Monological

Tony Giroux breaks down a monologue from the play "Things We Want" by Jonathan Marc Sherman. Tony talk about opening up and being vulnerable, both as his character and in his real life, and the fear that comes with that vulnerability. We discuss the coping mechanisms that we use to deal with that fear, like making jokes or self sabotage. Tony takes all these experiences and shows us how he uses them to relate to his character, and in turn makes his character relatable to all of us. Tony is currently studying acting in London. You can follow him and his journey on Instagram @tkgiroux.

Tyler Bogdanek breaks down a monologue from James McLure's play "Pvt. Wars". While the characters are dealing with very private issues, as the title of the play suggests, there's nothing private about this monologue and what Tyler brings in to it. Tyler discusses how he makes the work personal to him, either by relating it to his lived experiences, or by empathizing with the needs and feelings of his character. He also explains how he used a repeating phrase from the monologue to unlock more understanding and backstory for his character. Tyler is represented by Les Blackmore at BLK Management. Check Tyler out on Instagram @tylerbogdanek

If you're like me, when you start something, you really want to see it through. Whether it's a business, a relationship, or just a small project, knowing when it's not working, and being able to let go can be scary and overwhelming. In today's episode we explore that fear, as Sara Vickruck breaks down a monologue from This, Here, by James Gordon King, playing July 18 - 28th at The Cultch in Vancouver. She shares her own struggles with letting go, including stepping away from acting for a few years. We also discuss rehearsal techniques and how she connects with her on stage partner to bring real, palpable love and care onto the stage. This, Here is playing at The Cultch July 18 - 28, 2018. Tickets available at https://thecultch.com Sara Vickruck can be reached at http://www.saravickruck.ca

Maria Turner breaks down a monologue from John Murrell's "Waiting for the Parade". They say that you can't know happiness without knowing sadness, and vice versa, and Maria really brings that concept to life. Experiencing great sadness and grief, while also reliving joy and happiness, Maria shares with us her multitude of methods to connect with her character.

Brandi Turgeon works on a monologue from “Thanksgiving in the Wilderness” by Kellie Powell. At some point in time, we’ve all liked someone a little bit more than they like us. Whether it’s a lover that we wish would become a significant other, or just an acquaintance that we’d like to be closer friends with. When you finally realize that those feelings aren't reciprocated, the rejection can be both infuriating and heartbreaking, and that's exactly what happens in "Thanksgiving in the Wilderness". Brandi uses every experience she can draw on to make that rejection real for her. From her awkward high school days, pining over the coolest boys who wouldn't give her the time of day, to dance and acting auditions, agonizing over missed opportunities. By connecting her emotions to her own painful memories, she shows us how she can create real anger and sadness, and truly empathize with her character.

Doreen Gordon breaks down a classic monologue from William Shakespeare’s iconic play, Hamlet. The monologue is self-referential, with Hamlet writing a play and directing his actors, Shakespeare gives us a glimpse of his own process and what he looks for from his own actors. Similarly, Doreen gives us a glimpse of how she connects to writing from 400 years ago. While Shakespeare can be hard to understand at times, Doreen breaks it all down for us and leaves us with something simple and relatable. Doreen is represented by Ally Copeland at Premiere Talent Management.

Laine MacNeil breaks down a monologue from Marsha Norman's play "Night, Mother". Laine worked on this play in acting class, with her real life mother as her scene partner. She fills us in on that process, and talks about what it was like working so intimately with one of the most important people in her life. Laine used a lot of childhood memories when preparing for this role, and it really paid off. Listen for yourself and see if you can spot the moments she is reliving real childhood memories. Laine is represented Russ Mortensen at Pacific Artists Management.

Martin Hallat breaks down a monologue from James McLure's "Lone Star". We all have one regret or another that we feel would have drastically shaped our lives for the better. We feel like we would be happy, rich, and successful if only we had done this one thing. Martin shares with us his experiences of regret, and shows us how he connects to his characters by empathizing with their regrets and failures, but also their hopes and dreams. Martin is represented by Natasha Trisko at Trisko Talents.

Chris Olson breaks down a monologue from the holiday film "Bad Santa". Making mistakes, and dealing with the consequences, is something we can all relate to. That's a major plot point of the film, dealing with the consequences of your mistakes, but also seeing a silver lining. There is a tiny glimmer of hope that keeps the character human and relatable. Chris finds the humanity of the character, and shares with us his process for bringing that humanity to life. Chris is represented by Lyla Rock at Kirk Talent, in Vancouver, B.C. You can check out his band Porteau Cove on facebook.

Joshua Murdoch breaks down a monologue from Colleen Murphy's "Armstrong's War". Amid themes of loss and failure, but also hope, Josh uses his experiences of loss and hope to relate to the character. He talks openly about the hope and heartbreak of being an actor, and how he uses those experiences as a tool. Josh also shares a devastating story about losing a friend, and how he uses painful memories like that to bring real emotion into his work. Joshua is represented by Bridget Drynan at The Characters Talent Agency, in Vancouver, B.C.