Writing in role (Donnie from "Wasted Talent")

Dear Diary,
Today, he did it. You know who. I don't need to say his name. I got the call from his music producer. He was found by him in the studio in the morning. He thinks it's his fault for letting him stay there late at night when he normally goes straight home. I can't believe that he could think that. He performed it himself. I want just to hear him play again. He was an amazing guitar player and an even better friend. I miss him dearly and 'll never get to see him again. I just want to see his face one last time so I can say goodbye to him. Why didn't I get a chance to?

Changing my contemporary monologue

I decided that I would change my contemporary monologue because I felt like that the character of Christopher would be too hard to do as an audition piece and would require a lot of research that I wouldn't be able to do in enough time like they can if they are playing the character on the stage in a production.

I have changed my monologue to a play called "Wasted talent" by Josef Arnone.

This is my new monologue:
"He stopped believing, that’s it, that’s why he failed…he quit. So much talent, so much potential but he stopped believing in himself…he lost his way cause he couldn’t figure out what to do next with his career and I guess all the stress added up and finally broke him…his music was great…I would listen to it all the time…it would get me into a pumped up emotional state and his lyrics never got old…no one gave him a chance but I think that in today’s world that doesn’t matter; he didn’t give himself the chance to take control of his career the way I knew he could have. Maybe it was fear from doubting himself and it crippled his ambition. He did it for so long with no financial gain, no recognition for his genius and he couldn’t do it no more…he gave up and that’s why he hung himself in his studio; he couldn’t do it anymore.I will miss him very much, he was a dear friend and a talented artist and the world has been robbed of his contribution to humanity. It hurts. It’s sad. It didn’t have to happen this way."

Character Profiles

Curious Incident
Name: Christopher Boone
Age: 15
Gender: Male
Special needs: Yes-Autism
Location: London
Notes:
Christopher lives in London and has just found out that his neighbors dog has just been killed. After he gets accused of killing the dog, Christopher decides that he will find out who actually killed him. Christopher generally listens to what he is told takes everything literally and struggles with things like metaphors because he is autistic. He doesn't listen to people when he is passionate about something that he wants to do and feels like it is right to him even if it means it may not be completely right and fits in for everyone else. He has a close relationship with his dad even though this trust is broken in then play but it is resolved by the end of the play. He also finds out that his mun is alive and creates a close relationship with her even though their previous relationship wasn't very good. He doesn't really have any friends apart from his teacher Siobhan and his neighbor Mrs Alexandra which he says isn't a friend.


Shakespeare-As you like it
Name: Jaques
Age: Young man (20-30)
Gender: Male
Location: England 1600
Notes:
A faithful lord who accompanies Duke Senior into exile in the Forest of Ardenne. Jaques is an example of a stock figure in Elizabethan comedy, the man possessed of a hopelessly melancholy disposition. Much like a referee in a football game, he stands on the sidelines, watching and judging the actions of the other characters without ever fully participating. Given his inability to participate in life, it is fitting that Jaques alone refuses to follow Duke Senior and the other courtiers back to court, and instead resolves to assume a solitary and contemplative life in a monastery.

Curious Incident monologue speech

Father planted a vegetable patch in the garden (.) I helped and Sandy watched. We planted carrots, peas and spinach and I’m going to pick them when they’re ready (.) He also bought me a book called further maths for A-level, he told Mrs Gascoyne I’m going to take it and she said ok (.) I’m going to pass it and get an A* and then in two years I’ll take A-level physics and I’ll pass it and get an A* in that (.) And they I’ll go to University (1.0) I’ll take Sandy and my books and my computer (.) I’ll get a flat with a garden (2.0) and a toilet (.) And then I’ll get a first class honour’s degree (.) And then I’ll be a Scientist (3.0) I can do these things (1.0) because I went to London on my own (.) I found out the mystery of who killed Wellington and I found my mother (1.0) I was brave (.) And I wrote a book (.) Does that mean I can do anything? (.) Does that mean I can do anything Siobhan? (2.0)Does that mean I can do anything?

Curious Incident monologue

This is the monologue that I will be using for my modern piece for Mountview:

Father planted a vegetable patch in the garden. I helped and Sandy watched. We planted carrots, peas and spinach and I’m going to pick them when they’re ready. He also bought me a book called further maths for A-level, he told Mrs Gascoyne I’m going to take it and she said ok. I’m going to pass it and get an A*. And then in two years, I’ll take A-level physics and I’ll pass it and get an A* in that. And they I’ll go to University. I’ll take Sandy and my books and my computer. I’ll get a flat with a garden and a toilet. And then I’ll get a first class honour’s degree. And then I’ll be a Scientist. I can do these things. Because I went to London on my own. I found out the mystery of who killed Wellington and I found my mother. I was brave. And I wrote a book. Does that mean I can do anything? Does that mean I can do anything Siobhan? Does that mean I can do anything?

Choice of monologues

These monologues are the ones that I have chose:

Curious Incident
I chose this for my modern monologue because I think that the charecter is close to my age and I know what it's like to be a 15 year old boy. He is also the same gender making me more realistic and I know how to be more like a boy than a girl. It also will show that I am versatile actor as Christopher is autistic and none of my other monologues are spoken by a charecter who is autistic showing a range of skills. Also, I am familiar with this play as I have performed in it before, have seen it live and have watched a filmed version a couple of times.

Wasted talent

I have chose this emotional because it is quite emotional towards a friend. I feel like emotional is one of my strengths. The fact that he is also the same gender makes it more realistic and the charecter is a teenager which is around my age which also makes it look much more realistic. This contrasts with my other modern monologue which is much more passionate and is a totally different charecter.

Romeo and Juliet

I chose this for my classical monologue because I think that the charecter is close to my age and I know what it's like to be a teenager. He is also the same gender making me more realistic as I know how to be more like a boy than a girl. It also will show that I am versatile actor as Christopher is autistic and Romeo has no learning difficulties showing a complete contrast of charecters. Also they are done in different times aswell meaning different language being used aswell. Also, I am familiar with this play as I have seen it doesn't ne before making me more familiar with his whole story and journey throughout the play.

Monologue shortlist

Romeo and Juliet
Although I wouldn't choose a classical monologue as it wouldn't really reflect to my personal experiences, both of my schools require one classical monologue so I chose to look at classical monologues aswell at modern monologues. I think that this monologue is ratable because it's about getting something that you can't get even though you're so desperate to get that one thing.
Duchess of Malfi
I chose this monologue because one of the schools asks for a different type of classical monologues. I thought that I would have two and choose one. I think this is relatable to me and it is engaging and a serious monologue and would be good if I put it with a comedy monologue .

Curious Incident
I think that this will be a good monologue because it will show a wide range of acting skills as he is autistic meaning that's it's different to all my other monologues and Christopher is 15 and I know what it is like to be a 15 year old. I have also seen this play done with multiple actors in this role making it easier to give me an idea on what I can do with the monologue

Wasted talent
I think that this is a good monologue for me to use because it's modern and the character is around my age meaning that I can relate to him. Also, I know how it is to lose somebody that you love and I know how the character would feel.

Single Crutch
I think that this monologue would be good for me as I know how annoying it is when somebody won't give me something. I can also show more than one emotion and I think that this monologue definitely tells more of a story than all of the other monologues that I have done.

Like dreaming, backwards
I think that this monologue would be good for me because the character in it shows a wide range of emotion and once again tells a story that you can build upon making the audience feel more engaged and connected with me.

Drama schools requirements

Mountview

Mountview recognises that talent cannot always be measured by conventional academic achievement and welcomes applications from people without standard entry qualifications. However, one of the following is desirable:

• Five GCSE passes, including two at A-Level
• Four SCE Higher Grade passes
• BTEC National or Higher National Certificate or Diploma with merit grades
• Foundation course

They ask applicants to use

• One classical monologue
• One modern monologue

LAMDA
LAMDA asks you to prepare:

• one monologue from an Elizabethan or Jacobean play; and
• one monologue from a play written in either the 20^th or 21^st Century, but not a piece written by you or by an unknown or little-known author.