1-minute dramatic monologue
Stay on the Line
Dramatic monologue for auditions: an emergency dispatcher keeps a frightened child on the line until help arrives. Calm voice, high stakes.
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Length
- 153 words · ~1 min 1 sec
- Skills
- vocal control, subtext, pacing under pressure, imagined scene partner
- License
- CC BY 4.0
The script
Okay, Leo, you're doing great. My name's Jo. Is Grandpa still breathing? Put your hand on his chest. Is it going up and down? Good. That's really good.
The ambulance is coming. I can see it on my map, and it's getting closer. I need you to stay with me until they knock, okay?
(he wants to hang up)No, don't hang up. I know you want to call your mom. But right now you're the one in charge, and you're doing it perfectly.
Tell me something. What's your dog's name? Biscuit? Great name. Is Biscuit sitting with Grandpa? Good dog.
(steady, hiding the urgency)Leo, I need you to unlock the front door. Leave the phone right there and come straight back. I'll wait. I'm not going anywhere.
(a long wait, then relief)...You're back. Good. Do you hear that? That's them. Those are the sirens. You did it, buddy.
Yes, you can hang up now. You were very brave. Go open the door.
(the line clears; to herself, finally shaking)Okay. Breathe.
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
- Your voice is the tool here. Keep it low, slow, and smiling on 'you're doing great,' even though every line underneath is urgent. Leo should never hear the fear.
- The dog question is a change of tactic. Brighten on 'Biscuit? Great name,' as if it's the best thing you've heard all night, to pull him back from panic.
- The wait while Leo unlocks the door is the hardest beat. Hold a real silence, let it stretch, and release only on 'You're back.' Save the shake for 'Okay. Breathe.'
Try it three more ways
- Play a dispatcher in her first week, holding it together with much less certainty.
- Read it as a veteran who has taken a thousand calls like this and still cares about every one.
- Try it with Leo crying throughout, so you have to work harder for every answer.
Take it further
More scripts to practise
Frequently asked questions
How long is the "Stay on the Line" script?
153 spoken words, about 1 min 1 sec at a conversational 150 words per minute and 1 min 11 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: warm, calm, and steady over hidden urgency, slow and deliberate, with tense silences. Record a take with the teleprompter, listen back, and try one of the alternate reads to stretch your range.