1
Monologue Script Breakdown
STEP 1: Read through your monologue, and the play it is from if at all possible. Underline
any unfamiliar words, or references as you read.
STEP 2. Consider the questions below, and provide short written responses to the
following questions.
*** Please include references from the script to support your choices.***
1. What is happening in your scene and why?
2. What are the given circumstances of the scene? Geographic location? Time period?
Political/ Religious/ Social/ Economic Climate?
3. What is the previous action of your scene? What happened before the scene began that is
important to the action in this scene?
4. What is different at the end of your scene from the beginning?
5. What is the status of the characters in the scene?
6. Describe your character. Who are you? What is your life like offstage? What is important
to you?
STEP 3. Break down your scene into beats, or emotional shifts, by drawing a line across
your page where the beat changes.
HINT: A new beat begins any time there is a shift in the subject, action, emotion, objective
or tactic for one or more of the characters in your scene.
Subject = what your characters are talking about
Action = what your characters are doing
Emotion = how your characters are feeling
Objective = what your characters want, or need from the other characters in the scene
Tactic = how your characters are trying to achieve their wants and needs
STEP 4. When you discover that a beat has ended, go back over that beat and:
1. Look-up every word and reference that is unfamiliar, or unclear until you know exactly
what you are saying. Make notes about meaning and pronunciation in the margins of your
script.
2. Discuss what clues you are given about your character’s emotional state based on the
language they use.
3. Determine what each character’s objective, or “want,” is for the beat and make a note of
it under the line that marks the beginning of beat unit.
*** REMEMBER *** Your “want” is what you want from (or to do to) the other characters
in this unit? Be as specific as possible, and make it measurable, ie) I want Romeo to tell me
he loves me. I need Paris to get out of my way. I want the Nurse to help me talk to my
daughter.
STEP 5. Read the beat again playing your objectives and, and using the new
understandings discovered during your research. Continuing until the next beat shift is
identified and repeat steps 3-5.
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SCRIPT/ CHARACTER ANALYSIS RUBRIC
Criteria
Depth of
script/
character
analysis
Attribute
Depth
EXCELLENT
Analysis
contains
exceptional
detail and
provides
insightful
evidence from
the text to
support the
choices made
PROFICIENT
Analysis
contains detail
and provides
evidence from
the text to
support the
choices made
SATISFACTORY
Analysis
contains little
detail and
provides vague
evidence from
the text to
support the
choices made
LIMITED
Analysis contains
no detail and
provides no
evidence from the
text to support
the choices made
Script is
broken into
appropriate
units or
beats and
Objectives
are clearly
identified
for your
character
Specificity
Units are
marked
appropriately to
indicate subtle
and nuanced
emotional shifts
Units are
marked
appropriately to
indicate
emotional shifts
Units are
marked to
indicate some
emotional shifts
Units are seldom
marked to
indicate
emotional shifts
General needs
and wants are
identified for
your character
Rarely are needs
and wants are
identified for your
character
Meaningful and
specific needs
and wants are
identified for
your character
Appropriate
needs and wants
are identified for
your character