Staging and Rehearsing Your Monologues

Spring is on its way, so let’s dive into staging and rehearsing your amazing monologues!

Staging

First, consider where you want to place your character in the space. Think about their movements, the position of any other characters, and how they interact with their environment. Your Five W’s will guide you in establishing your character’s location, which you want to reflect as accurately as possible.

Areas of the Stage:

• Centre Stage

• Stage Left

• Stage Right

• Upstage

• Downstage

• Upstage Left

• Upstage Right

• Downstage Left

• Downstage Right

Things to Consider:

• Does your character start standing or sitting?

• Will they need to change positions during the piece?

• Should they remain still, or do they need to move around frequently?

Once you have a rough idea of your character’s movements, you can begin rehearsing, focusing on their emotions and physicality. There are many options to explore, so don’t get too attached to just one way of staging. Experimenting with different approaches can lead to exciting discoveries, making your performance more engaging. Sometimes, contrasting your initial idea with a completely different interpretation can yield fascinating results.

Self-Taping: If you’re staging a monologue for a self-tape, ensure you frame yourself correctly and remain in shot throughout.

Rehearsal

With a staging plan in place, you can start rehearsing the emotional and physical aspects of your monologue within the blocking. The best way to rehearse is by focusing on the chunks you identified during your analysis. Work on each section individually, paying attention to:

• Posture

• Facial expression

• Projection

• Gesture

• Interaction with other characters (if applicable)

It’s advisable to concentrate on one element at a time to avoid feeling overwhelmed. As you build confidence in each aspect, start incorporating reactions to the other character or, if alone, pursue your objective.

Once you feel comfortable with each section, begin piecing the chunks together sequentially—first the first and second, then the third and fourth, and so on.

Important Note: Avoid doing full run-throughs until you’ve rehearsed each chunk multiple times. This approach allows you to focus on the character’s actions and emotions in each section before bringing everything together.

To Recap:

• Start rehearsing and staging your piece.

• Rehearse in sections.

• Consider your character's physical characterisation.

• Reflect on your character’s journey to the climax.

• Identify your character’s objective in the scene.

• Observe how the other character reacts (if applicable).

• Determine staging that enhances your piece’s visual impact.

• Piece the sections together.

Finally, film your performance for feedback. Review the footage, seek direction from a coach, or ask a friend for constructive criticism until you feel ready to perform.

Feel free to reach out if you try this method or if you have any questions! You can find me @maddentheatrearts or alternatively book a free 30minute call with me to discuss whether our coaching could be right for you calendly.com/maddentheatrearts

Join me next month as we explore how to tackle and prepare classical texts.

Have a marvellous March!

Savanna x