Is it OK to use a monologue from a musical?/Profanity in auditions?

[FlowerChild67]

Hello! I thought I'd save space and make this one thread instead of two, but I have two questions.
First: Is it OK to use a monologue from a musical in an audition? I've heard various things about this and was just wondering what is generally the rule.
Second: Is it OK to use songs with profanity in them? I've gotten no comments about not using monolgues with profanity (which I've done before). But I had someone tell me about a week ago that it's distracting to audition with a song that swears.
I know that it probably changes from director to director, but is there some kind of generalization in regards to this?
Thanks!! :)

[WOSQ]

Monologues from musicals:
Sure you can use them. Bear in mind that there aren't all that many of them. Monologues from musicals are usually songs.

Then:
Profanity (as in 'Goddamn') or vulgarity (as in 'sh!t')?

People define profanity in many ways.

And it depends on the usage and does it make the joke work? Would a substitution disrupt the flow of the sentence/lyric. The lyric of Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend when she says men are 'such Goddamn liars' works because it is a surprise. Gosh darn kills the joke.

Do it as written. If the director is offended by such language, they are in the wrong trade.

This is only my opinion, but often the word 'fvck' does not work on stage. It just doesn't. Maybe it is the hard consonant sound with which it ends. Often it interupts the flow of a sentence. If it is used, take a comma, an eighth note rest, before saying it and maybe put a little spin on it. This one is very tricky.

[MTVMANN]

Monologues from musicals are fine...if you can find one worth doing. I can think of "A Chorus Line" (the Paul one is okay...but I wouldn't do the Val one, as I think there are plenty of monologues with more 'meat' to them) and Assassins, which I think the Bick monologue is hard to sell out of context with the show.

Profanity is okay too...I would just look at where I was auditioning at. I wouldn't do it in a H.S. but a college should be fine.

The main thing is that you can't " apologize" when you say them...unless of course your character does.
I agree about the word "****"...
I don't really say that in real life, so I would most likely change it...the exception being an Irish monologue that is comedic.

[BwayTday]

Usually monologues from major musicals are very overdone because they are few and far between (since as WOSQ points out, they are mostly songs).

And if you don't feel comfortable with doing a monologue with "questionable language" because it might offend the company or what have you, choose something else. Don't cut out those words because at the end of the day the playwright wrote it that way with intention. If the word "****" got through the 1375 drafts a published play goes through, there is probably a reason for it.

[FlowerChild67]

Thank you guys so much for your responses (I've been looking for this thread, like, forever to respond....)

This has honestly helped a lot!! :)

[theatergeek3]

I think it's ok to use a monologue from a musical if you are auditioning for a musical. And about the profanity-I think it's ABSOLUTELY FINE to curse! I think it's actually a GOOD thing because a monologue with curses will bring you to life & make you feel alive & free!