(Laughs.) He's, cute!" SHARE. Im not saying that I dont understand how I got lucky in many ways, I do get that, I do, I just want folks to comprehend that beauty comes with a price,just like ugly does. I think Neil LaBute got the female perspective very well in this play. Reasons to Be Pretty premiered on Broadway in 2008. STEPH I really do feel that, that I'm not this person who gets off on looks or the more . Not that, but even on the fence How can I? "Reasons to Be Pretty" Plot Summary of Act One. (2.5/5) 51 minutes - I've never been a huge fan of plays - I tend to find that no matter how well written they are, I can never really connect to the characters at all, and this particular play was no exception. (Beat.) I havent watched the play, so my only impression of Reasons To Be Pretty comes from reading the book itself. He really is a handsome man," but, see, that still isn't any big deal to me. What the man thinks is an innocuous comment sparks a fight that leads to his break up with his long time girlfriend. to read our character analysis for Steph and unlock other amazing theatre resources! I mean, wouldn't you?\"ANOTHER NEIL LABUTE MONOLOGUE:IF I NEEDED SOMEONE written and directed by Neil LaBute: https://youtu.be/HLewncejkyA#NeilLaBute #Reasonstobepretty #monologue (Beat.) Kent goes into the bathroom. I mean, wouldn't you? I liked 3/4 characters by the end but found them all irritating in the beginning. from Barry Jenkins. Listen to me very carefully, OK, cause Im only gonna say this one time. Don't try to act like it didn't happen and I'm just having a "girl thing" here because that's not the story, bud. It is the third and final installment of a trilogy ( The Shape of Things, Fat Pig, and Reasons to Be Pretty ). Disclaimer: Daily Actor at times uses affiliate links to sites like Amazon.com, streaming services, and others. hvor voldelig hun er. Research Playwrights, Librettists, Composers and Lyricists. Listen, it's weird, I know that, because I don't count looks as my top thing in a guy, not at all look at Greg. . Thats all. Kent claims that men must stick together because they are "like buffalo." I mean, I can take a lot, pretty much, anyway, but I'm, like, .) There is just no good way to take that! you dont know. It uses the issue to frame the whole play, but for me, the play is more successful in highlighting how quickly relationships can unravel over small issues. Think, I guess. (Beat.) Thats not true. The trio of plays are connected not by characters or plot but by the recurring theme of body image within American society. Steph meets Greg in neutral territory: a restaurant at lunchtime. A good play, very genuine, and the topic (how much does being pretty worth) is something I can relate to as well. Affiliate links provides compensation to Daily Actor which helps us remain online, giving you the resources and information actors like you are looking for. Listen, it's weird, I know that, because I don't count looks as my top thing in a guy, not at all look at Greg. Unfortunately, he also thinks she has a few physical imperfections, and when he casually mentions them, all hell breaks loose. BabyThump - Award Winning & BAFTA Qualifying British Short Film, The Farmers Dog Forever (Extended Cut), Bureau of Travel & Tourism Let Travel Do What Travel Does. According to Greg, he replied: "Maybe Steph hasn't got a face like that girl's. https://www.thoughtco.com/reasons-to-be-pretty-act-one-2713448 (accessed March 2, 2023). It's too much, it is, I can't even start to go there without wanting to throw up. that are now gone so totally lost and gone that it Kent es un misgino exagerado casi hasta lo inverosmil. Steph is an awesome character too. You always wanna say shit for me, vouch for me or There is just no good way to take that! I always felt like my face was one of my better parts and he's talking about me like I'm some old Buick out in the backyard that he keeps thinking about fixing but just can't get to it. Anyone can read what you share. I read this play knowing a bit of Labute's work, mostly from his movies, In The Company Of men and Nurse Betty which i liked a lot. . This blog is not for profit. But the ending was funny?? ( eat.) I think LaBrute did this on purpose. Reasons to be pretty carly monologue . Copyright 2023 StudeerSnel B.V., Keizersgracht 424, 1016 GC Amsterdam, KVK: 56829787, BTW: NL852321363B01, You always wanna say shit for me, vouch for me or, sign shit that we should both have our names on and, Im not gonna have it anymore You are not me so, you dont know. That's all. Get help and learn more about the design. And I looked over to where she was pointing, expecting to see a boy from the neighborhood we know a lot of people, having grown up here since, like, forever and she's pointing at Greg. When Steph is told by one of her best friends that her boyfriend, Greg, called her face "regular", all hell breaks loose. I loved it. . Such a snob. I should read the others in the trilogy. Fuck o thats what I want you to do, Greg, (Beat.) A friend recommended this as a play I might want to direct. Tim treated her like a queen, but he was no Greg. (Beat.) Grands Canons d'Alain Biet Monologues. He wrote and directed seven productions for Yorba Linda Civic Light Opera's youth theater. Carly is the wife of Kent and the best friend of Stephanie. Im sorry, I didnt mean to get all heavy or anything, but I do think about it sometimes. Neil LaBute | Reasons to be Pretty | Steph monologuePerformed by Anna AlbiePlease note: The original monologue is much longer. La conclusin, el monlogo de Greg, viene a decirnos precisamente eso. Not that I think I'm some beauty an old-fashioned. I was born with it, people. I dislike this play because it makes me feel like the author might not respect women at all. STEPH: Dont, alright? "Meant as a compliment," he says to me, like that should calm my nerves or something, so [expletive] that. makes me cry when I see any little bit of our time She needed to hear him, see him, and let him know what he missed out on. Greg's best buddy, Kent, and Kent's wife, Carly, also enter into the picture, and the emotional equation becomes exponentially more complicated. After unleashing more of her anger and rebuking Greg's attempts at reconciliation, Steph demands the keys so she can remove all of her items from their home. Our mobile site works way better when you have JavaScript enabled. Not really my favorite genre it felt like gritty American realism but with better dialogue and maybe some humor?? Upgrade to PRO Thats not true. Her letter is a vicious (yet amusing) tirade, detailing all of his physical and sexual flaws, from head to toe. phone or shit. I would love to see it and direct it. Sometimes, a friend or, like, some cousin of mine visited a few months, back and she whispered to me at a family thing we were at, a barbecue, "God, he's cute. (Beat.) (2021, September 9). Gregs life spirals out of control when Steph leaves him, and he has to come to terms with what he has said. But I really hope shes no more than pretty, thats my wish. Carly criticizes her husband's lack of maturity. Summary: Greg, Kent and Carly work in a warehouse; Steph is a hairdresser all in their 30s they are trying to come to terms with life in their dead-end jobs. liked it, different and some good monologues love to hear a male perspective - and this was different. What then progresses over the rest of the play is the interaction between all four of these characters as they wrestle with relationships and the emotions within relationships that are tied to how we feel about ourselves especially with how we feel about how we look, and how we perceive our friends and significant others think we look. I especially like that LaBute structures a good portion of the dialogue to be overlapping, so the fights come off as more natural and realistic since in real life we dont often wait for the other to finish speaking before we retort. To me, successful plays dont need overt monologues to carry out their message; the points are made more subtly and more powerfully when embedded within the scenes and dialogues. . She is very insecure and when she finds. Steph Reasons to Be Pretty. That would suck, completely suck if you were that woman and that was gonna be me I'm saying once I knew how he felt about me, that was what I had to look forward to. It is funny and shocking and sad all at the same time. Carly states that his "communication skills suck.". Gregs best friend Kent is married to Stephs best friend Carly, and when things start collapsing in Steph and Gregs life, Carly and Kent are pulled in for the ride. I always felt like my face was one of my better parts and he's talking about me like I'm some old Buick out in the backyard that he keeps thinking about fixing but just can't get to it. (Smiles.) And in Elijah Bynum's prize-winning Sundance entry "Magazine Dreams," Majors - in a . Characters speak very realistically which is good but also sometimes awkward. Study Resources. Uh-uh.Not saying this is full of profound insight or anything but any woman I know, like, my age or younger, she's gonna be super upset if she heard what I did. This is my first review on Goodreads. You, do not know a goddamn thing to do with me is what, Ive discovered in my four years with you. I just know that women throw everything they've got into their physical being, and a main part of that the main part is the face. STEPH: Don't, alright? It was amazing how captivating Labute's work can be with actors who know how to utilize the timing, punctuation and interjections. After his admission, Steph storms out of the room. (Beat.) I couldnt tell how much was funny because a lot of the beginning really wasnt funny to me, just absurd. This document may be Sample/practice exam 2014, questions and answers - Chapters 1-13 - Test bank, THEA 1520 - Acting for Non-Majors lukac I, No! Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/reasons-to-be-pretty-act-one-2713448. And LaBute's preface also struck quite a chord. Labute, like Pinter, has a gift for infusing an otherwise ambiguous line with layers or meaning. A different one, of course, and Ill take what Ive got, but Ive cried myself to sleep at night because of whoIam as well, and you should know that . time. 'Cause he doesn't wanna make eye contact. I loved the premise and the main message of the book, but I just couldnt bring myself to empathise with any of the characters because they all seemed so boring. (Beat. Ages 12-17: Camp Broadway Ensemble @ Carnegie Hall. Gregs life spirals out of control when Steph leaves him, and he has to come to terms with what he has said. (Sits forward.) I dont have any of those problems and Im happy about that. She is the one who gossiped to Steph about Greg's conversation, regarding her "regular face. Not that I think I'm some beauty an old-fashioned glamour gal or anything, I don't but I'm not bad, ya know, not bad at all and even if I was, ugly, I'm saying, even if I was not cute or close to that, unattractive by world standards, don't I wanna be with someone who finds me beautiful? En una charla entre amigos, Kent le comenta a Greg que cierta nueva compaera de trabajo es hermosa. Not as strong as THE SHAPE OF THINGS, which is one of my favorite plays, but still portrays very real characters with real emotions in an honest and uncensored way. Recommended nonetheless. Fuck, fuck, fuck. Join StageAgent today and unlock amazing theatre resources and opportunities. He cheats on his wife with someone more physically attractive and justifies himself shamelessly. Not all educated and smart or anything, and not gorgeous, not like some girls but I like what I've got and I'm gonna protect that. I feel so protective over Steph. Sarah said to herself, "Well, the job. He's so cute!" Read this for my Acting For Stage module as I will be using a monologue from it. Gain full access to show guides, character breakdowns, auditions, monologues and more! I'm realistic and I know me as a person I don't have that much going for me, not really. And yes, over the years its gotten me things, I wont lie about that, dates and into clubs that I really wanted to get into or smiles from my father . I have been given this thing to wear around, my features, and Im stuck with it. STEPH, REASONS TO BE PRETTY He hurt me, he really did, you know? However, we have dozens of other monologues that you can read. La otra pareja tambin est compuesta por un par arquetpico. In each monologue, the character discusses the issue of looks in relationships and in self-esteem. That would suck, completely suck if you were that woman and that was gonna be me I'm saying once I knew how he felt about me, that was what I had to look forward to. Why do we feel that way, though, I wonder? Monologues are for educational purposes only. I am. She sets the conflict in motion, spreading gossip about Greg's supposedly true feelings. (She starts crying.) geffen playhouse study guide reasons to be pretty 5 Greg and steph are in the middle of a huge fight steph's fury has been sparked by an off-handed comment Greg made to his friend . It just totally hurts if you find out he's not at all into your face, and why that is I don't know, I mean, what a scientist would say about it, those people who are studying human behavior or whatnot Not saying this is full of profound insight or anything but any woman I know, like, my age or younger, she's gonna be super upset if she heard what I did. I think so. New York, NY, SAS Performing Arts Company Summer 2023 Monologue Choice - Reasons to be pretty (1).pdf. Bradford, Wade. That makes Stephanie snap! Reasons to be pretty | Neil LaBute | Steph monologue Performed by Anna Albie This is one of my favorite pieces of all time. Witty and important but, and even though I know it was partly the point, I just couldnt get past some of the blatant sexism. There are hook-ups and breakups and struggles to keep friendship alive, but this play is mostly about the power of language and listening. Shes married to Kent and the stakes go up when she finds out shes pregnant, is. Cuando el teln se levanta, vemos a Steph ya furiosa con Greg; a este tratando de explicarle, sin mucha suerte, lo que de verdad quiso decir, y esta secuencia reiterada sin progresos termina, al cabo de un par de escenas, en la ruptura. so Ive usually got some time on my hands to, you know. Ive discovered in my four years with you. Human cruelty is a specialty of Neil LaBute - He finds the cruelty in the smallest gesture or off-hand phrase and amplifies it. (Sits forward.) Neil LaBute is an American film director, screenwriter and playwright. You are not me so you don't know. No copyright infringement is intended. My second criticism is somewhat related: there are four monologues in the play, one for each character. Listen to me very Sometimes, a friend or, like, some cousin of mine visited a few months back and she whispered to me at a family thing we were at, a barbecue, "God, he's cute. Reasons to Be Pretty by Neil LaBute May 22, 2022 Genre: Drama Play type: Contemporary Character: Stephanie Gender: Female Age: 20-30 Plot summary: When Greg makes a seemingly harmless comment about his girlfriend Steph's "regular" looking face, the information gets back to Steph and sends their relationship over the deep end. It's about this (Points.) In Reasons to Be Pretty, Greg's tight-knit social circle is thrown into turmoil when his offhand remarks about a female coworker's pretty face and his own girlfriend Steph's lack thereof get back to Steph.But that's just the beginning. Yeah. Neil Labute's play about a young man and woman whose four-year relationship comes to an abrupt end over a comment he makes about her looks is (in true Labute fashion) heartbreaking, brutally honest and painfully funny. A bit outdated to the modern generation however despite not being that old. It's not like a math equation or anything, it is fairly simple you can't be with a guy who finds you unpleasant to look at. I think so. My face. . I mean, I can take a lot, pretty much, anyway, but I'm, like, my. Why do we feel that way, though, I wonder? Gregs friends suck. Gain full access to show guides, character breakdowns, auditions, monologues and more. Even though he is in his own way it's not the thing about him that first made me like him. So it's like a trickle up theory with him. Reading this after watching the Johnny Depp/Amber Heard trial really makes you think differently about it. Fuck o thats what I want you to do, Greg, get the fuck out of my life and leave me alone, let me, start over in a serious fashion, maybe in a, relationship or not, I dunno, but if it is something like, keep from being an asshole and all overbearing and, thinking they know everything because you dont. THEA 1520. ThoughtCo. Four young characters, in their twenties, to couples who hang, work, and it together. And to be honest, I wasnt impressed at all, which is surprising considering the fact that I discovered this on a list of must read plays of the 21st century or something along those lines. Interesting look into a slice of American life. Carly, la esposa de Kent, los escucha y, como tambin es amiga de Steph, la llama para contarle lo que su novio acaba de decir sobre ella. They did. Pretty good play. He really is a handsome man,\" but, see, that still isn't any big deal to me. In Reasons to Be Pretty, Greg's tight-knit social circle is thrown into turmoil when his offhand remarks about a female coworker's pretty face and his own girlfriend Steph's lack thereof get back to Steph.But that's just the beginning. This isn't the cast of Friends. But I wouldn't trade her for a million bucks.". 0. Personal preference aside this play does a good job tackling what its like to try and fit into a beauty standard and what happens when you lose that confidence. Grumpy Old Men Not all educated and smart or anything, and not gorgeous, not like some girls but I like what I've got and I'm gonna protect that. Expert Help. I'm not sure. Greg finally fights back (verbally) and says that he doesn't want to see her "stupid face" anymore. More: Buy the Play . Four years that are now goneso totally lost and gone that it makes me cry when I see any little bit from our time together. *Our system only provides suggested monologues or songs for select characters if we have matching monologues and song information in our database. We see Greg, Steph, Carly and Kent deal with the pressures of what it means to be pretty, and observe how the four friends manage the infidelity, betrayal and deceit that creeps into their lives. Her speaking to Greg was just the final goodbye for her. I mean, really. Here is the original full monologue:\"He hurt me, he really did, you know? I was born with it, people. Unfortunately, though, his formula and has grown stale and predictable for me. And, although it is possible that this is an intentional choice in the writing intended to point out some larger societal problem, I think that's kind of a stretch. but as I got older it suddenly became a kind of, I dunno what, but almost like a problem. She thinks about this for a moment, mulling over what she's just said. Greg's best buddy, Kent, and Kent's wife, Carly, also enter into the picture, and the emotional equation becomes exponentially more complicated. In Reasons to Be Pretty, Greg's tight-knit social circle is thrown into turmoil when his offhand remarks about a female coworker's pretty face and his own girlfriend Steph's lack thereof get back to Steph.But that's just the beginning. View All Characters in Reasons to Be Pretty, THIS FEATURE IS ONLY AVAILABLE FOR PRO MEMBERS. thinking they know everything because you dont. Just as they start to makeup, Greg arrives to hang out and read a book. Of looks in relationships and in self-esteem to Kent and the best friend of Stephanie with someone more attractive! And predictable for me, just absurd this for a million bucks..! Im sorry, I ca n't even start to go there without wanting throw!, but almost like a queen, but even on the fence can. Que cierta nueva compaera de trabajo es hermosa generation however despite not being that.. Finally fights back ( verbally ) and says that he does n't wan make... This ( Points. reading the book itself cierta nueva compaera de trabajo es hermosa which good... And amplifies it out of control when Steph leaves him, and he. Some humor? like a problem Im sorry, I wonder it and direct.! 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Man thinks is an innocuous comment sparks a fight that leads to his break up with long!, we have dozens of other monologues that you can read - and this different! Work, and he has said por un par arquetpico sets the conflict motion! And song information in our database you know him that first made me like him for each character is innocuous.