Comments on: Precocious Children in Plays

Question: Precocious Children in Plays

stray — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 22:57:29 -0800

I'm looking for plays about precocious children.

I need a monologue for an audition--the role is a very smart, very pressured, comical 12 year old. I thought the hive mind might have some ideas...I'm looking for something energetic, maybe something with that sense of being burdened that a lot of very precocious kids seem to have. Preferably female. Thoughts?

By: sugarfish

sugarfish — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 23:07:11 -0800

When I was a kid, I tried out for this play: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eleemosynary_(play)

By: If only I had a penguin...

If only I had a penguin... — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 23:09:48 -0800

Arcadia

By: If only I had a penguin...

If only I had a penguin... — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 23:10:22 -0800

huh...that was supposed to be linked: Arcadia

By: Asparagirl

Asparagirl — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 23:19:55 -0800

12-year-old super-pressured smart girl? Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre to the rescue!

By: Asparagirl

Asparagirl — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 23:21:08 -0800

Although, if you want 'precocious' in a bad way, there's always Rhoda Penmark.

By: stray

stray — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 23:21:43 -0800

heheheh...Asparagirl, you've found me out. :P Guess who i'm auditioning for...? Which makes sugarfish's suggestion rather on the nose!

By: OolooKitty

OolooKitty — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 00:08:49 -0800

Paul Zindel's "The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds" is about a precocious girl who's obsessed with winning the school science fair, and the obstacles put in her way by her crazy mother. The humor is dark, but it's there...

By: jeanmari

jeanmari — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 01:17:57 -0800

Pippi Longstocking! Kind of gives it away when the character profile for the play lists her as "a red-haired, magically strong, self-reliant, inventive and irreverent girl."

By: jeanmari

jeanmari — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 01:24:56 -0800

More about Pippi and her role as a "Swedish rebel" :)

By: orthogonality

orthogonality — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 01:32:28 -0800

Nick in A Thousand Clowns?

By: freya_lamb

freya_lamb — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 05:09:49 -0800

Might be a bit light for what you're looking for but Daisy Meredith in'Daisy Pulls it off' is the quintessential plucky, spirited British school girl and has lots of fun monologues. It's a spoof of Girl's Own adventures, but you could interpret her speeches with precocious pathos.

By: dchrssyr

dchrssyr — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:25:24 -0800

Really Rosie

By: stray

stray — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 09:54:08 -0800

Awesome awesome awesome. Going to the library right now to pick these up. Thanks you clever folk!

By: philotes

philotes — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 12:15:38 -0800

If you haven't found what you need yet, you might try:

What I Did Last Summer by A.R. Gurney

By: pseudostrabismus

pseudostrabismus — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 16:05:53 -0800

Oh my god, you must read I, Claudia by Kristen Thomson. It's about a 12 year old kid's reaction to her parents' divorce and father's remarriage. It's the best portrayal of an adolescent I've ever read.

By: stray

stray — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 20:17:34 -0800

Great stuff in here, guys. I ended up using Eleemosynary--I expected that loads of people would've used pieces from it, given that it's partially about a girl competing in spelling bees, and the show I auditioned for was about...spelling bees. But apparently I was the only one they'd seen so far. And the audition went well, given that I came down with a touch of laryngitis the day before.
I will definitely be checking out all the other suggestions as well! Thanks! Gotta love plays!