10 Monologues from Characters Looking for a Better Life

Written by Ashleigh Gardner

March 17, 2017

Ladies and gents, are you looking for a strong monologue that explores a character looking for a better life, no matter how big their dreams are? We’ve got five for women and five for men that are sure to be staples in your audition book.

A monologue from Stage/Mother by Heather Meyer

(Female, Dramatic, 20 – 40s)
Marielle, a Filipina American actress, has been cast in the first ethnically diverse production of The Glass Menagerie, which will have its premiere in London ahead of its Broadway bow. Meanwhile, her mother Isabel has been undergoing cancer treatments for a brain tumor. They have just found out that Isabel’s condition has worsened and she likely won’t have much longer to live. Marielle is now forced to decide whether she’ll still go to London and take advantage of the biggest break of her career, or stay in New York and take care of Isabel. She debates the difficult decision with her husband Kevin, who has been supportive of her but now feels that she should stay.

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A monologue from Lizzie Borden by Michael Wanzie

(Female, Comedic, Teens – 20s)
Lizzie and her sister Emma discover the stage and screen star, Nance O’Neil while visiting Fall River proper. She is an eccentric woman who has clearly seen much more of the world than the modest ladies of Fall River. Lizzie dreams of one day living such an exotic life and hopes to use her father’s money to do so.

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A monologue from You Belong to Me by Debbie Lamedman

(Female, Dramatic, Teens)
This is one of the Interludes that occurs throughout the play. The Interludes are used as transitions between the scenes surrounding Allison’s story. During the Interludes, other victims and abusers share their experiences. This is an abused girl’s experience.

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A monologue from Everyday People by Debbie Lamedman

(Female, Dramatic, Teens)
Carly, a high school freshman, and the “new girl” in school, has been the victim of cyberbullying. Her tormentors call her “Cowley.” Here, she is filming herself talking directly to the people who have been targeting her. Ultimately, she plans to post the video on YouTube immediately before taking her own life.

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A monologue from The RTS Monologue Collection by Angela Cerrito

(Female, Dramatic, Teens)
Lilly suffers from PTSD after having been raped.  In this monologue, she expounds upon her journal, and what she wants to write in it.  She knows that there are rape victims out there who have been raped constantly, by family and loved ones, and she finds her suffering small in comparison.  She finds it strange that only 20% of soldiers get PTSD, and that after one incident, she became a “weak, forgetful, afraid, nervous anxious excuse of a human”.  She wants to write about other’s stories in her journal; she knows the journal will help her trauma, but her ultimate wish is that she could go back to the person she was before it all happened.

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A monologue from Born and Raised by Kristine M. Reyes

(Male, Serio-Comic, Teens)
Paul, a senior in high school in the Midwest, is taping the video portion of his college application to UCLA. He’s slightly awkward and nervous, but very enthusiastic because he gets to talk about how his dad is his biggest inspiration. Paul was adopted by a white couple as a baby boy, but he’s never felt weird about being adopted, or questioned his identity, thanks to his dad. He has grown up thinking he’s Chinese. Soon after in the play, he’ll find out he’s not.

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A monologue from Raggedy And by David Valdes Greenwood

(Male, Dramatic, Teens)
Ondi has rescinded the offer to speak at the inauguration of the new president.  Ondi, not wanting to be known as the first transgender poet to speak, but just a poet (she would even settle for lesbian), declines to speak, knowing how she will be labeled from here on out, having worked her whole life to build her identity as a woman.  Jayden is on the inaugural committee and finalizing the speakers for the inauguration.  In this monologue, he attempts to influence Clem to finally convince Ondi to say yes.  Jayden visits Clem at her job site, unannounced, and begs her to help with the bigger picture, making the radical changes needed in our lifetime.

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A monologue from Know Your Role by Brandi Owensby

(Male, Dramatic, Teens)
Chris is going through adolescence like every other boy his age; in this monologue, he confesses his frustration with beauty norms. After seeing all the girls at school with flawless faces, covered perfectly with makeup, he only wishes he could use some concealer to find some confidence. Of course, this is frowned upon by society. For Chris, it is better to walk around school with a “crater face” than get caught shopping in the makeup aisle.

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A monologue from Somebody’s Baby by David-Matthew Barnes

(Male, Dramatic, 20s)
As a result of being diagnosed with AIDS, a young man named William has been shunned by many people he loves. Finding peace by sitting in a Chicago coffee shop, he befriends a sixteen-year- old girl who is there also. He explains his heartbreaking journey to her.

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A monologue from Vacancies by David-Matthew Barnes

(Male, Dramatic, Teens)
Billy, a married man and father of two children, is unhappy with his predictable life. Here, he confesses to his former girlfriend, a singer-songwriter named Erica, how tempted he is to have an affair with her.

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Looking for other monologue collections? Check out the ones below!

Ashleigh Gardner received her AA in Theatre/Drama/Dramatic Arts from Valencia College and her Bachelors Degree in English Literature and Masters Degree in Literary, Cultural, and Textual Studies from the University of Central Florida. She is a playwright and an actor.