Carromato Teatro

What is the right monologue for you? Kids and teens are often faced with this question. Whether you are auditioning for a school or community play, a job, an agent or manager or even a Performing Arts College your choice of monologue will have a lot to do with how successful you will be.Not too long ago, my son was auditioning for several Performing Arts Colleges and although he had participated in many theater productions as a kid, now that he was a teenager, we were advised to have him work with a monologue coach. After calling several theater professionals, whose opinion I trusted, I came up with the name of a person that seemed to fit our needs. I proceeded to call him, to check his availability, and to conduct a phone interview. The phone call went well and, consequently, we set up the initial meeting. What follows is the process that they went through in order to determine the perfect monologue for my teenage son. Before the first meeting the monologue coach asked me to describe my son's physical characteristics, training, and what roles (if any) he had played over the years. The coach chose six monologues ... [more..]

Teachers, principals and counselors: As most of you are aware, some of the recent school shootings were apparently committed by students who were not known for their acting- out behaviors, but instead for their relatively quiet withdrawal and depression. We have gotten quite a few calls asking for explanations. Youth professionals are often more accustomed to preventing and addressing violence from acting-out youth, and may feel less prepared to prevent or address violence from other types of youth.Here are some of the questions we have been receiving at our office and in our workshop:Question: Why are some depressed, withdrawn kids becoming suddenly violent?Answer: Perhaps some of these kids are like pressure cookers that build up so much steam that they literally explode. Many professionals are used to seeing serious youth depression that includes withdrawal, lethargy, reduced verbiage, reduced activity levels, self-harm and/or threats of self-harm, and comments reflecting hopelessness and despair. But, some depressed youngsters may explode out of that "acting-in" into serious acting-out.Question: Our staff has had a lot of training on preventing and managing violence by acting- out students such as conduct disorders. Is there much difference working with students who normally act in?Answer: Yes, it is almost ... [more..]