Q: If there is an audition, and I am asked to bring a monologue or dialogue, something I did not write, what do I bring and where can I find it? Should it be from a movie or a commercial? Do I write it from listening to a show.... where do I get this script?
A: The script you should bring to your audition can vary greatly depending on what kind of audition you're going to. If you're trying out for the lead role in a sitcom it's probably a bad idea to show up with a serious Shakespearean monologue. Likewise, you shouldn't show up to an audition for King Lear with a script from an episode of Friends.
That might seem obvious, but you might be surprised how many people put themselves out of the running by going to open calls and auditions with inappropriate material for their monologues. You wouldn't go to an American Idol audition and sing classical opera, would you? Having the wrong monologue at an audition can be just as out of place.
Do as much research as you can before you go to an audition. If you're busy and have a lot of potential auditions, this could seem like more effort than it's worth. Casting directors will only cast people who seem excited and committed from the second they walk in. If you're auditioning for a serious onstage drama, pick a monologue that matches that tone, and try to find a character as close as possible to the one your auditioning for. If you have time, and it's available, you should read the entire play beforehand, even if you don't use it for the audition.
Many casting calls will have very specific guidelines for monologues and other audition materials, and you should follow them closely. Many auditions will have specific monologues to read, and will either make them available before hand or give them to you when you arrive for a cold reading. In these cases you don't need to worry about bringing your own material unless the casting directors request more after your initial audition. Commercial auditions almost always give you a short page of dialogue to read before or at the audition, and movie auditions usually audition you with dialogue from the film's script or a similar movie script that they choose.
In cases where there are no specific guidelines or provided material for a casting call, it's up to you to pick the right monologue. Most professional actors will have a set of monologues ready to go at any time, spanning different genres. The acting world is hectic, and having four or five monologues polished and memorized at any given time will give you a maximum amount of flexibility. Find material you really like and feel an emotional connection to, and add it to your audition repertoire.
You can find audition monologues in a variety of places. You can get preselected monologues from an acting class or coach, or you can dig up your own material from any play that fits the bill. It's better to use monologues from plays that are well-known but not to the point of being cliché. At this point, casting directors probably aren't interested in seeing your rendition of Blanche from A Streetcar Named Desire. You can also buy acting books with a selection of tested and reliable audition pieces from a variety of dramas, or find a piece by searching online.
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