1-minute dramatic monologue
Through the Door
Short dramatic monologue for beginners: an apology through a closed door to a friend you lost touch with, and the honest reason you stayed away.
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Length
- 145 words · ~58 sec
- Skills
- emotional honesty, vulnerability, using silence
- License
- CC BY 4.0
The script
I know you're there. I can see your shadow under the door. You still pace when you're mad. Four years, and you still pace.
You don't have to open it. You don't have to say anything. I just need to say this, and then I'll go.
I had a whole speech. I practiced it on the bus, and the man next to me said it was very moving. It had reasons in it. Good reasons. The new job, the move, how busy everything got.
(the turn, putting the speech down)None of that's true. Well, it's true. But it's not why.
You got the scholarship. The one we both applied for. I said congratulations, and I meant about half of it. The other half stopped calling you, because that was easier than admitting it.
I was jealous. That's it. That's the whole speech.
(a long beat; the lock turns)...Hi. You cut your hair. It suits you.
Script by SceneDub (scenedub.com), CC BY 4.0. Original script drafted with AI assistance and edited by SceneDub; any resemblance to existing characters is coincidental.
Practise it now
The teleprompter scrolls at the speed you set in words per minute. Tick "Record audio while reading" to capture a take; the audio stays in your browser until you download it.
Coaching notes
- 'You still pace when you're mad' should carry a little fondness. You know this person well, and the listener should hear that before anything else.
- The prepared speech is armor. Read 'Good reasons' a little too briskly, then let 'None of that's true' land like you've just set the speech down on the floor.
- 'I was jealous. That's it.' needs no help. Say it plainly and quietly, then take a real pause before the lock turns. Keep the relief on 'Hi' small and shaky.
Try it three more ways
- Play it as someone who has been crying in the hallway before the piece begins.
- Read it as a proud person for whom every honest word costs something real.
- Try it with the friend making small sounds behind the door, a sigh, a step, and react to each one.
Take it further
More scripts to practise
Frequently asked questions
How long is the "Through the Door" script?
145 spoken words, about 58 sec at a conversational 150 words per minute and 1 min 7 sec at a slower 130 wpm. Your take will vary with pauses and character choices.
Can I use this script in my voice acting demo reel?
Yes. SceneDub's original scripts are licensed CC BY 4.0. You can perform, record, edit, and publish them, including in demo reels, classes, and auditions, as long as you credit "Script by SceneDub (scenedub.com), CC BY 4.0" where you share the recording or the text.
How should I practise this script?
Read it silently once, then perform it with the direction above: tender, nervous, increasingly honest, halting, then slower and plainer. Record a take with the teleprompter, listen back, and try one of the alternate reads to stretch your range.