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Are you starting out on your acting journey? Are you looking for material to help you kick this whole thing off? Then you\u2019ve come to the right place: a page full of beginner scripts tailor-written by the StageMilk team for this very purpose. Get amongst it!<\/p>\n
This page contains a selection of free, original beginner scripts for actors: simple, short monologues perfect for actors finding their feet. These beginner scripts are written to be suitable for scene study, classes, and self-tape practice; each script comes with a breakdown of plot, genre and some notes to prompt interpretation.<\/strong><\/p>\n Beneath the included scripts, we have also added a few helpful tools for tackling material at a foundational level\u2014as well as a list of our other free script resources. Each of the topics we touch upon has their own dedicated article here on StageMilk, but you can start and stop on this page for now. There\u2019s always time to dive deeper down the way.<\/p>\n Hello! My name is Alexander Lee-Rekers; I\u2019m a professional playwright and screenwriter. I hereby give my permission for you to use the scenes on this page for personal practice, as well as showreels and auditions. All I ask is that you credit my work and where you found it\u2014especially if you post it on social media. (If you\u2019re feeling brave, you can tag me and StageMilk via @alexnobodyfamous and @stagemilkacting so we can see what you do with it.) <\/span><\/em>Other than that: have fun, make bold choices and give \u2019em a go!<\/em><\/p>\n These scripts utilise our in-house formatting, more akin to playscripts than screenplays. Each script contains a few \u2018performance notes\u2019 that act as provocations for how you might tackle and interpret the material. But these are guidelines, not rules. Skip \u2019em if you wish.<\/p>\n One last thing: in an educational context, there is nothing wrong with bending the age or gender of characters as written. Don\u2019t scroll past a scene because the identity of the character doesn\u2019t directly align with your own. Have a read and see what you click with; you can always switch up names and pronouns to your heart\u2019s content.<\/p>\n Genre:<\/strong> Comedy Performance Notes:<\/strong><\/p>\n Genre:<\/strong> Drama\/Comedy Performance Notes:<\/p>\n Performance Notes:<\/b> Genre:<\/strong> Drama Performance Notes:<\/b> Genre: <\/strong>Drama\/Romance Performance Notes:<\/strong><\/p>\n Genre: <\/strong>Drama Performance Notes:<\/strong><\/p>\n With any luck, you\u2019ve picked a script that suits you and you\u2019re ready to dive in<\/p>\n Your character\u2019s objective<\/strong><\/a> is what they want from their scene partner before the scene ends. It\u2019s the reason they\u2019ve shown up, the reason they\u2019re still there, sometimes the reason they\u2019re talking to somebody they truly despise. In any acting you do\u2014big or small, stage or screen, monologue or scene\u2014the objective is everything. It\u2019s what drives your character to do absolutely everything that happens in the script. So work it out first, make it clear and use it to guide all of your choices.<\/p>\n If objectives are what<\/span> you want, actions<\/strong><\/a> are the tactics your character employs to achieve that goal: the all-important\u00a0how.<\/span>\u00a0 Actions can be overwhelming as a concept for new actors, but with some practice you\u2019ll see why they are such effective tools. To start with, pick a verb you can apply to your dialogue that will inform its delivery: \u201cI demand<\/em> you\u201d, for example. Then refine the action to best suit the character and the situation. Tougher characters will pick tougher actions, kinder characters kinder actions, and so on.<\/p>\n Take some time to think about your character and how their personality and drive will affect the scene. You don\u2019t have to write an elaborate backstory<\/a>, just look at the clues within the piece<\/a> for some indicators as to how they might speak and act. Getting a good grasp of a character will also help you pick appropriate tactics for them in a scene, in line with their personality.<\/p>\n Finally, ground the world of the story with some work on the given circumstances<\/strong><\/a>. These are the foundational questions actors ask themselves: Who am I? Where am I? When is it? What do I want? Why do I want it? And how do I get what I want?\u00a0<\/strong>Use the answers to these questions to inform and modify your performance. Some are fairly straightforward\u2014note that \u201cwhat\u201d and \u201chow\u201d are your objective and actions which you\u2019ve considered already. But a lot can change when you place one of these monologues in a car in heavy traffic, ten minutes from an important job interview. Suddenly the stakes<\/a> are sky-high!<\/p>\n This is one of many pages on StageMilk offering free, original scripts. Take a look at our other offerings below:<\/p>\n We would particularly recommend A\/B Scenes for Actors<\/a> if you\u2019re looking for similarly easy and open-ended scenes to work on with another actor!<\/p>\nFrom the Writer:<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Beginner Scripts for Actors<\/strong><\/h2>\n
King Gumdrop<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Length:<\/strong> 1 min
Synopsis:<\/strong> Natalie talks her daughter-in-law through the particulars of minding her prized pet dog.<\/p>\n\n
Condolences<\/a><\/h3>\n
Length:<\/strong> 1 min
Synopsis:<\/strong> Ben has shown up at the door of his grieving neighbour Martha with a tray of food and the best comforting words he can muster.<\/p>\n\n
Lost Time<\/a><\/h3>\n
Length:<\/strong> 1 min
Synopsis:<\/strong> After a nerve-wracking commute, Gus quits his job in his boss\u2019s office.<\/span><\/p>\n\n
An Eye for Rare Birds<\/a><\/h3>\n
Synopsis: <\/strong>Bird watcher Ash speaks to a fellow enthusiast about the origin of her obsession.<\/p>\n\n
Blue Cardigan<\/a><\/h3>\n
Synopsis: <\/strong>Charlotte has shown up at the door of a young woman who, until recently, had been conducting an affair with her husband.<\/p>\n\n
Tips for Beginner Scripts<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Objective<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Actions and Tactics<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Character<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Given Circumstances<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Additional Script Resources<\/strong><\/h2>\n