Verona (Julia): “O hateful hands, to tear such loving words!” (Act I, Scene II)
The Winter's Tale (Hermione): "Sir, spare your threats" (Act III, Scene II)
Overdone Male Classical Monologues
As You Like It (Jacques): “All the world’s a stage” (Act II, Scene VII)
Hamlet: “O, that this too too solid flesh would melt” (Act I, Scene II)
Hamlet: “O, what a rogue and peasant slave am I! (Act II, Scene II)
Hamlet: “To be, or not to be” (Act III, Scene I)
Henry IV, Part I (Hotspur): “My liege, I did deny no prisoners” (Act I, Scene III)
Henry V: “Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more” (Act III, Scene I)
King Lear (Edmund): “Thou, nature, art my goddess” (Act I, Scene II)
Romeo and Juliet (Romeo): “But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks” (Act II, Scene II)
Macbeth: “Is this a dagger which I see before me” (Act II, Scene I)
A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Puck): “My mistress with a monster is in love” (Act III, Scene II)
Othello (Iago): “Thus do I ever make my fool my purse…” (Act I, Scene III)
Romeo and Juliet (Romeo): “ ‘Tis torture, and not mercy; heaven is here, Where Juliet lives” (Act III, Scene III)
Twelfth Night (Sebastian): “This is the air; that is the glorious sun” (Act IV, Scene III)
Two Gentlemen of Verona (Launce): “When a man’s servant shall play the cur with him” (Act IV, Scene IV)
Two Gentlemen of Verona (Proteus): “ Even as one heat another heat expels…” (Act II, Scene IV)
Do any of these Overdone Classical Audition Monologues sound familiar? Having trouble finding new material?
and our Acting Coaches will hand select monologues tailored to you, so you can shine in your next audition!
Next week's feature:
Overdone Contemporary Audition Monologues
Heather Arney is a NYC-based acting coach and a professional actor/singer. She holds a B.A. in Theatre Performance from Susquehanna University and a M.F.A. in Acting from Southern Methodist University and has been teaching for the past 2 years. She loves baking, Netflix, and Pretty Little Liars.
Tom Morin is a NYC-based acting coach, co-founder of Polish Your Passion, and a professional actor/singer. He holds a B.A. in Theatre & Political Science from the College of the Holy Cross and a M.F.A. in Acting from Ohio University and has been teaching for the past 9 years, advising and coaching students through the college audition process and beyond. He loves coffee, Shakespeare, and YouTube.
