Pollyanna Audition Monologue and Scene Preview
Below are some selected monologues and scenes from "Pollyanna." We'll have this material in printed form at the audition. It is simply provided here for preview. Those auditioning will be asked to choose one of the monologues to present on stage. Memorization of the monologues is not required. You may simply read it. As you deliver the words from the script try to show your energy and personality. We may also ask some of you to read some of the selected scenes with other auditioners. Again, you don't have to memorize anything. We're looking forward to seeing you and working with you.
PS- If you care to, you may download the full script to preview by clicking here. Be advised though, we are still revising, so the final script may be different from your download. We will provide finalized printed scripts for all the cast members at the first rehearsal.
Aunt Polly:
Nancy, I need to speak with you. Nancy…you and Martha will need to prepare for a new resident to our household, my niece, Pollyanna Whittier.
This is not something I’m looking forward to Nancy, but Pollyanna is my duty. You see she is the daughter of my late sister. Her father recently passed away as well.
So you see, I am her only living relative. It is therefore my duty to provide her with a home. I trust that you will make all the necessary arrangements.
Please .put her in the upstairs bedroom.
Monologues
Pollyanna:
I know...but she doesn’t want me to talk about my father. And I loved my father and my mother. And I miss them. And talking about them makes me feel better. My father taught me the Glad Game. You see, one Christmas I was hoping and praying to receive a doll in the mission barrel.
Instead, all I found was a pair of crutches. My father said, well at least you can be glad that you don’t need the crutches. From then on we always looked to find the good side of things.That’s The Glad Game.
Nancy:
You have an interesting point of view. The room will be nicer when we can open the window. Your Aunt has ordered a screen and when it arrives we’ll be able to air the room out, without letting in any flies. Your aunt is obsessed about keeping flies out of the house. Oh...it won’t be so bad. Your Aunt is really very...dutiful. I’m sure you’ll be happy here. Well, then you can talk to me about your mother and father. And Tom and Tim and even Martha. And all the other people here who work for your Aunt Polly.
Mr. John Pendleton:
Your mother, Pollyanna. I loved her very much. And I think she loved me too, for a while. But then she met your father....and she broke my heart. They got married and left town. I never saw her again. But I’ve never stopped loving her. Child, you’ve sparked a memory in me that gives me a reason to live. I would like you to come and live with me. Let me adopt you and let me raise you as my heir. I built this house to share with her. It’s a good house, but it’s never been a home. If you came here, it would finally be a home, Pollyanna.
Dr. Edmund Chilton:
Polly, you and I cannot let our history stand in the way of getting this girl the help she needs. You and I were afraid to take a chance, once. And so we’ve spent our lives being miserable. Your sister stepped up and took a chance, and though her life was short....she made the most of it. And she gave us Pollyanna. We can’t deny Pollyanna the chance to live her life to fullest, just because we were afraid. We can’t do it Polly.
Any character or ensemble member:
Pollyanna was so excited by Dr. Chilton’s revelation, she took off like a butterfly in a daffodil patch. She couldn’t wait to get home to tell us the news. She wasn’t really paying attention where was going...and as she ran across Brickman Road, she failed to notice the oncoming motor car. (SFX( We were all was in shock. Little Miss Pollyanna had touched the lives of everyone in this town. We got her into her bed, waiting for her to wake up. Miss Polly never left her side. When Pollyanna finally opened her eyes she had no idea what had happened to her.
Rev. Ford or any character/ensemble member :
Brothers and sisters. By now you have all heard the terrible news. Sweet Pollyanna, who has become such a cherished members of our community has confronted a terrible accident, which has left her with serious injuries. As you know, my friends, Pollyanna always tried to find the good in everything. She consistently sought reasons to be glad. It was Pollyanna who emphasized the happy verses. So as we join together in petitioning her recovery, let us keep her positive spirit in the forefront of our prayers..
#1 Nancy, Pollyanna
Nancy: You have an interesting point of view. The room will be nicer when we can open the window. Your Aunt has ordered a screen and when it arrives we’ll be able to air the room out, without letting in any flies. Your aunt is obsessed about keeping flies out of the house.
Pollyanna: (Sadder) I see.
Nancy: (She puts her arm around her) Oh...it won’t be so bad. Your Aunt is really very...dutiful. I’m sure you’ll be happy here.
Pollyanna: I know...but she doesn’t want me to talk about my father. And I loved my father and my mother. And I miss them.
And talking about them makes me feel better.
Nancy: Well, then you can talk to me about them. And Tom and Tim and even Martha. And all the other people here who work for your Aunt Polly.
Pollyanna: Really. Well, the best thing is the game.
Nancy: The game?
Pollyanna: Yes, the Glad Game. My father taught it to me. You see, one Christmas I was hoping and praying to receive a doll in the mission barrel.
Instead, all I found was a pair of crutches. My father said, well at least you can be glad that you don’t need the crutches.
From then on we always looked to find the good side of things. That’s The Glad Game.
Nancy: What an interesting game. I like that, I think. But I’m not quite sure I understand...
Selected Scenes
#2 Millie, Pollyanna, Mrs. Snow
Pollyanna knocks
Millie: Yes?
Pollyanna: (Very pleasant) Hello. I’m Pollyanna Whittier. I’m Miss Polly Harrington’s niece. I’ve come to visit Mrs. Snow.
Millie: Oh, you have, have you? Well, I wish you luck. She’s in there.
(Pollyanna moves to a very dark area of the stage. Mrs. Snow is in her wheelchair )
Pollyanna: Hello? Hello? Mrs. Snow?
Mrs. Snow: (Grouchy) Who is it? What do you want?
Pollyanna: It’s Pollyanna Whittier, Mrs. Snow. I’m Miss Polly Harrington’s niece. I’ve come to visit with you today. I’d like to try to cheer you up.
Mrs. Snow: Do you have any idea how ill I am. You can’t cheer me up. Nobody can!
Pollyanna: I’ve brought you some calve’s foot jelly Mrs. Snow. Yum! Yum!
Mrs. Snow: Hmm. I’d rather have some lamb’s broth.
Pollyanna: Oh, yes. I was told you always wanted something you weren’t given. I’m so sorry you’re ill.
Mrs. Snow: Do you have any idea how many winks of sleeps I had last night?
Pollyanna: Uhm...twelve?
Mrs. Snow: None!
Pollyanna: Hmm, not one wink of sleep....well that’s not much. Let’s see, how can we play the game with that?
Mrs. Snow: What game?
Pollyanna: The Glad Game. Now let’s see. You can be glad that you didn’t lose any time sleeping, when there are so many other things to do! Isn’t that lucky?
Mrs. Snow: That’s a silly game.
#3
Mrs. Bouregard:....it’s so important to further subsidize our commitment to the mission....
Mrs. McGillicutty:...no--the church roof...the roof must be our priority.
Mrs. Hoffinfeffer: The weathervane on Main Street is creaking .....creaking very badly. I’d wager it could be heard in the next county. We must have it repaired.
Mrs. Bouregard: The mission in Bombay is in the most dreadful of financial states. Our help is urgently needed
Rev. Ford: Ladies, please....
Pollyanna: Excuse me.
Mrs. McGillicutty: And what about the ladder?
Mrs. Hoffinfeffer: Oh, yes...we must commission a ladder to have proper access to the town hall bell tower.
Mrs. Bouregard: India, I say. India! India! India!
Mrs. McGillicutty: Why are you so obsessed....
Pollyanna: Might I speak!!!
Silence
Rev. Ford: Has your aunt sent you?
Pollyanna: No. I’m here on my own. I know a lot about Ladies Aid. They used to help me all the time. But today, I’ve come to you about my friend Jimmy Bean. He’s an orphan who has lost his place at the orphanage. He’s all alone and needs someone to take care of him. Someone has to show him that the world is a good place...a happy place. He needs to learn that life is a wonderful gift. One of you nice rich ladies must have a place in your home for Jimmy Bean. He’s willing to work for his place.
Various ad libs...mostly negative.
Rev. Ford: Well, ladies, perhaps we could help this young man from our town.
Mrs. Bouregard: Miss, can you tell us how this boy got into such a mess?
Pollyanna: He didn’t ask to be in this situation. It’ not his fault.
Mrs. McGillicutty: Hmm. We’ll I guess we’ve all heard that before.
Pollyanna: Please....Jimmy’s more important than some stupid weather vane!
Mrs. Hoffinfeffer: Young lady, perhaps your aunt needs to explain to you the heavy burdens already extended to our funds.
#4 Tim, Nancy, Tom, Martha, Tom and Pollyanna
Nancy: So our girl Pollyanna was a bit of a hero to the town, crank, Mr. John Pendleton.
Tom: I’ll say it again. Mr. Pendleton wasn’t always a crank. He used to be a really nice man.
Nancy: Well, what happened?
Tom: Oh....it’s just not my place to say.
Martha: Just because someone is occasionally cranky...that doesn’t make them a crank! (Pollyanna enters) Does it?
Pollyanna: Of course not Martha. Of course not. May I have a jar of calves foot jelly?
Martha: For Mrs. Snow?
Pollyanna: No...I wanted to take it to Mr. Pendleton.
Martha: That crank? You’d better ask your Aunt Polly about that.
Pollyanna: OK, Martha. Thank you. You look lovely today. (She exits)
Martha: I guess she’s not such a brat after all.
Tim: (Entering with bouquet) Excuse me Nancy. These are for you.
Nancy: (Somewhat surprised) Thank you Tim. They’re lovely.
Tim: (Sheepish) Lovely as you Nancy.
Both are a bit embarrassed
Tim: I picked them on the way back from looking at the mayor’s new motorcar. I’ll tell you Nancy. Talk about lovely. That auto is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. (Nancy exits in a huff.) What??!!
#5 Aunt Polly, Pollyanna
Pollyanna: Aunt Polly?
Aunt Polly: Hello Pollyanna. Welcome. (extending her hand)
Pollyanna: (Running to her and embracing her) Oh Aunt Polly, hello. It’s so wonderful to meet you. You have a beautiful house. You must be very rich. I’m so lucky.
Aunt Polly: (Pushing her off) Pollyanna. I prefer that physical displays of affection be kept to an absolute minimum.
Pollyanna: (Pulling back) Oh..I see. Well, as my father would say....I can be glad to look forward to such a minimum occasion.
Aunt Polly: Yes. Now, Pollyanna, Nancy will take you upstairs to your room. Dinner is at six.
Pollyanna: Aunt Polly, as rich as you are, do you have ice cream everyday?
Aunt Polly: How absurd. No, Pollyanna....not every day. In fact, never!
Pollyanna: Oh, I see. Well, I guess I can be glad that by not eating ice cream, I’m not likely to get a stomach ache. That’s what my father used to say.
Aunt Polly: Pollyanna. I want to make one thing perfectly clear. I have no interest, whatever in what your father used to say. I would strongly urge you to forget about him and begin your life anew! I hope you understand that. Now Martha will ring the bell for dinner. Don’t be late. Nancy? (Aunt Polly exits.)
# 6 Mr. Pendleton, Pollyanna
Pendleton: (Chuckles) I have something for you too. A little thank you gift for helping me so well. (He hands her a box. She opens it and pulls out a shimmering glass necklace.)
Pollyanna: My, it’s beautiful. It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.
Pendleton: Of, course you’re a little young to wear such jewelry. I bought it many years ago for someone else...someone of whom you remind me.
Pollyanna: Oh, I think I know who you mean.
Pendleton: You do?
Pollyanna: (Holding up the necklace) Goodness, look at the colors?
Pendleton: It’s acting as a prism reflecting the light of the sun.
Pollyanna: Like a rainbow. It’s so lovely.
Pendleton: I’m glad you like it.
Pollyanna: Mr. Pendleton. (A statement) The person you bought this for was my Aunt Polly, wasn’t it.
Pendleton: What? No Pollyanna, not your aunt.
Pollyanna: Oh, it’s just that I had heard that you were once engaged to Aunt Polly, and that you were very happy then, but something went wrong.
Pendleton: (Lightly chuckling) No Pollyanna. You’ve got it a little bit wrong.
Pollyanna: I do?
Pendleton: I was not engaged to Polly Harrington. I was engaged to Jenny Harrington.
Pollyanna: Jenny Harrington?
Pendleton: Your mother, Pollyanna. I loved her very much. And I think she loved me too, for a while. But then she met your father....and she broke my heart. They got married and left town. I never saw her again. But I’ve never stopped loving her.
Pollyanna: Oh, Mr. Pendleton (She hugs him)
#7 Tim and Nancy
Tim: (Carrying a bigger bouquet of flowers) Hello there Nancy.
Nancy: Hello Tim.
Tim: These are for you.
Nancy: Well, they certainly are....big.
Tim: Yes. (As if reciting) They’re as big as my affection is for you Nancy.
Nancy: Really. Well, that’s a very nice thought Tim. I feel a certain ....affection for you too.
Tim: You do!!! That’s wonderful Nancy.
Nancy: But Tim, did you pick these on the way home from looking at somebody’s motorcar?
Tim: Oh, no Nancy. I made a special trip to Miller’s Meadow and picked each flower especially for you.
Nancy: Really? Well, that’s very nice, Tim.
Tim: Nancy, would you like to take a walk with me?
Nancy: Now?
Tim: Sure why not?
Nancy: Why not indeed. (Tim extends his hand. Nancy takes it)
#8 Jimmy, Gianna, Hortense, JoAnn
Jimmy: Cinnamon! That’s my favorite smell. Cinnamon!
Pollyanna: Oooh! I love the smell of cinnamon. I’m Pollyanna Whittier. My aunt is Miss Polly Harrington. I’m new here.
Jimmy: I’m Jimmy Bean. I’m an orphan. But the orphanage doesn’t have room for me anymore. Are you rich?
Pollyanna: I’m not, but my aunt is.
Jimmy: Maybe she could adopt me. I’d work for my keep.
Pollyanna: I don’t know. Aunt Polly is just getting used to having me around. I don’t know if she’s ready to add someone else to her household.
Jimmy: Oh. Sure. I understand.
Gianna: (entering with other orphans) Hey, Jimmy. Where’d you get off to?
Jimmy: I’m looking for a place to stay. They’re kicking me out of the orphanage
Pollyanna: Why are they doing that?
Jimmy: They don’t have enough room. I was the last one in, so I’m the first one out. This is Pollyanna. She’s rich.
Hortense: Hi Pollyanna. What’s it like to be rich?
Pollyanna: I don’t really have any idea. I’ve always been very poor. It’s my aunt who is rich.
Jimmy: I wish I was rich!
Gianna: Me too.
JoAnn: Me three!!! (All laugh)
Aunt Polly:
Pollyanna. I want to make one thing perfectly clear. I have no interest, whatever in what your father used to say. I would strongly urge you to forget about him and begin your life anew! I hope you understand that. Now Martha will ring the bell for dinner. Don’t be late!