YOUTH PRODUCTION - TEEN PROJECT

3 DAYS OF THEATRE CREATING - SEPTEMBER 29th - OCTOBER 1st

We are thrilled to announce Byron Casting, in conjunction with Rhythm Academy, will be producing an original youth work for our local teens. This production will be a live theatre work, crafted by youth, and will collaborate with multiple medias including original music score, set design and script. The aim is to have a creative and performative platform for our local youth to collaborate and work alongside professionals, to engage in the creative process and to work towards a performing outcome.

So, what’s this all mean and what’s involved?

3 days of creative development, collaborating, script writing, designing, creating, formulating and producing an original theatre work that is based on a concept. On the night of the 3rd day, the work will be shared with an audience and filmed. We will basically jump in, make something wonderful, powerful and meaningful together and share it.

DETAILS

Dates & Times - Wednesday Sep 29th (3pm-8pm), Thursday Sep 30th (3pm-8pm), Friday Oct 1st (12pm-8pm including performance from 7pm)

Location - A&I Hall, Bangalow

Cost - $200

We are looking for local youth who are interested in acting, movement, music and design and who are willing to commit to the 3 days. You need to be at high school (12-18 years old), and willing to work collaboratively and intensively. To apply you need to send us a short 30 second video telling us who you are and why you want to be involved in something like this. Numbers will be limited. Video must be sent before Sep 24th.

Please send your short video to us at

hello@byroncasting.com.au

We love collecting monologues! Below are some of our favourites for youth.

TEEN MONOLOGUES

Female:

A Property of the Clan (Female)

Jade:
I play the song for you…every time I come. The paper said somebody nicked your flowers. People are really off. But they’re planting a tree for you at the front of the school tomorrow at lunchtime. But you probably know that now. I bet you know a lot of things now. I should have been there with you Trace. A few times that night I thought I might sneak out. I really wanted to. Mum was reading in her room and I was just watching TV, I could have just left it on, sneaked out, come and found you. But I didn’t. And I keep thinking, if I had, would it have been different?

The Same Old Clothes

Teen Girl: After class today, my favorite teacher, Ms. Childs asked me to stay in my seat when the bell rang. I knew exactly what she wanted. I had missed a whole week of school. Now, I have never really been the type to skip class. Except for this one time when me an Amber didn’t want to take Mr. Landry’s chemistry test. (Quietly giggles and looks around to see if anyone heard. She then sighs and takes on a more serious tone.) Well anyway, Ms. Childs did what any concerned teacher would do, I guess. So, when she asked me, I went on and told her the truth. I told her that my mother could not afford to wash our clothes last week ‘cause she didn’t have any money left after paying all the bills. Do you actually think that I would come to school wearing the same old dirty clothes? (Tugs on collar or sleeve of shirt) I’m in high school. Would you do it? (Points to audience) Just ask yourself that question! After I explained myself, the teacher seemed to feel sorry for me. She didn’t even lecture me or anything! She didn’t even say that she was going to call my mother! She gave me a pass this time. (Looking relieved) Now don’t go thinking that I don’t like school or that I am dumb. ‘Cause I do and I am not! I just don’t like to come to school when my clothes are dirty. But it looks like I’ll be missing school from time to time.

A License to Date

COMEDIC — Jordan has asked April to go out with him to the movies. She is so excited. The only problem is that they need a ride. Here, she tries desperately to get her sister to agree to drive them.

April: Guess what?! Jordan asked me out! (She squeals.) I’m so psyched! We’re gonna go to the movies tomorrow. There’s just one thing. His brother can’t drive us cause he has a date. So, I was wondering… (Beat.) Oh, c’mon Lin- da! I’ve been waiting for Jordan to ask me out for like my whole life. (Beat.) Okay, so three weeks — but it feels like my whole life! All we need is a ride. (She lifts her hands like paws and pants like a dog. Beat.) Oh, I already did. Mom can’t take us cause she has her Pottery & Emotions class. Please? I’ll do your chores tomorrow? (Beat.) All week?! What do I look like, Cinderella? Then I guess that makes you my ugly stepsister. Kidding — I’m kidding! Okay, I’ll do it. But promise me you won’t tell Jordan how much I like him. (Beat.) Well, if you do, I’ll tell Mom you broke her Happiness frog.

Crawling to Paradise

COMEDIC — Tracy has had a major crush on Robby for “a long time.” Tracy’s best friend has just announced that Robby asked her to the dance.

Tracy: Whoa. Hold it. Stop right there. I know you didn’t say what I thought you just said. Robby asked you to the dance? Robby? As in my Robby? As in, Robby who I’ve been in love with since I could crawl? How can you do this to me? You’re supposed to be my best friend! You know I have plans to marry him. (Beat.) So what if he doesn’t even notice I’m alive — that’s not the point. The point is you backstabbed me. You are unbelievable! You can’t even — what? David wants to go with me? David, as in, tall, blue-eyed, major babe David? Get out! Really? How cool! We can double date! Oh my God, can you imagine?! (Beat.) Of course, I’m not mad at you. You’re my best friend! You and Robby are meant to be. Really, you are. Besides, I’ve been in love with David since I could crawl.

Acting Class

Angelique: I took an acting class and the teacher was this weird creepy guy who was going bald and who wore tight pants and didn’t pronounce my name right ONCE. ANGELIQUE. My name is ANGEL-EEK. Not “Angelica,” not “Angie”… Angelique. It’s French for “Like an Angel” or “Born from Angels” or “Touched by an Angel”… something. I dunno. It doesn’t matter. He didn’t get it right once. He made us do all these weird creepy breathing exercises and all I could think of the whole time is MY MOTHER IS NOT PAYING FOR YOU TO TEACH ME HOW TO BREATHE, WEIRD CREEPY BALD GUY WITH TIGHT PANTS… MY MOTHER IS PAYING YOU TO TEACH ME TO ACT. ’Cause that’s what I’m good at. Acting. Like I’m really good at swimming and I paint too and my sister and I made State Jazz Ensemble but what I’m REALLY good at? Is acting. “Breathe in”… “Hold”… “Breathe out”… “Feel your inner animal reaching through”… Inner animal? Are you kidding? I Google-d the guy when I got home, whatever, I know it’s weird, but I had to. I HAD to know what this guy’s done that makes him so special. Know what this guy’s done, this guy who’s supposedly gonna teach me how to act? Three episodes of Ghost Hunter Deluxe and a deodorant commercial. DEODORANT? Is this a joke? What’s this guy gonna teach me to do? NOT SWEAT?!

Riverdale Monologue 1

VERONICA
(chillingly matter-of-fact)

Oh, I know what you need, Cheryl, because I know who you are. You’re Riverdale’s Red Queen -- or, should I say, “Red Widow,” since you lost your “soulmate”?

(then)
Either way, you’d rather people fear than like you. You traffic in terror and intimidation. You’re rich, so you’ve never been held accountable, but I’m living
proof: That certainty -- that entitlement -- you wear on your head like a crown? It
won’t last. You might have another year, another two years, another ten years, but eventually, there will be a reckoning...

(beat)
Or maybe...that reckoning is now. And maybe, that reckoning...is me. If you know who I am, then you also know: I have nothing to lose. And that I, too, understand a little something about fear and intimidation. To that end...

(beat)
Betty and I come as a matching set. You want one, you take us both. If that doesn’t work for you, she and I will start a Booster Club, open to guys and girls, which people would join, and which would eclipse your River Vixens by...lacrosse season, I’m thinking... You wanted fire? Sorry, Cherrybombshell, my specialty’s ice.

Riverdale Monologue 2

VERONICA
...when my dad got arrested? It was the worst thing ever. All these...trolls started writing these horrible things about us. We’d get letters and e-mails, saying my dad was a thief, my mom was a clueless socialite, that I was this spoiled rich-bitch ice-princess, and...what hurt most about it was...

(is she going there?)
The things the trolls were writing...were true. I was like Cheryl -- worsethan Cheryl -- not a person I particularly enjoyed spending time with, to be honest...

(eyes wet, getting emotional)
So, after everything that happened with my dad, when my mom said we were moving to Riverdale, I made a pact with myself: To use this as a chance to become -- maybe, hopefully -- a better version of myself...

Just So You Know

In this teen drama monologue Just So You Know, SALLY complains to her sister about how disturbed she is over how she gets treated by her.

SALLY: Why do you have to be such a loser to me all the time? You literally treat me like dirt. It’s like we’re not even sisters. You never want to hang out and you’re always so mean to me, especially when you’re with your friends. God forbid I’m even in the same room with you when your friends stop over. You always tell me to leave. It’s my house too and I don’t have to go into another room just because you say so. Just because you are older doesn’t make you the boss of me.

(pause.)

You’re never there for me. Not even as a friend let alone sister. Seriously. You don’t even know who I am and we live together. It’s pathetic, really. It is.

I hope that one day you stop trying to be so cool and start treating me like someone you actually care about in your life. Nothing would be cooler and more important to me than that…just so you know.

Bring About Change

In this teen drama girl monologue, MELANI talks to her Auntie about her deep interest in making the world better by helping people.

MELANI: I want to be famous. I want to be absolutely famous. Not famous like a singer or actress…I want to be known for helping people. I only want the fame to come because I know that it will help make people more aware of my cause. I plan on using fame to strengthen what I believe in for the benefit of others.

…I see so many horrible things going on in the world…so many people suffering in so many different countries…including our own…it makes me think what kind of future will my generation have?

This is what motivates me…helping people. That much I am certain of…I know there is nothing else I wish to do in my life but make this world better, bring people together, make things good. I’m taking time now while I’m young to figure out my plan and strategies to make a difference.

I’m not trying to claim that I want to be some sort of saint but I know my calling is to bring about change, here, before I leave…and I know I will.

EIGHTH GRADE

KAYLA
Hey guys! It’s Kayla! Back with another video. I haven’t been getting tons of views on these so if you like them, please share them with your friends. I’d really appreciate it. Cool...so, um... today I want to talk to you guys about - Being Yourself. Okay, so, like, Being Yourself? What does that mean? Like, aren’t I always Being Myself? Well, like, yes, for sure. But “Being Yourself” also means, like, not changing the um--

(looks down at her lap) --uh...sorry, I’m reading these off a piece of paper-- ...OKAY “Being Yourself” also means like not changing yourself to be cool or like to try to impress a guy or whatever.

(As she speaks, her eyes wander with her thoughts. She plays with her hair, twirling it around a finger, tilting her head to piece out a thin strand with both hands then fixing it. She does this constantly).

KAYLA (CONT’D)
And it’s really important to Be Yourself, because like you could be the most popular kid at school or have like the hottest boyfriend or whatever, but if you’re not Being Yourself, then like what’s the point? Cause, like, if you aren’t Being Yourself...then what’s the poi-I said that already. Okay. ....okay. So...okay, but what makes Being Yourself hard sometimes is that it’s not always easy.

(MORE)

KAYLA (CONT’D)
Cause sometimes people will make fun of you for Being Yourself but you just have to ignore them because you are Being Yourself and that’s good and if someone’s being mean, that sucks but evil people exist and you can’t change that. Okay...and you can’t let other people tell you who you are. Like, for instance, like sometimes people say that I’m shy or quiet just because I don’t talk a lot at school or whatever. But just because I’m quiet sometimes, doesn’t mean...okay, like...like I’m not shy. Like if someone is nice then I will talk to them and I can be really funny and fun to talk to. But like, just cause I’m not talking all the time like everyone else doesn’t mean that I’m a quiet person. It just means that I... like, I’m not scared to talk, I just choose not to.....Okay, so, like, yeah, you should Be Yourself and don’t worry what other people think, and if they think you’re something that you’re not, just let it go and try to not care and eventually everything will work out. Cool. So hopefully some of you found this video helpful. Please remember to share this video and subscribe to my channel. Thanks for watching! Byeee!

A WIDE VIEW reveals:

Kayla, sitting in the corner of her room, her laptop open on the desk in front of her, a bland, colored backdrop hung on the wall behind her.

She reaches forward, closes the laptop and sits in the dark. Alone.

Male Monologues for Teens

Man in Motion

Fourteen year old LLoyd has recently moved with his mother and sister to the city.

Lloyd: …. Yes. I have got something on my mind…. There’s this boy I know, Keith Mainwaring; I met him down at football practice, and we got friendly. I mean, we were friends right off, and his dad gives me a lift home afterwards. He’s really friendly … but he says things, they both do…. Racist things. All the time, like without thinking. Every time they see somebody Asian, they say something … and I don’t say anything. I don’t know what to say. I keep thinking they don’t
really mean it, especially Keith, because he’s nice, really, I mean, otherwise he’s nice. He rings up and asks how I am, and paid for my lunch and that. I really like him, except for what he says…. That’s why I’ve stopped going to practices;to avoid him. I don’t think he really means it, I think it’s just because of what his dad says. Like my friend Vlad – from school, like he said; if you’re sexist it’s
because you’ve been brought up to think like that, you never get the chance to work it out. And I don’t think Keith knows any Asians. He lives up at the Highbridge end…. It’s funny … ODD … calling somebody a racist. It doesn’t sound real. We have this lesson at school, Social Awareness Studies, only we call it Isms. Because that’s what it is, all the time: sexism, racism, feminism. And last week we had this discussion on racism and everyone said how awful it was, only we’ve got these two girls in our class, Farida and Farzana, and nobody thought about them. They just sat there, and nobody took any notice or asked them what they thought, I mean, they never say much anyway, but that wasn’t the point. Racism’s just something half of us argue about while the other half do our homework. It’s just a word. It doesn’t mean anything, because it doesn’t happen to us…. I think most of us are against it…. It’s the first time I’ve had to do anything about it. Where we lived before, everyone was white anyway. If I’d met Keith there I’d never have known what he thought because he’d never have said anything. Racism was just something on the news….But it’s not for me. Not any more.

Massive High

COMEDIC It is the day before Cody and his best friend start high school. Suddenly, his friend becomes quite worried. Here, Cody attempts to psych him up and rid him of his fears.

Cody: Nervous? Don’t be nervous. What’s there to be nervous about? We’ve been waiting to start high school for like ever. It’s gonna be so awesome! Just think how many mega-babes are gonna be walking through those halls and in our classes! And we’ll finally have bigger lockers, and a decent gym and multiple floors! Just like a mall! And tons of people to meet, parties to get invited to, real football games, new teachers who don’t hate us yet! New faces everywhere you look! It’s huge! I mean, we probably won’t even see each other (Realizing as he speaks.) the whole…day… long. (Beat.) You’re still gonna eat lunch with me, right?

Robot Run

In this sci-fi drama monologue Robot Run, STAN has secretly met a fellow friend as they slowly construct a plan to regain their freedom.

(hiding and talking to a friend, who is also hiding)

STAN: I cannot do this anymore. I cannot be tied down to it anymore. I cannot believe we let this happen. No use. No use at this point. It’s a matter of getting through this thing. Surely, there is no way to counter it. (beat) We must destroy it and replace it, make it seem like it is still operating on all cylinders. We know this, we know this already, don’t we?! Excuse me for being a little rash…there’s not much time. (meaning his mental strain) Here are the plans.

(he pulls out a folded piece of paper)

Read them over in detail. I’ve gone over them a thousand times. I think I’ve finally figured out how to replace the tulopisms without the Congridor noticing anything. You must be thorough and you must be quick. But we will get to that. For now, study the document and you know to keep it out of view at all times. I musn’t remind you but I must.

Okay, we will meet again in exactly seventy-two hours.

A Walk In The Sun

A Walk In The Sun, Alderon doesn’t want to bite the woman he loves and turn her into a vampire for all eternity.

ALDERON: Suck your blood? (beat) It’s alot more complicated than that Kyra. (beat) It’s a curse you don’t want. You think it’s power? You think being immortal is special? (beat) I understand that you want to be with me forever and I do love you…deeply, but I have been around a long time and I have had many great loves…sorry to tell you this but I’m telling you because it is the only way I can protect you.

(pause.)

Maybe I’m going about this the wrong way. It’s never been easy for me. One would think I would be wiser by now but the heart always blinds the mind. (beat) I shouldn’t have done this! I shouldn’t have! I want you to hate me. PLEASE, hate me, Kyra…hate me for the rest of your normal life.

(he motions to leave, then stops)

I love you…I’ve always loved you but I won’t make you like me. The day I do that is the day I take a walk in the sun.

(he leaves)

The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn

Huck: Well, I got a good going-over in the morning from old Miss Watson on account of my clothes; but the widow she didn’t scold, but only cleaned off the grease and clay, and looked so sorry that I thought I would behave awhile if I could. Then Miss Watson she took me in the closet and prayed, but nothing come of it. She told me to pray every day, and whatever I asked for I would get it. But it warn’t so. I tried it. Once I got a fish-line, but no hooks. It warn’t any good to me without hooks. I tried for the hooks three or four times, but somehow I couldn’t make it work. By and by, one day, I asked Miss Watson to try for me, but she said I was a fool. She never told me why, and I couldn’t make it out no way.

I set down one time back in the woods, and had a long think about it. I says to myself, if a body can get anything they pray for, why don’t Deacon Winn get back the money he lost on pork? Why can’t the widow get back her silver snuffbox that was stole? Why can’t Miss Watson fat up? No, says I to my self, there ain’t nothing in it. I went and told the widow about it, and she said the thing a body could get by praying for it was “spiritual gifts.” This was too many for me, but she told me what she meant—I must help other people, and do everything I could for other people, and look out for them all the time, and never think about myself. This was including Miss Watson, as I took it. I went out in the woods and turned it over in my mind a long time, but I couldn’t see no advantage about it—except for the other people; so at last I reckoned I wouldn’t worry about it any more, but just let it go.

Addict

Teen Boy: I just don’t see the point of going outside anymore. I have all I need in here. Basically, my whole life is in my computer. All my friends are here, all my activities… There’s really no point in school or anything like that anymore. That’s the past. This is the future. You can stay at home and learn all you want on the net. And you can be whoever you want. Like, see, here’s KandiKane88. She thinks I’m six-three and a quarterback on a college team. I’ve been a pilot, a model, an actor, a musician— Basically, I can be whatever and whoever I want. No one questions me. It’s brilliant. And I can get anything I want. I’m a young guy. I’m supposed to be interested in this stuff. I can’t help that it’s so accessible. And if these girls didn’t want to do this, they wouldn’t. So I don’t feel bad about it. I don’t see why it’s such a bad thing. In fact, I think it’s a really, really, really excellent thing. Thank God for the Internet.

Romeo and Juliet

Romeo: But soft! What light through yonder window breaks?
It is the East, and Juliet is the sun!
Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,
Who is already sick and pale with grief
That thou her maid art far more fair than she.
Be not her maid, since she is envious.
Her vestal livery is but sick and green,
And none but fools do wear it. Cast it off.
It is my lady; O, it is my love!
O that she knew she were!
She speaks, yet she says nothing. What of that?
Her eye discourses; I will answer it.
I am too bold; ’tis not to me she speaks.
Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven,
Having some business, do entreat her eyes
To twinkle in their spheres till they return.
What if her eyes were there, they in her head?
The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars
As daylight doth a lamp; her eyes in heaven
Would through the airy region stream so bright
That birds would sing and think it were not night.
See how she leans her cheek upon her hand!
O that I were a glove upon that hand,
That I might touch that cheek!

MALE OR FEMALE MONOLOGUES

Freedom Writers

This summer was the worst summer in my short 14 years of life.

It all started with a phone call. My mother was crying and begging, asking for more time as if she were gasping for her last breath of air. She held me as tight as she could and cried. Her tears hit my shirt like bullets and told me we were being evicted. She kept apologising to me.

I thought, ‘I have no home. ‘I should have asked for something less expensive at Christmas.’ On the morning of the eviction, a hard knock on the door woke me up. The sheriff was there to do his job. I looked up at the sky, waiting for something to happen.

Robot Run

In this sci-fi drama monologue Robot Run, STAN has secretly met a fellow friend as they slowly construct a plan to regain their freedom.

(hiding and talking to a friend, who is also hiding)

(he pulls out a folded piece of paper)

Okay, we will meet again in exactly seventy-two hours.

Mind Trick

Mind Trick is a teen drama monologue that explores how one deals with strange thoughts and erratic behaviour within ourselves.

Male/Female: Sometimes I feel like I’m not normal…what is normal anyway, right? I guess, like everyone else. I get stupid thoughts sometimes. I keep them to myself because I don’t want anyone thinking I’m a weirdo. I wonder if everyone gets strange thoughts but just don’t want to admit it. I think we all get strange thoughts. You want to know what kind of thoughts I get? (beat) Well, I can’t tell you cause, it’s too embarrassing. It is. I just can’t. I mean, you ever have a thought where your mind just wanders off into some unknown world and it captivates you for a minute or two and suddenly you snap out of it because you realise that it’s a messed up thought?

That’s as far as I want to go with it, with what I’m telling you cause it makes me feel funny discussing this but do you, honestly; do you ever—does your mind ever play tricks on you?

BANG! Academy has been producing original theatrical works for over 5 years now. We work enthusiastically towards bringing highly rewarding and enjoyable opportunities for our local youth in the Northern Rivers. It is our vision to give opportunities for youth through a wide range of Performing Arts, and to foster their talent with enriched education within a professional learning environment. All of our facilitators and directors have tertiary training and industry experience within their focused art forms. This depth of knowledge, along with our strong appreciation for the arts is why BANG! Academy has produced such prolific, original and engaging work.

Auditions for our Teen Production will be at the end of Term 2, 2021. If your child is keen to get amongst this, please send them to our weekly class as that is our foundational preparation for this production.