The Best Dramatic Monologues from Plays and Musicals
This list features a variety of strong dramatic monologues from plays and musicals spanning different time periods and character types. Each entry links to our monologue database so you can find out exactly where and how to access them.
Musical: Shenandoah
Length: 1 Minute
Description: A devastating monologue about war, memory, religion and loss. This is the type of monologue that earns silence after the final word. Best for intense adult actors who aren’t afraid to sit in real vulnerability.
Play: The Glass Menagerie
Length: 2 Minutes
Description: This one is a chance to let loose and go completely unhinged. It’s a monologue about a man with something boiling beneath the surface and by the time it comes to an end, there’s a sweet release.
Play: Thirst
Length: 1-2 Minutes
Description: A raw and hard to hear account of a ship’s crashing, this monologue is perfect for storytellers who are able to step outside of themselves in order to tell a great tale. It’s dramatic, scary, and reflective of human nature.
4. “Caption“
Musical: Fun Home
Length: 1 Minute
Description: A contemporary, family-centric monologue about a young woman and her relationship with her father. A great choice if you want to incorporate props while looking back on the past.
Play: Red
Length: 1 Minute
Description: A fierce and philosophical monologue for an actor ready to challenge every easy label we use to make life feel comfortable. Rothko’s contempt for words like “pretty,” and “fine” builds into a passionate demand for something messier and more honest.
Play: The Three Musketeers
Length: 1 Minute
Description: This is a dramatic monologue with a classic feel to it, with romance, tragedy, and storytelling at its heart. It ends on a simple yet mysterious line that leaves you wanting more.
Musical: A Chorus Line
Length: 1 Minute
Description: Maybe the most gentle of the dramatic monologues on the list, this one is at its core about relationships, performance, and the love or lack of love that goes into one’s work.
Musical: Footloose
Length: 1-2 Minutes
Description: A great monologue for someone who can believably play an authority figure and show both strength and vulnerability. This one touches on religion, music, and what it means to be truly good.
7. “Car Crash”
Play: Misery
Length: 1 Minute
Description: An intense monologue for a fiercely focused woman, centered on the aftermath of a car crash. This one is great for showing off high emotion, empathy, and storytelling ability.
7. “Just Men”
Play: All My Sons
Length: 1-2 Minutes
Description: A focused monologue about the effects of war and the meaning of life outside of it. It covers work, brotherhood, death and grief, perfect for someone who can display trauma onstage.
✦ To access the full master list of 60+ dramatic monologues from plays and musicals organized by length, join The Theatre Trip Archive on Patreon!
Author: Stacy Karyn
Stacy Karyn is the founder of Theatre Trip and the author of The Thespian’s Bucket List. She is also the creator of The Cast Album List. Her background includes a BA in Theatre, a TESOL Drama certificate, and professional experience in Broadway and Off-Broadway theaters.
