A Monologue for Women From the Play Tomorrows Wish

The following is a monologue from the three-act play  Tomorrow’s Wish,  written and shared by Wade Bradford. Tomorrows Wish is a comedy-drama that includes some elements of fantasy. The story is about a 16-year-old character Megan Pomerville who has to deal with her strange yet friendly cousin Juniper. Juniper was home-schooled and has lived a sheltered life, but Megans perspective of her changes when she finds out Junipers secret. This original  comedic female monologue  is available to be  used by students, actors, and directors for educational or professional purposes. The Context of the Monologue Within the Play Juniper is a creative  young woman, only somewhat unusual and inexperienced in the manners of society. Her cousins believe Juniper is odd because she lives in a small town with her grandmother, sheltered away from most of the world. Originally, Bradford intended for her character to be mentally challenged, but changed his mind later on. However, this is an important piece of information for the actor, as it lets you know that you can go quite far in your portrayal of her strangeness. On his blog, Bradford describes Juniper in this way: She is very bright, but not used to being around others—so she shifts from introvert to extrovert with the snap of a finger. I Kissed a Boy Once In this scene, Juniper is talking to her cousin, Megan, about her first and only kiss. The monologue follows: I kissed a boy once. At least I tried. I don’t know if it counts if they don’t kiss back. But I tried to kiss a boy and it almost worked. Most of the time Grandma and I don’t get to see folks much, but we  go into town. Sometimes. And Grandma says I just have to be careful to mind my manners, and Grandma says I’m real good at being careful, but sometimes I get so bored in that little town. Only one video store. Only two churches. And the park only has two swings and a pool that never gets filled up anymore. But in our little town there is a boy named Samuel. Hes a bag-boy at the grocery store. He does it just right and never squishes the eggs. And he has red hair and green eyes. And†¦ (Laughs at the memory.) Freckles all over his face! And Samuel is so nice. So nice to me and Gram. He would always smile and always say â€Å"Thank you† and â€Å"Youre welcome.† If he says, â€Å"Have a nice day,† then you do. That’s how good he is at his job. And I always wanted†¦ I always wanted to be close to him, or to talk to him, without Gram around. And one day when Grandma had a really bad cold I got to go to the store all by myself. And I bought some oyster crackers and some medicine. Then I got to watch Samuel all by myself. Watch him do his bag boy job. I just stared and stared, trying to count all of those handsome freckles. Then, he asked if there was anything else I wanted. I just whispered â€Å"Yes.† (Pauses, closes eyes in remembrance.) And then I grabbed him by the ears and MmmmmmmMM! (Pretends she’s grabbing and kissing him.) That was my first kiss. It was the most romantic moment of my life. Until the manager pulled me off of him. How to Memorize the Monologue Read the monologue several times and read the words aloud. Then, make a list of any questions while reading. Ideally, you would read the complete play that your monologue comes from which should help provide you with any missing context. However, if you cant or dont have time to access the entire script, answer your questions for yourself anyway. It is very important to have a sense of your monologue in a larger context, whether it is real or made up by you. This will help you feel as thoroughly familiar with your character as possible. To learn your part better, break it into sections. This way, you can work on memorizing one section at a time. It is also important to keep in mind that Juniper is speaking to her cousin Megan; give some consideration to how Megan is reacting to Junipers words. Finally, practice, practice, practice. Perform your monologue for anyone who will listen, an audience of one or many, and as often as possible.