The term ‘sides’ refers to the pages or selections from a script that actors are given to learn for an audition. ‘Sides’ has become the industry standard term instead of ‘scenes’ – this is because often an actor will be given only part of a scene or scenes rather a full scene as audition material.
If you do not have a monologue prepared, please be ready to read from one of these selections.
SWEAT by Lynn Nottage
CYNTHIA (African American)
You know Brucie, he can be as smooth as satin.
Turn that shit on and off at the drop of a dime. Things were
going fine, then come Christmas Day, we’ve go this nice bottle
of Chablis. He’s looking dapper. I’m dressed for danger. We’re
laughing, chilling and having fun. And… we talk. I mean, talk.
It’s all good. We drink wine, we drink some more wine, then
we do what you do after you drink too much wine. Middle of
night I go downstairs. My Christmas presents under the tree
are gone AND my fish tank with my expensive new tropical
fish, gone. A week later, New Year’s Eve, I wake up. And this
fool’s digging in the refrigerator like he actually put something
there. High as a muthafucking kite. Says nothing. No apology.
Nada. I damn near lost my mind. Brucie was lucky I wasn’t
holding a gun, cuz right now he’d be in hell trying to
hustle the devil.
SWEAT by Lynn Nottage
CHRIS (African American)
I dunno. A couple minutes, and your whole life changes,
that’s it. It’s gone. Every day I think about what if I
hadn’t… You know… I run it and run it, a tape over and over
again. What if. What if. What if. All night. In my head. I can’t
turn it off. Reverend Duckett said, “Lean on God for forgiveness.
Lean on God to find your way through the terrible storm.” I’m
leaning in the wind, I’m fuckin’ leaning… And.
A moment
And then there’s Jason. Crossing Penn, you know, and I’m just
chilling, looking into the window of Sneaker Villa, not thinking
about anything. He sees me. I see him. Neither of us could… um,
move for a second. We…it was…I’ve been thinking about what I
would do in the moment. How I would react, what I would say. I
mean…fuck it. What he did was unforgivable…
This Is Our Youth By Kenneth Lonergan
JESSICA: 20’s
Well…OK…It’s just – This is getting a little weird now, because when I talked to Valerie, she asked me if anything happened with us last night, and for some reason, I guess I didn’t really tell her that anything did. So now she’s gonna talk to Dennis and I’m gonna look like a total liar to someone I’m just starting to be close friends with and who I really care about! But honestly, Warren? I really don’t care who you told, or what you told them, because people are gonna think whatever they think and you know what? There’s nothing I can do about it. I should just really listen to my instincts, you know? Because your instincts are never wrong. And it was totally against my instinct to come over here last night, and it was definitely against my instinct to sleep with you, but I did and it’s too late. And now my Mom is totally furious at me, I probably ruined my friendship with Valerie, and now like Dennis thinks I’m like easy pickings or something! And it’s not like I even care what he thinks, OK? Because I don’t actually know him. Or you. Or Valerie for that matter! So it really doesn’t matter! I’ve made new friends before and I can make more new friends now if I have to. So let’s forget the whole thing ever happened, you can chalk one up in your book, or whatever – and I’ll just know better next time! Hopefully. OK?
This is Our Youth By Kenneth Lonergan
WARREN: 19 yrs
I don’t really get what you’re upset about. I thought we had a really good time together and I was actually in a fairly Up state of mind for once.
Well, I didn’t mean that in any kind of lascivious way, so I don’t know why you want to take it like that. I really like you.
I’m sorry I said anything to Dennis. I definitely caved in to the peer pressure. But I also definitely said as little as possible and was totally respectful of you in the way I talked about you. Even though I was pretty excited about what happened last night, and also about like, maybe like, the prospect of like, I don’t know, like going out with you – Which I would be very into, if you were. But if you want to think the whole meant nothing to me, then go ahead because that’s not the case.
It’s totally weird, like, taking all your clothes off and having sex with someone you barely know, and then being like “What’s up now?” You know? Like it’s such an intense experience but then nobody knows what to fuckin’ say, even though nothing really bad actually happened. You know?
I really like you… I don’t really agree with most of your opinions…but I don’t meet a lot of people who can actually make me think, you know? And who can hold their own in an interesting discussion. And who I’m totally hot for at the same time. You know?
It’s a fairly effective combination.
THE IMAGINARY INVALID by Moliere adapted by David Mackay
ANGEL (Gender fluid, late teens)
I was a block away from home,
and I thought, they’re never ever never going to text me.
They said they would before I got home,
but here I am one block away! And then I realized,
what with being kissed and falling in love with my soulmate,
time meant nothing, and I’d walked home really quickly.
So I went around the block one more time
thinking that would be the normal time
it would have taken me to get home.
And just when I felt a wave of unhappiness,
and thought, “what if they don’t”— Bing!
Before I could finish my thought,
they knew the exact amount of
text-waiting-torture my tender heart could withstand,
and I look down at my screen, and in words,
“Seriously” comma – well educated—
“can’t stop thinking about you.”
And I knew not to respond too gushingly back,
because I’ve listened to enough Olivia Rodrigo
to know where this can go,
so I sang Happy Birthday twice and then texted back,
“Seriously”- question mark.” I was being coy.
I think I’m quite good at coy.
THE IMAGINARY INVALID by Moliere adapted by David Mackay
ARGAN: (Gender fluid, always complaining they’re sick)
Last night, I slept like a baby.
I woke up screaming and I may have wet the bed.
I’m not well, everything hurts. And if it doesn’t hurt,
Then it’s probably stopped working
and I can’t afford to revive it.
This time of day is when I’m in the most pain.
When I go through my medical bills.
“But you can’t put a price on your health.”
Isn’t that what they always say? Drinking their kale shake,
Riding their Peloton while some sadistic bastard
Screams at them to go faster.
You know what it means to me when they say,
“You can’t put a price on health.” It means
Big pharma can’t put a fixed price on drugs.
Every time I renew my prescriptions, the price goes up.
And it’s not just big pharma, it’s alternative medicine as well.
My Naturopath – what she charges me
More like a psychopath. Namaste, my ass!
Speaking of that…