Spotlight! E-news from Theatrefolk

Issue 22 - Long Form Monologue/One Person Shows

Welcome!

Where did the summer go? It's time to gear up for another year. We here at Theatrefolk are pretty excited about the upcoming days, weeks and months. New products, new plays, new conferences, a new look for our website, the list goes on.

For Spotlight this month we're going to look at the long form monologue and the One Person Show. Many schools do long form monologues for Forensics, and we've included a class exercise for performing/writing long monologues.

A two minute monologue can be a challenge... Imagine doing a two hour monologue! Craig Mason, Theatrefolk publisher, just finished performing in the one person play, THE FLYING BANDIT, written by yours truly (Lindsay Price). Not only was he the only actor, he played more than 25 roles in the play! Read my interview with him and learn his thoughts on the long form Monologue. He also shares technical tips for performing a multi-character one person play.

In This Issue

• PODCAST
  Theatrefolk publishers talk theatre.
• FACEBOOK/MYSPACE
  More places to reach us.
• INTRO
  The Long Form Monologue.
• LONG FORM DEFINED
  What are the different styles of the long form monologue?
• FORENSICS FRENZY
  The 10 minute monologue. How do you make the most of it?
• THE FLYING BANDIT
  Craig Mason talks about performing a one man show.
• MULTI CHARACTER MONOLOGUES
  Top five tips for creating monologue characters.
• LONG FORM EXERCISE
  A two part class exercise.
• WRITING YOUR OWN
  Top five tips for writing your own long form monologue.
• RESOURCES
  A list of books on solo performing.
• DOWNLOAD
  Excerpt from THE FLYING BANDIT and a character worksheet.
• RINGTONES
  Get your favourite literary quote on your phone!
• MRS MERRITT's BIG BOOK OF HOLIDAY SKITS
  Holiday plays for the whole calendar.
• WHAT'S NEW
  Have you seen our website lately?
• CONFERENCE ALERT
  Meet us in person.
• IN THE NEXT ISSUE
  What you can expect next.
• STAY IN TOUCH
  Contact Info/Read Our Blog.

Podcast

We've had a great time this summer with our Podcast! We have audio reports from the International Thespians Festival in Nebraska this past June, and more recently, an interview with Kristin Gauthier music composer for SHOUT. Catch up with what we've been up to.

Facebook/Myspace

Another way to keep in touch with us! If you're doing one of my shows, join my Facebook or MySpace. Easy contact for questions or comments!

• Lindsay on MySpace
• Lindsay on Facebook

Intro to the Long Form Monologue

I have a special fondness for the long form monologue. Theatrefolk started out as a production company and over the years we put together a number of long monologues and one-person plays. I wrote and performed in two (THE HAPPY POSITIVE REJECTS CLUB, and FLASHBACKS) and I wrote two for Craig (GALILEO: THE STARRY MESSENGER, and THE FLYING BANDIT), plus one adaptation (A CHRISTMAS CAROL).

Craig and I spent our summer working on THE FLYING BANDIT at the Showboat Festival in Port Colborne, Ontario. Through the rehearsal process we talked about sharing the experience with our Spotlight readers.

While there's not a lot of call for one person plays in our market (more like 50 person plays!) we do have a lot of teachers ask us for Forensics material. "Forensics" is something we were completely unaware of until a couple of years ago - we don't have Forensic teams in Canada. I was shocked to learn that high school and middle school students are expected in Forensics to do 8 to 10 minute monologues. That is a huge undertaking!

Not only that, the challenges of long form monologues are completely different than a two minute audition piece. Long form is a tricky animal and thus a great topic for Spotlight!

The next article looks specifically at Forensics. Be on the look out for more Forensics material in the future!

Long form defined

Every acting student should perform and/or write a long monologue at least once. It really puts your acting skills to the test! There are many different types of long form monologues.

What is a long form monologue?

A typical monologue runs two minutes. It's a moment, a short story, an emotion. A long form monologue is a complete play (whether one act or full length) performed by only one actor.

Why do actors perform the long form monologue?

• It's a Challenge
  The actor must rely on all their skills: There's no room for lazy acting because there's no one else to lean on!
• It's a Tradition
  The storyteller has been in existence for thousands of years. Every actor should perform a long form monologue at some point in their career.
• It's Theatrical
  Solo plays are, in my mind, the height of theatricality. One actor, one voice, one story and the audience. No spectacular sets, no falling chandeliers. Only the imagination of the playwright and the imagination of the audience. The actor communicates intimately with the audience - one on one. It can be an amazing experience.
• It's Custom Made
  Many solo performers write their own plays as a way to give themselves the perfect script for their abilities. That's what we did at Theatrefolk.
• It's Cheap!
  For professional companies money is always an issue. If you're doing a play with only one actor, it's easy to put up, easy to tour.

What are some of the different types of long form monologue?

The Autobiography

A storytelling form where the actor tells the story of their life or an event in their life.

• Julia Sweeney - GOD SAID HA
• Charlayne Woodard - PRETTY FIRE
• Spalding Grey - MONSTER IN A BOX
• Claudia Shear - BLOWN SIDEWAYS THROUGH LIFE

The Positive: It's close to home for the performer and therefore has a lot of emotional potential.

The Negative: The audience has to care about what the actor is talking about. If the performer spends a lot of time in the 'woe is me' frame of mind an audience will turn off pretty quickly.

The Trick: Combine the real with the theatrical. The play must always come first.

The Biography

There are many great long monologues that look at the life of a historical or pop culture icon. The actor becomes the individual and speaks in their voice.

• Hal Holbrook - MARK TWAIN TONIGHT
• Jay Presson Allen - TRU
• Wendy Gough - THE DIVINE MADNESS OF ISABELLA
• William Gibson - GOLDA'S BALCONY

The Positive: A biography is a great way to bring a figure to life.

The Negative: Make sure the monologue is not a list of events that happened to the person from birth to death. Anyone can pick up a book and read that. What is the theatrical, the out of the ordinary, the stage-worthy events of the person's life?

The Trick: Put the individual in a place they never were in life, or the night before the moment they're most known for. Use flashbacks so that the audience can see past events, not hear about them. Have the individual talk to people they shouldn't. Bottom line, it's not a chronology, it's a play. Be theatrical.

The Storyteller

In this monologue it's one character telling one story (a made up character, not the writer/performer as in the autobiography).

• Willy Russell - SHIRLEY VALENTINE
• Daniel MacIvor - HOUSE

The Positive: You have a very specific focus for character and story.

The Negative: If the story and character aren't interesting, the audience won't hang in.

The Trick: Even one person standing on stage alone has to be theatrical and dramatic. Continually ask yourself at every new beat in the play if you are being theatrical and dramatic.

The Theme

Sometimes it is not a character that takes centre stage in a long form monologue but a theme or issue.

• Wallace Shawn: THE FEVER

The Positive: A character's experience with an issue is a great way to explore it.

The Negative: Sometimes the theme takes precedence over character and story.

The Trick: Make sure your character has a passionate reaction to the issue, whether positive or negative.

multi-character - Mono Form

These plays are made up of a collection of monologues each portraying a different character. The actor moves from one monologue to the next, rarely revisiting characters.

• Eric Bogosian - DRINKING IN AMERICA
• Whoopi Goldberg - WHOOPI
• Jane Wagner - THE SEARCH FOR SIGNS OF INTELLIGENT LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE
• Anna Deavere Smith - TWILIGHT: LOS ANGELES 1992
• Danny Hoch's - JAILS, HOSPITALS & HIP HOP

The Positive: You see a range of characters and hear a range of voices.

The Negative: Sometimes there is not enough of a link from one to the next to make a cohesive play.

The Trick: Find a way to link the monologues to give the play a strong throughline.

multi-character - Dialogue Form

The single actor creates a number of specific characters within the story, transforming from one to the next as he/she tells the story.

• Doug Wright - I AM MY OWN WIFE
• Dan Needles - LETTERS FROM WINGFIELD FARM

The Positive: Multiple characters allow an automatic variety in tone. It can be very exciting to play and to watch.

The Negative: If the actor is not specific with the characters it can be confusing.

The Trick: Create specific physical and vocal elements for each character.

See the resource page at the end of the newsletter for more!

Forensic Frenzy

Separate contests shall be conducted in Dramatic, and Humorous Interpretation, each presented as memorized selections and without the use of physical objects or costume. The time limit shall be 10 minutes.
The National Forensic League Tournament Manual p. 14

There are many aspects to a Forensic competition ranging from debate to extemporary speaking. There are two monologue-type events: Dramatic Interpretation and Humorous Interpretation, which can range from five to ten minutes in length.

A ten minute monologue. That is a long time for a professional actor to speak, let alone a student. Have you ever tried speaking, without stopping for ten minutes? Can you do it?

Exercise for Beginner Forensic Competitors: Take a novel, a newspaper, an interview-heavy magazine. Have each competitor speak aloud for ten minutes. Time them. Few people know exactly how long ten minutes is! Question them afterwards: What were they thinking while they were speaking? Was it hard on their throat? Their concentration? Did they see people getting bored?

Another way to approach the exercise is to have students bring in something to read that they THINK is ten minutes long. They can't have timed it out beforehand! Then have them read the piece out loud and see how close they came.

Competitors need a clear sense of time.

How do you make the most of the Forensic experience? How does it differ from an audition monologue? What happens when long monologues go wrong?

The difference between Ten and Two

A two minute monologue is like a business card. It's a burst of emotion. A vivid swatch of colour. Something to make a director sit up and take notice. A showcase of talent. But that type of acting can (and should) only be sustained for that short, business card period of time.

If you try and maintain the same emotional burst for ten minute, you'll burn out before you hit minute five. A two minute monologue is, metaphorically speaking, a sprint. A ten minute monologue is a marathon. Not only does a forensic competitor need to truly know how long ten minutes is, they need to have a sense of pacing.

The Pacing Arc

Pace: A Rate of Movement

What is the rate of movement in a ten minute monologue? Variety is the key. Competitors need to learn how to pace themselves and not put all their energy into the first few minutes.

Exercise for Pace: To understand the notion of movement, try artificially forcing the pace in the monologue. Do the whole piece as fast as possible - preferably while jogging in place. See how long the competitor lasts. Questions for afterwards: how did it feel? Why did I make you do that? What happened to the quality of the monologue? And to other students: What was it like to watch?

Now do the piece as slow as possible. Questions: what was the difference? Was there a place you desperately wanted to speed up? How do you feel at the end? When is a slow pace too slow?

Now determine the pace based on the character and story. Go through the piece and choose three super-fast moments and three-super slow moments that are influenced by the content of the monologue. Questions: Did all of the pace choices work? Why is variety important? Why is important to choose pace based on character and story?

The Emotional Arc

The Emotional Arc goes hand in hand with the pacing arc. Just as there needs to be a variety of pace, there needs to be a variety of emotion. It's extremely hard to watch a two minute monologue where the actor screams for beginning to end. Think of what that's like for ten minutes!

In terms of emotion, think of the two minute monologue as short cresting waves. There are highs and lows, but the time is condensed. Think of the ten minute monologue as a five-story roller coaster. It's the same ups and downs, but it takes a lot longer to build and decrease and build again.

The Memory

There is nothing worse than being in the middle of a monologue and drying up. There's no one to turn to for help and all eyes are on you to make the next move. When monologues go wrong, what do you do?

Determine how you memorize: Come up with a clear plan for memorizing. There are many different methods:

• Handwrite the monologue over and over again. (or conversely, type them out on the computer)
• Go over the monologue as the last thing you do at night and the first thing you do in the morning.
• Learn the monologue by speaking it aloud. Perhaps you do it before every meal, or at set times.
• Break up the monologue in sections. Memorize the first and last line of the section first. Use those as anchor points. If you get lost in the middle, hopefully you'll be able to go to the beginning of the next section.
• Determine the character path in the monologue - what is the story they are trying to tell? Write out a description of the character's story. If you know the story, you may be able to jump in if you get list.
• What are the themes of the monologue? Come up with key words for each section. Something easy to remember.
• If there's something you consistently forget, come up with a visual image, a picture of what's going on in the line. Remember the image and you'll remember the lines.
• Competitors often dry up because they lose their concentration in the middle of the monologue. This can happen for a variety of reason. I was terrible at paying too much attention to what was going on in the audience instead of on my lines!
• Practice your concentration: Perform the monologue in front of a group. Have them be as distracting as possible. Have them talk to each other, read a book and look really bored, go through a noisy plastic bag, the works! If a competitor keeps their concentration in the worst scenario, they'll be prepared when it really counts.

Character and Story: Choosing a Monologue

How do you choose a ten minute monologue? Some competitions require that the monologue comes from a published play; others just require that it comes from a published book of literature. (as is stated on the National Forensic League website)

Regardless of the source material, my first suggestion would always be look at the character. Who is talking and why? What important event is happening to them? If you're looking at a novel as your source material ask yourself if the character is theatrical. Can you see the character in your mind? Are they vivid, interesting and specific, or are they simply speaking. That's an important distinction. If they're just speaking and not engaging it'll be hard for you to play them.

Secondly, look at the story. Is there a beginning, middle and end? What's the story of the monologue? The more specific the story, the more specific the monologue.

Exercise for Character and Story

Examine the character (or characters) and story in your monologue.

1. Write out a point form list of the character's journey within the monologue.
2. Read the entire play, novel or other source material. Write a point form list of character details that exist outside the world of the monologue.
3. To flesh out the character, complete a character profile.
4. Write out in point form the beginning action, the middle action and the end action for the story.
5. Write out the story in paragraph form. It should be as interesting in paragraph form as it is in monologue form.

The Flying Bandit

Craig Mason, my Theatrefolk partner in crime, has just finished a run of THE FLYING BANDIT. The play is a one man tour de force: two hours and over 25 characters. I talked to him about what it's like to perform the long form monologue.

Craig, for our readers, please describe THE FLYING BANDIT.

The Flying Bandit was a gentleman bank robber by the name of Ken Leishman. A real guy, from Winnipeg, Canada. He had quite an eccentric life of crime, and was exceedingly charming at the same time. He's a fun character to play!

Yes, the play is based on a true story. I happened to read a book about him and knew right away that I wanted to write a play about him for you. I knew that the play was going to be one person/multi-character. Were you ever worried you might not be able to do it?

Yes! Especially this last run because the play was so long. I wondered if I was going to be able to handle it. Now I've exceeded my own expectations and I don't want to say the show was easy at the end, but it was a lot of fun. It's certainly the biggest acting challenge I've ever had. It's made me enjoy theatre.

You've performed a single character long form monologue and a multi-character. Which do you prefer?

They both have their ups and downs. I like single character because you really get to the meat of a person. I like multi-character because it's such a great challenge to be playing three or four people in one conversation!

What's it like to perform all alone for two hours?

It can be very scary. Particularly in the early part of the run and there were sections I wasn't 100% confident in. There's no one else on stage to trust! But now I'm much more comfortable and I don't have those fears. Sometimes it's pretty lonely but then you make the audience your scene partner.

A typical question actors get asked is, 'How do you remember all those lines?' In a show like this though I want to know what happens if you DON'T remember?

You'll always get yourself in trouble if you think of it as simply memorizing the lines. It's not the words that are important. It's the journey. The words are the access to that journey. Also, if I can be really pretentious, Hamlet said it best - you have to suit the action to the word and the word to the action. I'm always thinking about the action that I'm doing with the words. If I forget the words sometimes it's the action that helps me remember.

What's your process for coming up with different characters?

I come up with an action, a voice, and a height. You start with that framework. I give everyone one specific thing that they do, decide what their height is, give them a voice. Then through the rehearsal process the rest of the character evolves. You want each character in a scene to be different, and still stay true to the character.

We've photos of two of your characters: Ken Leishman, and a bank manager, Mr. Lloyd. Talk about how you developed the characteristics for these two.

Well, Ken has a moustache. So he's always twitching his lip or fiddling with his moustache. He was also a very tall man, so he's always the tallest person in the scene. In terms of his voice, he was a gentleman, well liked by everyone. So his voice is gentle, smooth, and respectful.

Mr. Lloyd is the exact opposite of Ken. Very short, short legs, very hyper-tense. Ken's face is relaxed, Mr. Lloyd's is tight. He's a very tense guy so his voice is pitched as if he's being pinched in the throat.

How important is it to have these specific characteristics for performance?

It's the essence of the show. My job as an actor is to communicate the story. That's always the actor's job. And the only way for me to communicate a story to an audience when I'm playing all these people is to be absolutely clear in my mind who the characters are, so I can make it clear for the audience.

Words of advice for anyone out there performing a multi-character long form monologue?

Don't think of it as a monologue. Think of it as a story. Do character drills before each performance. Warm up well so you don't hurt your voice. REST when you're not performing. And have fun!

Multi-Character Monologues

When we watch a play, costume and make-up often play a large part in character recognition. They help give the audience an instant clue as to what that character is like.

In THE FLYING BANDIT there were no costume or make up changes to show the different characters. There wasn't time for Craig to change costume in the middle of a conversation! It was all done with physical characteristics and vocal tone. It's not as hard as it sounds! The process involves creating a series of very specific details for each and every character. Then it's important to return to those details every time the character speaks. That's how the audience will recognize them.

Here are the Top Five Strive-For Suggestions for creating a variety of specific characters in a multi-character monologue.

1. Posture: How does each character stand? Ramrod straight back? Slouched? Shoulders up around the ears? Tense? Very relaxed? Are they proud? Embarrassed? Focus on how the character holds themselves.
2. Pace: Fast walk? Slow stroll? A sideways scuttle? With a skip, hop or a jump? Do they shuffle their feet or pick their knees up in a high march?
3. Face: Do they wrinkle the nose? Squint the eyes? Purse the lips? Do they have a wide happy smile, or a grimace? Make sure the physical characterization includes the face. That way, if you're doing a fast conversation between two characters, you may only have to move from one facial expression to the next to differentiate.
4. Voice: Every character should have a specific voice. Is their tone high, middle or low? Do they speak fast or slow? You don't want to put on a 'fake' voice or a stereotype, but voice is an excellent way to identify between characters.
5. Signature Gesture or Sound: If you're doing a number of different characters a great marker for you and the audience is to give your character a re-appearing gesture or sound. In THE FLYING BANDIT Craig played a mother who was always cutting vegetables. To make the noise of the knife on the cutting board, he hit his wedding ring on a table. The mother also often made a disapproving clucking noise. Every time the audience heard the noise, they connected it to the mother. Another character had a gruff laugh.

Long Form Exercise

I think every student should perform and write their own long form monologue. It's a specific genre that will definitely sharpen your skills. Here is a two part class exercise in performing and writing a long form monologue:

PART ONE

1. Have two actors read the attached scene from THE FLYING BANDIT. Get it here.
2. Lead a discussion on the differences in the two characters. What are their physical and vocal differences?
3. Tell the class that the scene comes from a one person show called THE FLYING BANDIT where one actor played the two roles, and in fact all the roles in the play. Discuss the challenges with one actor playing multiple roles. Show students pictures of the actor playing the two characters (from interview above)
4. Have the two actors read the scene together, each try a section of the scene where they perform both parts. Try it a number of different ways:
   • Focus on a specific physical action for each character (e.g. Ken is confident and smooth: he sits with a straight back and a confident smile on his face. Mr. Lloyd is very nervous: he hunches over and scrunches his face up - think rat)
   • Focus on a specific vocal tone for each character. How does each character sound?
   • Focus on the transitions: How does the actor physically move from one character to the next and back again? Is one character looking left and the other looking right? If one character is making a gesture how do you change it to work for the second character?
5. Have students choose another two person, one page dialogue with two very different characters. Their job is to perform the conversation, showing clear differences between the two characters. Have students work in pairs so that someone is watching and listening the physical, the vocal and the transitions.
6. Each student performs for the class.

PART TWO

Students write their own multi-character monologues.

1. Tell the class that they are going to write their own multi-character monologue.
2. The monologue is to be one page long between two characters.
3. Have students decide who the two characters are first and write out a character profile for them.
4. Students write out the conversation. See the multi-character hints page in this newsletter.
5. Just as above, students come up with specific physical actions for each character and a specific vocal tone. They should have a clear idea how they will transition between each character.
6. Students work in pairs to show someone their work before presenting it to the class.
7. Each student performs for the class.

Writing Your Own Long Form Monologue

A Top Five List for Writing Long Form

1. Write about something that means something to you. Whether it's a personal story, a historical biography, a poetic theme. It's a lot easier to write in one voice if you feel strongly about it.
2. Character and Story. Know them. Love them. Know them some more. It's essential for you to have a clear picture of the journey your character or characters take. When you're working with just one voice you must have a concrete grasp of the material so you can use that voice efficiently and effectively.
3. Make it dramatic. Even monologues need action and variety. Certainly you have a harder road to hoe when there's only one actor and one voice but it can be done. Create action in your storytelling. Create emotional change. Vary the rhythm of the voice.
4. Make it theatrical. Again, it's not easy. Do you have a set to play with? What about music and lighting? Use the tools of the theatre to work the imagination of the audience. Create vivid images with your words. Take simple set pieces and make them multi-functional. A chair becomes a ladder, a jail cell, a mountain, a machine gun. That's theatre! Theatrical does not mean high tech.
5. Answer the question: Why is this character talking aloud? Who are they talking to and why? It's an important question to ask - otherwise your actor will end up rambling vaguely to themselves. The more specific your reason, the more specific your play will be.

Resources

A list of resources on performing and writing long form monologues.

• The Power of One: The Solo Play for Playwrights, Actors, and Directors
  By Louis Catron
  On Amazon.com
• Your Name Here: An Actor and Writer's Guide to Solo Performance
  By Susan Merson
  On Amazon.com
• Creating Your Own Monologue
  By Glen Alterman
  On Amazon.com
• Getting Your Solo Act Together
  By Michael Kearns
  On Amazon.com
• Extreme Exposure: An Anthology of Solo Performance Texts from the Twentieth Century
  By Jo Bonney
  On Amazon.com
• Acting Solo: The Art of One Man Shows
  By Jordan Young
  On Amazon.com

Ringtones

Theatrefolk is going multi-media! Haven't you always wanted your favourite Shakespeare quote as your ring tone? Are you in a Theatrefolk play and want a quote to play when your fellow castmates call? Check out www.literaryringtones.com for more info!

Mrs. Merritt's Big Book of Holiday Skits

We're proud to be connected to this project. Especially for elementary schools, this book is bursting with plays, scenes, skits, sketches and poems for holidays throughout the year. See www.mrsmerritt.com for details.

What's new!

Have you checked out our website lately? Stay tuned, we're unveiling a completely new look at the beginning of September.

AND Theatrefolk has a NEW HOME! Make sure you change any address information for us to:

Theatrefolk
PO Box 1064
Crystal Beach, ON L0S 1B0
Phone: 1-866-245-9138
Fax 1-877-245-9130

Conference Alert

Here's our upcoming conference schedule. If you're attending, please drop by and say hi!

Stay in Touch

Future issues will be guided by your suggestions. Email stories, tips, suggestions, and questions to us. This newsletter belongs to you!

Some of our playwrights post to the Theatrefolk Blog. Check it out for insights into what's happening with Theatrefolk.