Writing and Performing One-Minute Monologues for Acting or Drama Classes

DISTANCE LEARNING FRIENDLY. REVISED AUGUST 3RD 2019!

This three-week writing and performance high school level acting, drama, or theater classes asks students to write, rehearse, and perform original one-minute monologues. This unit breaks down the techniques of performing monologues and teaches students how to write effective pieces for themselves.

Learning how to perform monologues effectively is one of the most valuable tools students can learn from an acting teacher. Unfortunately, it isn't always easy or even possible to find a monologue that suits a beginning student. As a fifteen-year teaching veteran, I have found that students are more engaged and have more fun performing pieces they have written themselves than pieces they have found in books or on the internet. The unit takes about three weeks, and leads students through the writing process, from brainstorming original ideas for monologues to writing the final draft. It then takes them through the rehearsal process, where they learn to rehearse effectively and then perform to the best of their ability. The unit includes student handouts, links to helpful videos, a rehearsal checklist for students to help maximize their rehearsal time, a performance evaluation rubric, and a peer evaluation form.