Build a character for your monologue
Create a fictional character for a short monologue by designing appearance, personality, and backstory, then practice performing their voice, gestures, and emotions.
Step-by-step guide to build a character for your monologue
Step 1
Choose a fun name and an age for your character.
Step 2
Pick three physical traits your character has such as hair type height or a special mark.
Step 3
Draw your character on paper.
Step 4
Color your drawing using your colouring materials.
Step 5
Choose three personality traits that describe how your character behaves.
Step 6
Write one short sentence about where your character comes from.
Step 7
Write one short sentence about your characters biggest goal or secret.
Step 8
Decide the single topic your monologue will be about in one sentence.
Step 9
Choose three emotions your character will feel during the monologue.
Step 10
Write one short line for each of the three emotions on index cards or sticky notes.
Step 11
Stand in front of the mirror and practice one line using a voice that fits your character.
Step 12
Pick one clear gesture for your character and practice it while saying the same line.
Step 13
Perform the full monologue from start to finish using your chosen voice gestures and emotions for about one minute.
Step 14
Share your finished creation on DIY.org
Final steps
You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!
Help!?
What can we use if we don't have index cards, sticky notes, or colouring materials?
If you don't have index cards, sticky notes, or colouring materials you can tear scrap paper or use the back of envelopes for the emotion lines and color the drawing with colored pencils, markers, crayons, or a drawing app before sharing on DIY.org.
I'm having trouble remembering lines and switching emotions during the performance—what should I try?
If you forget lines or can't switch between the three emotions during the full monologue, tape your three emotion cards in order next to the mirror, label which short line goes with each emotion, and rehearse each card with the chosen voice and single gesture until you can flow through the one-minute performance.
How can I change the activity for different ages?
For younger kids simplify to two personality traits, two emotions, a 20–30 second monologue and one gesture, while older kids can add a written backstory, more detailed drawing and a longer one-minute performance to share on DIY.org.
How can we make the character and monologue more interesting or personal?
Enhance the activity by making a small prop or costume piece that matches a physical trait, recording the one-minute performance on a phone with simple background music and title cards showing the character's name and goal, then upload the video to DIY.org.
Watch videos on how to build a character for your monologue
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Facts about acting and character development for kids
🎭 Hamlet’s “To be, or not to be” is one of the most famous monologues and has been performed for over 400 years.
🎬 Konstantin Stanislavski developed practical techniques like “given circumstances” to help actors build believable characters and backstories.
🗣️ Researchers note that tone and body language often carry much of the emotional message, so your gestures and voice matter a lot.
🎤 Voice actors change pitch, pace, and accent to create different characters—small tweaks can make a voice totally new.
🧩 Writing even a short backstory (a few paragraphs) helps actors make consistent choices about how a character moves, speaks, and reacts.
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