To Be or Not to Be: Advanced Monologue Coaching for Experienced Drama Students

This class will work with no more than 4 experienced high school theater students on their audition monologues.
 
Each student will prepare and perform two memorized monologues, no longer than 2-minutes each: one classical (such as Shakespeare), one contemporary.

Topics covered include:

•	Monologue selection
•	Appropriate attire
•	Introducing yourself
•	Acting
•	Transition between pieces
•	Conclusion
The class will be structured as a 60-minute, interactive experience for 4 consecutive weeks. 

I will teach by lecture, feedback, observing your monologues and responding with suggestions. My teaching style is enthusiastically interactive. Learners will get to interact and respond to their classmates but will not be providing feedback to one another. 

This is not an introductory level course. All participants must be serious high school theater students who have performed in at least one high school or community theater production. 

Please note: After the lecture component of each class, the balance of each class will be divided equally among learners to provide optimal individualized feedback on your monologues. 

Class by class breakdown:

Week 1: "The Introduction"

•	Dress for success: Students should be wearing attire they think would be appropriate for a professional or university audition. We will review appropriate attire and provide concrete guidelines for best practices.
•	Monologue selection: Each student should have a list of 2-3 classical and 2-3 contemporary monologues they wish to work on. Instructor will provide guidance and suggestions for selecting contrasting pieces that highlight students' strengths, evaluating the pros and cons of each piece.
•	The Introduction: each student will practice entering the space, greeting the audition facilitators, clearly and concisely introducing themselves and their pieces; feedback will be provided for each step of this deceptively simple process.
•	Assignment for next class: memorize your classical monologue and message the instructor a copy of your selected piece at least 48 hours in advance of class.

Week 2: "Your Classical Piece"

•	Each learner will perform their classical monologue. Each monologue is to be no more than 2 minutes each. 
•	Each learner will have a minimum of ten (10) full minutes of work and feedback on their specific acting presentation.
•	Learners will often learn the most by observing feedback and direction given to their peers. The balance of each class will afford this mode of learning.
•	Assignment for next class: apply all of the acting notes given on your classical monologue and incorporate them into next class's performance; memorize your contemporary monologue and message the instructor a copy of your selected piece at least 48 hours in advance of class.

Week 3: "Your Contemporary Piece"
•	Each learner will perform their classical monologue incorporating the acting notes given the previous class.
•	Transition: students will rehearse their transition between their classical and contemporary monologues, and begin their presentation of contemporary monologues.
•	Acting notes will be given on the contemporary monologues.
•	Assignment for next class: apply all of the acting notes given on your contemporary monologue and incorporate them into next class's performance; review your classical monologues, introduction, and transition. Be prepared with a backup piece in the even time allows additional work.

Week 4: "Putting it All Together"
•	Learners will deliver their complete audition with introduction, classical piece, transition, contemporary piece, and conclusion.
•	Learners will be dressed for success, in the attire they would wear to a professional or university audition.
•	Final acting notes and feedback will be provided for all components of each learner's audition.
•	Conclusion: final thoughts for the real world.