This is Me – A Monologue for Generals
Last weekend, 20 of our students attended a masterclass with Kahleen Crawford, a Casting Director from Kahleen Crawford Casting. She explained to our students how the casting industry works from her perspective and gave useful hints and tips to the students about the casting experience.
She also spent quite a lot of time explaining how ‘Generals’ work, when a Casting Director invites you to meet with them, see a short monologue and have a brief but general chat.
In my experience, the monologue that you do during a General is very important. It’s important that you show off your acting ability, but it’s important that you don’t load it with character. Ability to convince, to be truthful, to be authentic on tape, and in person, that’s what really matters, so choosing a monologue that works for you is important.
So, I’ve re-written an old monologue to keep you up to date with what you need to prep if you’re going to see a Casting Director.
This monologue was named the ‘This is Me’ Monologue by Karen Kohlhaas, one of the Master Teachers at the Atlantic Theater Company’s Acting School.
The ‘This is Me’ monologue allows you to show off your ability, style and personality. It’s definitely not a chance to show your range, your Shakespeare, your gritty realism. It’s a chance to show off your authenticity as a person and an actor on camera (expect them to tape it) The ‘This is Me’ monologue helps you to show off who YOU are.
I would work to have TWO or THREE 2-3 minute THIS IS ME monologues, they need to be the type that works well on the screen, so don’t choose big, performy pieces, or small intense crying pieces either. Obviously if they’re a casting agent for theatre, choose a THIS IS ME THEATRE monologue.
Karen Kohlhaas suggests that a THIS IS ME monologue is defined not by what it is, but by what it isn’t. Here’s a list of what to avoid for a THIS IS ME monologue.
Monologues outwith your playing age/range
Monologues in an accent other than yours – they don’t hire character actors any more.
Monologues with heightened language (it requires a heightening performance style)
Monologues with anything shocking or graphic (THINK – choose something I could show my ‘Mother-in-Law’)
Monologues that are self-written (written by a good friend who is an exceptional writer is fine)
Monologues that attempt to demonstrate range
Monologues that are too intensely… ANYTHING.
Monologues that allow you to hide behind anything
Monologues that talk about someone else constantly (THIS IS ME should be about – YOU!)
Monologues related to the industry or business
Monologues for women about how shit your husband, boyfriend etc is – they flood the market.
Monologues that are heavily negative.
Monologues that you DON’T KNOW THE LINES FOR!
SO WHAT SHOULD A ‘THIS IS ME’ MONOLOGUE BE?
* CONTEMPORARY
* ABOUT SOMETHING YOU CARE ABOUT
* WELL WRITTEN (has a beginning, middle and end)
* NOT TOO LONG (2-3 minutes MAX – if they have to stop you, they’re dead in the water)
* AUDITON SPECIFIC (film for film, theatre for theatre – if it’s a general – decide what the Casting Director’s main medium is and go with that.)
* GENRE/STYLE SPECIFIC (funny for comedy, drama for drama)
* SOMETHING YOU DO WELL.
You should tape yourself doing it (you can get someone to do it for you – use an iPhone or something) and watch yourself back (I know, I know, it’s horrible) to learn what mistakes you might make when you’re doing the monologue.
Let me say it again. Actors are tempted to ‘busk’ it on lines. Don’t, you’ll screw it up, you’ll screw up your chance and you won’t get another one for two or three years, so… LEARN THE BLOODY LINES! (I can’t believe I actually have to say this, but I’m frightened by how many actors don’t!)