The Monologue Database: By These Aren't My Shoes Productions

Contemporary Monologues: Female | Male
Classic/Period Monologues: Female | Male
Frequently Asked Questions | Sign Up for Our Mailing List

Where's the play I ordered?
I need a monologue for someone young / gay / crazy...
How can I tell if a monologue is from a "published" play?
What are the Terms of Use for these monologues?
Other Questions

I ordered a script from you. Where is it?

This is the question I get the most. When you order a script for instant download via PayLoadz, you should receive an e-mail with a download link within a few minutes. Make sure to check your Spam Folder!

The script will be sent to the e-mail address associated with your PayPal account. If you cannot access that e-mail address for some reason, you will need to let us know.

If your order is not an instant download from PayLoadz, it may take up to 12 hours before you receive an e-mail with the PDF attached.

If 24 hours have gone by, and you still haven't gotten your PDF, feel free to e-mail.


How do I find a monologue?

You can browse through the lists of monologues, reading the descriptions and quotes and clicking randomly on character names, until you find something you like and identify with. Or, you can search for a play's title, a playwright, or particular keywords (like "jealousy" "grief" "break-up" "comedic", "silly" or similar), using our site-specific Google Search:


If you are looking for a specific category of monologues, we have lists for that. Some of these monologues are available to read in full - click the name of the character. Others are not available online at this time, but you can click the title of the play to find it on Amazon.

Monologues for Young Women (Youngest to Oldest):

Monologues for Young Men (Youngest to Oldest):

Monologues About Sexual Orientation:

Monologues About Mental Illness:

Got a suggestion? Is there a category that you would like us to create? Send an e-mail.


Sell Your Digital Goods!
Sign up with E-Junkie and/or PayLoadz
to sell your files - ebooks, music, software, images, or any other download.

Which monologues are from "published" plays?

"Published" is open to interpretation. The following is from Wikipedia:

"Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of literature or information – the activity of making information available for public view. In some cases, authors may be their own publishers, meaning: originators and developers of content also provide media to deliver and display the content. Traditionally, the term refers to the distribution of printed works such as books (the "book trade") and newspapers. With the advent of digital information systems and the Internet, the scope of publishing has expanded to include electronic resources, such as the electronic versions of books and periodicals, as well as micropublishing, websites, blogs, video games and the like.
-- Wikipedia

Some plays in our database are available in bookstores and libraries. Some are available from online vendors and print-on-demand service providers. Some are only available by contacting the author. Some have been assigned an ISBN, and some have not. If a teacher, competition, or anyone else tells you that you must use a monologue from a "published" play, ask them to clarify.

Different publishers have different policies about what they consider fair use of work that falls under their copyright, and may restrict who can publish excerpts of their work - or who can perform those excerpts without permission. The Monologue Database recommends contacting the playwright or publisher who owns the monologue you wish to perform or otherwise use, to make sure that you are not violating any copyrights. One universal rule is that giving playwrights credit for their work is mandatory. You must always give credit to the writer of any work you use.

Where can I find a monologue from a well-known published play?

The first place to start is, if you've been in any plays before, you can start with those scripts. Why memorize a new monologue if you already have one prepared from an old role?

You can also go to your local library, find the theatre/drama section, and just look through scripts. They might have monologue anthologies you can check out, or you might just stumble across a great play.

If your library doesn't have much of a selection, you can always find a monologue anthology from a bookstore, or online. Some good ones are:

There are other monologue websites you can visit, particularly if you are looking for monologues in the public domain (Shakespeare, Moliere, Chekhov, etc.) or new monologues that may or may not be from plays:

Do you have a monologue site that you would like on this list? Let us know. Typically, we'll link to you if you'll link to us.

Here is a list of plays that have one or more excellent monologues:


What are the Terms of Use for Monologues on the Database?

All playwrights who have agreed to have their work included in our database have agreed to allow actors to use those monologue for auditions, classroom exercises, and most other non-commerical uses.

That said, some writers may place particular restrictions on their work. Whenever possible, those restrictions are listed on the same page as the monologue. If they are not, you may need to contact the playwright to make sure you have permission to use the monologue.

As for published plays, different publishers have different policies about what they consider fair use of work that falls under their copyright, and may restrict who can publish excerpts of their work - or who can perform those excerpts without permission. The Monologue Database recommends contacting the playwright and the publisher who owns the monologue you wish to perform or otherwise use, to make sure that you are not violating any copyright regulations.

One universal rule is that giving playwrights credit for their work is mandatory. You must always give credit to the writer of any monologue you use.

Monologues from plays sold and distributed by These Aren't My Shoes Productions, including plays by Kellie Powell, Josh Weckesser, and Joe Brofcak, are subject to the following terms of use:

You may perform a monologue or excerpt from a play distributed by These Aren't My Shoes Productions as long as you DO NOT receive money for the performance. Use of monologues for auditions, theatre courses, talent shows, open mics, competitions, etc. is authorized. Performers must state what play the monologue is from, and who wrote it. It is never acceptable to plagiarize, or pass off another person's writing as your own.

If you wish to perform a monologue, or any portion of a play distributed by These Aren't My Shoes Productions, commercially (meaning for money), you must first obtain permission from the playwright.

You may copy and repost the text of a monologue from the database to other sites which list monologues, or to personal blogs or websites, as long as you include the title of the play, the name of the playwright, and a link to: http://www.notmyshoes.net/monologues

If you make a video of yourself performing one of Kellie Powell's monologues, and post it online, you must provide the play title and name of the playwright in the description. Please also include a link to the Monologue Database, and please send a copy of the video, or the URL where it is posted, to the writer.

Revision: When an actor memorizes a monologue and performs it, they may forget a line, or rearrange some words. This is understandable and hard to avoid. If an actor wants to perform only a portion of a monologue, or wants to combine two monologues into one, this is also acceptable. However, substantial re-writing is not permitted. If you don't like a monologue enough to perform it as is, you should probably find a different one.

If you are a male and like a monologue written for a female, or vice versa, feel free to perform it. Age, gender, race, etc. should never get in the way. Feel free to change pronouns if you like. (The policy may be different for readings or productions.)

If you are interested in staging a production or a reading of a play, you must obtain a contract with the playwright. You can negotiate a fair price based on the size of your theatre group, the age of the participants, how many audience members are expected, and how much will be charged for admission.


How do I submit a monologue I wrote to the Database?

Submissions are currently not being accepted, due to back-log. We apologize for the inconvenience. We hope to resume accepting submissions soon.

How do I contact the webmaster?

Kellie Powell's e-mail address is: kellsbells@gmail.com


[ Top of Page ]