Finding Your Audition Piece

Your audition for drama school is an opportunity to showcase your skills, your passion and your potential. It might feel daunting, but good preparation can go a long way.

It all starts with choosing your audition piece. From where to look and what to look for – these are our top tips on finding your audition monologue.

1. Choose a piece

Your monologue will only be around 2-3 minutes, so finding a character-driven piece that you feel passionate about is important. Try to avoid a piece that feels stagnant or lacks a clear objective. In some cases, you might need to edit a character’s lines together into one monologue – but make sure it still flows smoothly.

Different courses have different requirements, so always check what your specific audition will need. Have a read through LAMDA’s application process and check in with our Admissions Team if you have a question.

2. Understand your character

Remember that the audition panel want to see your own creativity and interpretation of the text. To do this, you really need to understand the character and the context within which you’re performing – so remember to read the plays that your monologues are from!

You want to show that you know your character inside and out. What do they want? What happens to them before and after your monologue? How do they feel about other characters? Find a piece where you know you can read the play in its entirety, and use your imagination to fully explore who the character is.

3. Scour resources

You should find material from a play you connect to or are truly passionate about – this will shine through in your performance. You might need to look through different resources to find the right monologue for you.

If you're not sure where to begin, try asking for suggestions from a drama teacher, look around a theatre bookshop or library, or search a site like Drama Online (if you have access via your school, university or library). 

We’ve also collated this handy list of resources to get you started:

1. Concord Theatricals – allowing you to search for texts based on specific keywords, genres, cast attributes and more
2. Contemporary Monologues – monologue collections published by Nick Hern Books
3. The Kilroys List – monologue collections published by Nick Hern Books
4. National Theatre Connections – published by Methuen Drama and ideal for young actors
5. Hear Me Now – monologue collections from Methuen Drama

Find out more

• Dive into the drama school audition process with our Auditioning for Drama School short course
• Get a taste of LAMDA training with our selection of short courses in 2026
• Discover our Pathways Programme which aims to remove barriers that prevent young people accessing performing arts training
• Ask a question about LAMDA's audition process to our Admissions Team