Monologues for Young Adults is an original collection of family-friendly, gender-neutral, stage and screen scripts to help young, up-and-coming actors nail their college drama program auditions and professional performances. Full voting member of the National Television Academy and longtime NBC Tonight Show with Jay Leno sketch comedy performer Mike Kimmel has been writing, acting, and producing for decades. He brings practical, real world experience from the Hollywood and New York trenches to the challenge of monologue auditions.

With relatable, real-world topics applicable to young adults in their twenties and thirties, these scenes require no costumes or props, and discuss ethical questions ideal for deep thinkers to explore. If you like fresh content, optimistic spins, and challenging ideas, you'll love this definitive new resource.

Table of Contents

Praise for Monologues for Young Adults v

Foreword by Valerie Marsch xix

Acknowledgments xxiii

Introduction xxv

No Competition 1

The Morning Sun 2

Get Past Your Past 3

Every Distraction Gives Me Traction 4

Moving Forward 5

Someday Isle 6

Other People's Drama 7

The Latest Version 8

I Agree 9

The Fine Art of Complaining 10

Self-Fulfilling Prophesy 11

Birds in My Head 12

A Unique Investment Opportunity 14

Junior Year Abroad 16

Semper Gumby 17

Selective Amnesia 18

I Remember Who I Am 19

Rock Star Parking 20

Who Will You Believe? 22

The Flip Side 23

The Other Side of Frazzled 24

Quirks and Eccentricities 25

Have We Met? 26

The Further Down the Road 27

Winter Weight 28

The Biggest Problem 30

I Like Your Mask 32

What You Tolerate 34

My Significant Other 35

The Fault Lies Not in Our Stars 36

Start Where You Stand 37

Choose Pineapple Juice 38

Albert and Marilyn 40

Time and Money 42

Changing, Evolving, and Redirecting 44

One Day or Day One? 45

First Day of the Rest of Your Life 46

Older Than You Think 47

The Wealthiest Places 48

Time Has No Meaning 50

People May Laugh at You 51

A Transactional Process 52

The Difference We Can't See 54

Early Riser 56

Accept and Except 58

The Part That's Not Good 60

The Way Back 62

The More You Know 63

Your Gifts and Talents 64

The Low-Hanging Fruit 66

Hopes, Dreams, and Aspirations 68

The Way of the World 70

Big Plans 72

The Steroid Question 74

Change Your Hat 76

A New Old Friend 78

Time Wounds All Heels 80

The Nicest Man I Ever Knew 82

He Was Gorgeous 84

Post-Pandemic Pleasures 86

Afterword: Two Suggestions on Performance 89

A Request 93

Recommended Reading 94

Performing Arts Books by Mike Kimmel 97

About Valerie Marsch 98

About Mike Kimmel 100