I have been practicing a couple of monologues for a few weeks now , preparing for when I get the nerve to audition an audition. Thank goodness I have been taking a class on this topic because I was able to get help choosing a monologue that suited me and I felt comfortable with. Funny enough neither of the characters are moms since I had been under the assumption that was pretty much the only thing I could relate to. I was also under the assumption that a true monologue had to be written by a “writer” someone who had studied writing, someone who was paid to write, someone with a summer home.

Then last night I’m at my second to last class and my acting coach says something to the extent of “ everyone has a monologue, every time we’re angry and start to talk it usually turns into a monologue” He then went on to describe how his own mom, when angry, would wash the dishes and start talking in essence delivering a monologue! This absolutely blew me away. Turn out I’m crazy when angry a monologue writer!

So let me set up the scene for you:

Character: LibertyDee – Caucasian, 40,  mother of three.

LibertyDee has just walked into the kitchen visibly upset. Her young teenage boys have been arguing all morning, and now are complaining because they have to help clean up. LibertyDee yells speaks to the boys from the kitchen.

“! FINE! I’ll just do it myself. Might as well, why should I expect any help around here? So what if I gave you life? So what if I feed you and clothe you and keep you entertained? So what? Well you know what? Never mind. (silence for a second) No. you know what the problem is? The problem is your spoiled. Spoiled, spoiled , spoiled. Oh and I know it’s my fault. I’ve given you way too much, I’ve tried to protect you, I tried to make you happy and what’s happened? I’ve created two spoiled little kids.

(fighting back tears) The way you disrespect each other! It’s terrible to listen to. You’re brothers for god sake! You should have each other’s back you should be inseparable but you know why you’re not? Because you’re spoiled. You’ve always had everything, a house, two loving parents, soccer, basketball, swimming, video games. Everything. You know why me and your Uncle Waldo are so close? Because we didn’t have any of that! NO ! we loved each other and played together and respected one another because each other is all we had. Grandma had to work hard and she was on her own but Uncle Waldo took care of me and I loved him for it because he was all I had. We lived in a mouse infested bachelor apartment for months, forget having to share a room, we had to share a bed! And we couldn’t even speak English. But never in the history of our relationship did we disrespect each other  the way you two do. Never. Spoiled, spoiled spoiled.

I saw an Amish family the other day. A mom and like seven kids. You know what they were doing? They were helping each other out? You know why? Because they don’t have an Xbox, or a cel. phone or an ipod! That does it we’re becoming Amish!”

And there you have it ladies and gentlemen, The Mom Monologue.