Classical monologues for teens

Speeches by characters the play shows to be teenagers, timed from the exact text, each with a guide to every line.

The Offbook team

Nov 11, 2026

Panels for school, conservatory, and youth productions want to see a teen actor play someone close to their own age. Every speech here belongs to a character the play shows to be a teenager: Juliet, who is not yet fourteen; Miranda, about fifteen; the Gaoler’s Daughter in The Two Noble Kinsmen, about fifteen; and Joan of Arc, who says she is seventeen.

Each page has the full text, its run time, where to cut it, and a guide that explains every line in plain English, so the old words never get between you and the feeling.

The monologues, shortest first

Listed here: speeches by characters whose age the text gives, or makes clear, as under twenty. Many other young characters are probably teenagers too, but their plays never say, so they are left off. For scenes with a partner, see scenes for teens.

Monologue	Play	Lines	Run time
Juliet: “’Tis but thy name that is my enemy” (What’s in a name?)	Romeo and Juliet	12	36 seconds
Miranda: “If by your art, my dearest father”	The Tempest	13	42 seconds
Juliet: “Gallop apace, you fiery-footed steeds”	Romeo and Juliet	35	1.8 minutes
Joan: “You promised me my life; but you lied”	Saint Joan	9	1.9 minutes
Daughter: “Why should I love this gentleman?” (the Gaoler’s Daughter)	The Two Noble Kinsmen	33	1.9 minutes
Juliet: “Farewell! God knows when we shall meet again” (the potion speech)	Romeo and Juliet	45	2.4 minutes

Run times are the words of each speech at a conversational 150 words a minute, before pauses, counted from the full text of public domain editions from Standard Ebooks. To time your own pace, paste a speech into the monologue timer.

How to choose one for an audition

Start with the time limit in the casting notice. Pick a speech that runs a little under it at a natural pace, so you never have to rush the end.
Choose a character you could be cast as now, close to your age and in a situation you understand.
Look for a turn: a moment where the character changes their mind or makes a decision. A speech that only describes gives you nothing to play.
Know who you are talking to. A speech aimed at another character, or straight at the audience, gives you someone to change.
If the notice asks for two pieces, pair contrasting ones; see how to choose contrasting monologues. Need it shorter? Read how to cut a monologue.

About each speech

Juliet: “’Tis but thy name that is my enemy” (What’s in a name?)

Romeo and Juliet, Act 2, Scene 2 · Verse · about 36 seconds at 150 words a minute

Juliet, alone on the balcony, argues that a name is only a word. Romeo is listening, but she does not know it. It is short, which makes it a good first classical piece.

Miranda: “If by your art, my dearest father”

The Tempest, Act 1, Scene 2 · Verse · about 42 seconds at 150 words a minute

In her first speech, Miranda has just watched a ship break apart in the storm and begs her father to calm the sea if his magic raised it. It is short and direct, under a minute, which makes it a good first Shakespeare piece for younger actors.

Juliet: “Gallop apace, you fiery-footed steeds”

Romeo and Juliet, Act 3, Scene 2 · Verse · about 1.8 minutes at 150 words a minute

Juliet, married to Romeo earlier that day, waits alone for night and for her new husband, not knowing that he has just killed Tybalt and been banished. It is a joyful, frank wedding-night speech that races through images of horses, night, and stars, and the challenge is to keep its speed and happiness while the audience knows what is coming.

Joan: “You promised me my life; but you lied”

Saint Joan, Scene 6 · Prose · about 1.9 minutes at 150 words a minute

At her trial, Joan learns that the confession she has just signed buys her life in prison, not freedom; she tears it up and tells her judges why she would rather burn. It is a fierce prose speech that climbs through two long lists to a verdict that seals her death.

Daughter: “Why should I love this gentleman?” (the Gaoler’s Daughter)

The Two Noble Kinsmen, Act 2, Scene 4 · Verse · about 1.9 minutes at 150 words a minute

The Gaoler’s Daughter, alone, admits she has fallen for the prisoner Palamon and talks herself into setting him free. It is frank, funny and touching, and it comes from a rarely staged play, so few panels will have heard it many times.

Juliet: “Farewell! God knows when we shall meet again” (the potion speech)

Romeo and Juliet, Act 4, Scene 3 · Verse · about 2.4 minutes at 150 words a minute

Alone on the night before her forced wedding to Paris, Juliet works through every fear about the Friar’s sleeping drug, from poison to waking in the tomb beside Tybalt’s body, and then drinks it. It is long and climbs from careful reasoning into nightmare, so it rewards an actor who can pace a slow build and still have something left for the drink.

More monologue lists

Questions actors ask

What is the shortest monologue for teens on this list?

Juliet’s ’Tis but thy name that is my enemy (What’s in a name?) (Romeo and Juliet, Act 2, Scene 2): 12 lines and 93 words, about 36 seconds at 150 words a minute. The longest is Juliet’s Farewell! God knows when we shall meet again (the potion speech) (Romeo and Juliet, Act 4, Scene 3), about 2.4 minutes.

Which monologues for teens run a minute or less?

Juliet’s ’Tis but thy name that is my enemy (What’s in a name?) (about 36 seconds); Miranda’s If by your art, my dearest father (about 42 seconds). Times are speech only, so add a few seconds for pauses and check the casting notice for its limit.

What is a good classical monologue for a teenage girl?

Juliet’s “What’s in a name?” is short and clear, and a good first classical piece. Miranda’s “If by your art” runs under a minute. For something less familiar to a panel, try the Gaoler’s Daughter from The Two Noble Kinsmen, a play that is rarely staged.