“What a Ridiculous Lie My Whole Life Has Been”: Audition Monologues for Death of a Salesman

Written by Ashleigh Gardner

August 15, 2018

Auditioning for Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman soon? Check out these amazing monologues chosen specifically for every character.

Auditioning for Willy Loman


The Wolf Counsel by Ricardo Soltero-Brown
Doug has just revealed to his wife, Kellen, that he cheated on her with another woman ten years prior. An argument ensues. Doug, surprised that Kellen hasn’t asked him to stay with her even after his admission of guilt, is dumbfounded. His response is half pleading, half bewilderment.

Get the Monologue Here

A Dog’s Life by Diane Grant
George is the director of a small theatre with a small troupe of actors who specialize in classical theatre and Shakespeare. After a rehearsal, George is left alone with Hildy, the stage manager. He’s been dreaming of directing his troupe at a larger theatre, one that can sustain his dreams of becoming famous and producing large-scale, successful productions. He also dreams of acclaim. He is wistful, and his words indicate deep dissatisfaction for his present situation rather though he is incredibly passionate about his art

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Auditioning for Linda Loman


Black Jack: A Thief of Possession by Rosary O’Neill
Kaitlyn is convinced that she is channeling the poet, Baudelaire and that her husband is having an affair with a larger-than-life ship entertainer. Irene, the matriarch of the family, is suspicious of a break in her daughter’s marriage. Her sexy Hispanic health aid sets her sights on the grandson, a successful Southern rock star. Everyone costumes for New Year’s Eve in an attempt to forget their old identities and try to find new love. Kaitlin seeks forgiveness from her son from having abandoned him.

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Cutaway by Tabia Lau
A man and a woman discuss divvying up their possessions as part of their divorce. As the conversation progresses from practical desires of tangible objects, it progresses into wanting impossible items, body parts, and experiences. The woman is so full of anger at her husband that she violently tailspins into wanting half of experiences, half of whole things, and half of moments they lived together. 

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Auditioning for Biff Loman or Happy Loman


Norman! by DT Arcieri
Norman has sought out a variety of methods to get a hold of his severe anxiety. After losing his wife and job he is willing to try anything. From conventional to new age he is on a journey to find the root of his mental illness. The following speech takes place inside of Norman’s mind. He is speaking to his dead mother who abandoned him at a young age. The memory has carried into his adult life and been the main source of his anxiety and depression. This is the first time he has could reach out to his mother. Even though it is in his mind the whole experience is very therapeutic.

Get the Monologue Here

Amelia, Once More by David Muschell
The dressing room of Shelly Preston in an Off-Broadway theater. Tom, her co-star in the play, has entered Shelly’s dressing room to talk to the leading lady. Shelly is suffering from an overwhelming feeling of having her character, Amelia, take over her mind, body, and life. In the middle of a line run, Tom has confronted Shelly (who has transitioned into her character Amelia) about her behavior during their line-through. He doesn’t know who Shelly is anymore, and faults her allowing her character to take control of her life.

Get the Monologue Here

Wild by Crystal Skillman
The shore of a beach during the early afternoon. Vin, a stranger Peter has never met before today, is sitting on his towel on the beach. Vin is a grad student at Northwestern, and Peter is the Junior Client Reporting Associate at Mesirow Financial.  Peter’s father is dying, and his family does not accept that Peter is gay. His family passive-aggressively blames Peter for his father being in the hospital. In addition, Peter has been unfaithful to Bobby, his partner, and slept with a woman. Peter is struggling with self-worth and venting to Vin, who is willingly listening to Peter’s troubles.

Get the Monologue Here

Warriors by Hayley Lawson-Smith
Peter, in his final year of high school, has been given an essay to write as a disciplinary action; he beat up the boys who were bullying his little sister. 

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Auditioning for Charley or Uncle Ben


Ali’s Bees by Bruce Solheim
Grandfather notices that something is not quite right with Ali. Ali lost his parents in an explosion in Iraq, leaving him orphaned with only his Grandfather to take care of him. Ali still has trouble processing the event. Here, Grandfather comforts Ali, reassuring him that his parents were innocents in this tragedy and their sacrifice did not go unnoticed. Grandfather knows it will take time, but eventually, Ali should find peace.

Get the Monologue Here

Nobody Don’t Like Yogi by Tom Lysaght
Yogi Berra has returned to Yankee stadium after 15 years of estrangement from the field. George Steinbrenner took over managing the team in 1985 after questioning Berra’ s management abilities and accusing his son (who was on the team at that time), of drug use.  Berra is finally back in the stadium to throw the first pitch of the season, and answer many questions about George and his separation at a press conference. Berra paces the manager’s office, finding comfort in being “home” again.  He gets strength from the support of his wife, Carmen, and the memories and players that are commemorated in the office and clubhouse. In this monologue, Yogi lets the audience into the deep hurt he felt when getting fired back in ‘ 64. He was honestly just a good man, and an even better manager; wanting the best for the boys on the team, treating them well and never raising his voice.

Get the Monologue Here

Auditioning for Bernard or Stanley


Cowbirds by DT Arcieri
Tommy’s father died the day he was born, and he has cared for his blind mother for a number of years. He believes his birth was an accident, and that his mother shows him constant resentment because of it. Nevertheless, he stays at home with her while his sister, 15 years his senior, drinks helplessly and dances at a topless bar because it’s the only job she can keep. He has two degrees in Ornithology but has decided to go back for his doctorate. In this monologue, he is convincing Candy to come back home and take a turn caring for their mother so he can go back to school.

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Japes by Simon Gray
The sitting room of their house in Hampstead, North London. Michael and Jason’s parents are dead. The young men have shared ownership of the house they grew up in and where they continue to live. Here, close to the start of the play, they have been discussing Michael’s girlfriend Anita. Michael has asked Jason whether he minds the fact that she has been staying the night. Michael admits that he himself does not like the smell of the pot that Anita smokes. The speech that follows comes as a response to Jason asking, ‘But you haven’t said anything to her have you?’

Get the Monologue Here

Auditioning for The Woman


Sky Lines by David-Matthew Barnes
Widowed during the Vietnam War at a very young age, Sarah shares her sorrow with her two neighbors, Venita and Maggie.

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Hearts by Rosary O’Neill
An antebellum mansion in the Garden District, New Orleans, Louisiana creates the setting for this artist’s last fight. When a new age nurse arrives and proposes the hope of a renewed life at a distant artists colony, the man must choose between his doomed if comfortable Gothic history and a bohemian precarious future. Sheila encourages a dying man to claim his talent as an artist.

Get the Monologue Here

Auditioning for Howard Wagner


A Wire in Water by Justin Warner
Here, Bell is in the lab with Watson, supposedly working on the telephone, but he can’t think about that.  Instead, he’s preoccupied by an interaction with his beloved Mabel, who has no inkling of Bell’s feelings for her. Bell had stopped by to see her to find Mabel and her cousin playing a fortune-telling game, and when Bell was drawn into it, he created the impression that he was in love with someone else.

Get the Monologue Here

The Room by Jim Inman
Peg, with serious issues of her own, is pregnant which forces Michael to reveal to his history with Snooky.

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Auditioning for Jenny, Miss Forsythe, or Letta


White Suits in Summer by Rosary O’Neill
Celebrity artist Susanne determines to reclaim her lost love, Blaise, now married to a sedate New Orleans socialite. Convinced that without him she cannot live, Susanne arranges an exhibition of her works in his new house on Exposition Blvd. Susanne’s readiness to sacrifice her career, his new wife, and her Mama’s boy manager leave Blaise both angry and aroused. Theatrical excitement abounds in this comedy of love vs. duty in which passions are rediscovered in the Big Easy. Susanne seduces her ex after her failed art opening.

Get the Monologue Here

Love (Awkwardly) by John Rotondo and Maryann Carolan
This monologue is intercut with another monologue by Randy.  Both characters articulate how it feels to be secretly seeing each other.  Randy is dating Charlotte; Charlotte’s best friend Laura is seeing Randy on the sly.  In this monologue, Laura describes how she accidentally happened upon this situation and how she deals with this secret affair emotionally.

Get the Monologue Here

Love and Country by Alex Rubin
The Women of Country dressing room at the Grand Ole Opry. It’s a few hours before Sydney is about to go on. She has just come out to her sister, Kathy, and the reaction was worse than a fight. Kathy just walked out. When Will comes in to check on her, Sydney is obviously devastated. After some vague conversation, Sydney asks Will in what religion he was raised.

Get the Monologue Here



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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.