She wants to be with someone who sees her as beautiful. "Reasons to Be Pretty" Plot Summary of Act One. Just as they start to makeup, Greg arrives to hang out and read a book. A real bother that I dont have any control over. Summary of the play Reasons to be Pretty meet the characters: steph is the central argument of the play. There is just no good way to take that! . . Shes married to Kent and the stakes go up when she finds out shes pregnant, is. from Girelle production, Another Young Couple (Sits forward.) He's got a good. (Beat.) . Una resolucin un tanto burda para un conflicto dramtico. She is the one who gossiped to Steph about Greg's conversation, regarding her "regular face. Id almost rather it was a situation where she was oblivious to itnot blind or anything, I wouldnt wish that on her, but close. 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. But I really hope shes no more than pretty, thats my wish. I mean, really. I'm realistic and I know me as a person I don't have that much going for me, not really. hvor voldelig hun er. Steph meets Greg in neutral territory: a restaurant at lunchtime. La otra pareja tambin est compuesta por un par arquetpico. Here is the original full monologue:\"He hurt me, he really did, you know? 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. VERY LaBute. He is crude, down-to-earth, and believes that his life is better than perfect. CARLY: Im very attractive. 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 . carly works as a security guard s asteph nurses her hurt feelings, Greg struggles to understand what he did wrong, Kent pursues I performed the Greg and Steph restaurant scene for my Acting final. And I looked over to where she was pointing, expecting to see a boy from the. She thinks about this for a moment, mulling over what she's just said. Der er gode replikker og elementer i historien og skuespillerne gr det godt, men stykket er ogs dybt problematisk, er p afgrende punkter usammenhngende og nr p ingen mde reelt ind p emnet med nogeninteressante observationer. to be this object, some thing that people cant help gawking at. She needed to hear him, see him, and let him know what he missed out on. I think so. He hurt me, he really did, you know? . I havent watched the play, so my only impression of Reasons To Be Pretty comes from reading the book itself. STEPH, REASONS TO BE PRETTY He hurt me, he really did, you know? He also doesn't regard his wife as a worthy individual, he thinks she is his possession and the fact that she's beautiful makes him look good. Carly es fsicamente atractiva, y lo vive como una especie de carga; Kent, obsesionado con la belleza femenina, ve su relacin con Carly como una marca de estatus, pero tambin persigue activamente relaciones con otras mujeres. time. . THEA 1520. (Sits forward.) More: Buy the Play Expert Help. It is funny and shocking and sad all at the same time. Breakdown. Im not gonna have it anymore You are not me so You Reasons to be Pretty - Steph - YouTube A monologue from Neil LaBute's Reasons to be Pretty.The Character of Steph from page.34 onwards.Greg. . Greg, the protagonist, spends most of his life trying to explain his misunderstood intentions to others. He really is a handsome man," but, see, that still isn't any big deal to me. It's weird, because as I was reading this, I had the impression that Neil LaBute may be getting script inspiration from Maury Povich, but then I also saw the germs of actual interesting good ideas in the play and thought that maybe a (sorry Neil) better playwright would read this and craft something really tragic and amazing. (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. Her speaking to Greg was just the final goodbye for her. I am. Because if he's willing to say that, even to a friend, then you can bet he's probably thinking even more than you know about. I can't stress enough how great these LA Theatre Works performances are. That her boyfriend thinks her face is \"OK.\" You can't swallow that down and find a way to come up smiling or anything, you know what I'm saying? However, she says that his comment about her face represents his true beliefs, and can therefore never be forgotten or taken back. Its about this (Points.) Monologues are for educational purposes only. Gregs friends suck. There are hook-ups and breakups and struggles to keep friendship alive, but this play is mostly about the power of language and listening. Stykket forsger at retfrdiggre den kvindelige hovedrolle p trods af at hun tydeligt er helt forstyrret og udstter hovedpersonen for bde grov psykisk vold og farlig fysisk vold, noget stykket portrttere som om skulle vre sjovt og ikke alvorligt nr det gr ud over mnd, p trods af at naboerne har ringet efter politiet pga. Sit down, Greg and listen to me for once. (Beat.) There's something touching about a character struggling to describe the color of a woman's eyes, and coming up with the color of a crayon from "maybe one of those bigger cartons, like, sixty-four colors, with the sharpener in it. After reading the hateful letter, she admits that she wrote all of those things to hurt him. Just right there, my boyfriend, who's over at the grill and laughing and making burgers for all of us and he was, too. Listen to me very, carefully, OK, cause Im only gonna say this one. It is . Uh-uh. ThoughtCo. When Greg makes a seemingly harmless comment about his girlfriend Stephs regular looking face, the information gets back to Steph and sends their relationship over the deep end. The fact that she takes control of her life and doesn't let Greg weigh her down was inspiring. I go nuts if I still break out on my chin or anything, carry tweezers in my purse, and I'm not even, like, all crazy about it like a lot of my friends are and every one of them, the ones that I've called, at least, they all said to dump him. After a heated argument, Greg explains he and his friend Kent had a conversation in Kent's garage. New York, NY, Young Dancemakers Company 2023 Season 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. Bradford, Wade. Maybe this is because he main characters are all so real and the things that they go through can happen to anyone. No! Neil LaBute | Reasons to be Pretty | Steph monologuePerformed by Anna AlbiePlease note: The original monologue is much longer. I'm not sure. *Our system only provides suggested monologues or songs for select characters if we have matching monologues and song information in our database. 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 . . My shift at works kinda long, you know? I always keep an eye on the pretty guy who can hurt me." Terry Kinney, the director of "Reasons," told me that the LaBute he knows is nothing like his plays. Yeah. start over in a serious fashion, maybe in a LaBute directs this one himself and the whole cast is great (notably Thomas Sadoski, who originated the role of Greg on Broadway, and Jenna Fischer, playing delightfully against type as Steph) and really drives home the fact that his snappy dialogue is meant to be heard. 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. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/reasons-to-be-pretty-act-one-2713448. All monologues are property and copyright of their owners. And yes, over the years it's gotten me things, I won't lie about that, dates and into clubs that I Fuck, fuck, fuck. 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. Course Hero is not sponsored or endorsed by any college or university. STEPH I really do feel that, that I'm not this person who gets off on looks or the more . 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. Reasons to Be Pretty is a hard-edged comedy written by Neil LaBute. Witty and important but, and even though I know it was partly the point, I just couldnt get past some of the blatant sexism. Why do we feel that way, though, I wonder? With the sun going down you know how it shoots a ray out sometimes around something, like a halo, almost it was doing that and he was bathed in this light for a second, in this splash of gold and creamy light, and I thought, \"Yeah, he is. Steph is an awesome character too. Even though he is in his own way it's not the thing about him that first made me like him. We can't eat lunch and kiss each other and start blabbing on the phone next week we're done, Greg. Our mobile site works way better when you have JavaScript enabled. He's Michael B. Jordan's friend-turned-foe in "Creed III," which opens Friday in theaters. He not only has a good-looking wife, but he's also tangled in a work-related affair. so Ive usually got some time on my hands to, you know. We cant eat lunch and kiss each other and start blabbing on the phone next weekwere done, Greg. that are now gone so totally lost and gone that it It apparently backfires on them, but I had heard about the play and seen excerpts from a movie version of it and it made me uncomfortable to have this mirror held up to certain aspects of male-ness, of patriarchy. . Thats not true. View All Characters in Reasons to Be Pretty. A key ring or, or your name light up on my phone orshit. These people work in factories or as hair dressers or security guards. Knowing that he's sitting there at dinner across from me but he's always reaching for something, the salt or whatever, or looking around the room, and why? Chica enojada con chico, chico que intenta ser razonable. Sometimes, a friend or, like, some cousin of mine visited a. Reasons to Be Pretty Neil LaBute 3.45 1,948 ratings117 reviews 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. Neil LaBute, Steph is Gregs girlfriend. Such a snob. Their story is told on a minimal set in a combination dialogue and monologue scenes. No copyright infringement is intended. Fuck, fuck, fuck. Kent and Carly sit together, complaining about work and money. I am. Results may vary. I guess that could be part of the message the playwright was trying to convey, by making the characters seem as real and normal as possible, but I wasnt a fan of this portrayal. I couldnt tell how much was funny because a lot of the beginning really wasnt funny to me, just absurd. Why do we feel that way, though, I wonder? Carly leaves, annoyed because she blames Greg for making Steph move away. Well, the most realistic play Ive read. Yeah. Study Resources. (Beat.) Type above and press Enter to search. And in Elijah Bynum's prize-winning Sundance entry "Magazine Dreams," Majors - in a . New York, NY, Linda Ray 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. 20212023 Copyright by Monologue Archive. Press Esc to cancel. Kent es un misgino exagerado casi hasta lo inverosmil. 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.) 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 the third and final installment of a trilogy ( The Shape of Things, Fat Pig, and Reasons to Be Pretty ). But I wouldn't trade her for a million bucks.". Though the play's two couples + relationship conflict = drama formula is a tried and true one, Reasons to Be Pretty excels by having the aforementioned awesome (and often brutal) dialogue and by hosting a cast of blue collar characters. Tendra que haber una salida ms elegante. My first criticism is that I think the play doesnt succeed as much as it wants to in conveying how important looks are to people in relationships. I knew of his play In the Company of Men, which I understand was intended to be a black comedy about two guys who are jerks, unhappy with their bad luck with women, who try to torment a deaf co-worker. Fuck o thats what I want you to do, Greg, Through their break-up and those ever eventful post-breakup encounters, Greg is forced to see the ideology of beauty in a new light along with observing how it influences his friend's relationship. 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. Carly works as a security guard in a warehouse, a job she got because she was pretty, not because she has an aptitude for it. The characters were truthful. See more characters from Neil LaBute. I think so. Kelsey Villareal's UCSD acting audition for theatre Reaons to be Pretty by Neil LaBute Steph's monologue (Sits forward.) La obra empieza con una escena que no vemos. Four young characters, in their twenties, to couples who hang, work, and it together. 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. My second criticism is somewhat related: there are four monologues in the play, one for each character. But the ending was funny?? 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. Maybe Steph's face is just regular. Not that i thought it was okay the first time I read it but its just so clearly abuse Im trying to figure out what the playwright was doing with her. 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. Take a look at our library of free monologues . I mean, I can take a lot, pretty much, anyway, but I'm, like, my face? Four years almost hate you because of it. Her letter is a vicious (yet amusing) tirade, detailing all of his physical and sexual flaws, from head to toe. According to Greg, he replied: "Maybe Steph hasn't got a face like that girl's. In Scene One, Steph is very angry because her boyfriend Greg supposedly said something derogatory about her physical appearance. He hurt me, he really did, you know? It was amazing how captivating Labute's work can be with actors who know how to utilize the timing, punctuation and interjections. This common thread of his work fascinated me a few years ago and his play "The Shape of Things" is one of the first plays that made me fall in love with theatre. Can you imagine what he's actually feeling about my legs or arms, anything OK, yes, I'm thinking about all the rest of it, too, of course I am! JavaScript please! Reasons to be Pretty by Neil Labute. Cause if she is born like I was, is what Im sayingif she ends up with a face that is some sorta magnet for men, the way Ive been . to read our character analysis for Steph and unlock other amazing theatre resources! Steph: No! Idiot. Just right there, my boyfriend, who's over at the grill and laughing and making burgers for all of us and he was, too. After discussion with your mentor, name one financial aspect, one quality aspect, and one clinical aspect that need to be taken into account for developing the evidence-based practice project. That's not true. 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. Happiness - Copy - this is 302 psychology paper notes, research n, 8. 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. Organizational Behaviour (Nancy Langton; Stephen P. Robbins; Tim Judge), Introduction to Corporate Finance WileyPLUS Next Gen Card (Laurence Booth), Psychology : Themes and Variations (Wayne Weiten), Intermediate Accounting (Donald E. Kieso; Jerry J. Weygandt; Terry D. Warfield), MKTG (Charles W. Lamb; Carl McDaniel; Joe F. Hair), Bioethics: Principles, Issues, and Cases (Lewis Vaughn), Cognitive Psychology (Robert Solso; Otto H. Maclin; M. Kimberly Maclin), Business Law in Canada (Richard A. Yates; Teresa Bereznicki-korol; Trevor Clarke), Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry (Albert Lehninger; Michael Cox; David L. Nelson), Child Psychology (Alastair Younger; Scott A. Adler; Ross Vasta), Instructor's Resource CD to Accompany BUSN, Canadian Edition [by] Kelly, McGowen, MacKenzie, Snow (Herb Mackenzie, Kim Snow, Marce Kelly, Jim Mcgowen), Business Essentials (Ebert Ronald J.; Griffin Ricky W.), Psychology (David G. Myers; C. Nathan DeWall), Behavioral Neuroscience (Stphane Gaskin), Business-To-Business Marketing (Robert P. Vitale; Joseph Giglierano; Waldemar Pfoertsch). whatever. One day Greg and Kent are chatting about another good-looking co-worker when Greg offhandedly compares Steph to the good-looking co-worker and calls her regular looking. 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. (Beat.) Characters speak very realistically which is good but also sometimes awkward. phone or shit. For example, an internal method may be the hospital board, and an external method may be a, In order to evaluate an evidence-based practice project, it is important to be able to determine the effectiveness of your change. I knew these things about many guys already, and even if LaBute was dead-on in his characterization of "male privilege," I just didn't want to go there. Dont speak for me. Thats not true. (Beat.) I loved it. . STOP! I love the final scene with his monologue. Tim treated her like a queen, but he was no Greg. Listen, Im not stupid, I know I should be thankful, that I should pray to heaven and be happy that Im not scarred or missing an earI know girls who hate, I mean, despise their noses and mouths or the fact that their eyes are too far out on their faces . Host virtual events and webinars to increase engagement and generate leads. Get help and learn more about the design. So much character development has shown in this character it's impressive. Join StageAgent today and unlock amazing theatre resources and opportunities. And the relationships were heartbreaking. (Laughs.) Labute, like Pinter, has a gift for infusing an otherwise ambiguous line with layers or meaning. (Beat.) Deliberate cruelty to someone who is disabled. God. . New York, NY, Accessibility Statement Terms Privacy |StageAgent 2020. 'King Lear' Act 1: Summary of the Opening Scene, 'The Story of an Hour' Questions for Study and Discussion, Arthur Miller's 'The Crucible': Plot Summary, "A Raisin in the Sun" Act Two, Scene One Summary and Study Guide, An Early Verson of Flash Fiction by Poet Langston Hughes, A Streetcar Named Desire: Act One, Scene One, Summary and Review of Proof by David Auburn, The Story of a Murdered Farmer in "Trifles" By Susan Glaspell, Profile of Husband Killer Kelly Gissendaner, M.A., Literature, California State University - Northridge, B.A., Creative Writing, California State University - Northridge. Uh-uh. (Beat.) He has brought her flowers, but she remains intent on moving out and ending their four-year relationship. It's about this (Points.) En el clmax de la obra, Greg se cansa de l y se van a las manos. Greg, sin entrar en el juego, dice que no le importa; que quizs su novia, Steph, tenga una cara regular, pero que an as no la cambiara ni por un milln de dlares. I mean, I can take a lot, pretty much, anyway, but I'm, like, my. He gets confused by women, especially Steph sometimes but you can't blame him. Grands Canons d'Alain Biet He's got a good face, really, not knockout but very OK, yet I never used to even think it to myself, I mean, envision him in that way. Dont speak for me. There was a defined progression and resolution to the piece which I appreciated. 'Cause he doesn't wanna make eye contact. . *Our system only provides suggested monologues or songs for select characters if we have matching monologues and song information in our database. (Sits forward.) The trio of plays are connected not by characters or plot but by the recurring theme of body image within American society. Even though he is in his own way it's not the thing about him that first made me like him. Two different female characters, one plain-looking and one attractive, both have their own struggle. ", Neil LaBute character: "Umm shit, man, I dunno / Fuck, all I'm trying to uh she's a bitch, okay?". . together. Alle personer p nr den mandlige hovedperson er nogle dybt problematiske og usympatiske mennesker, men stykket forsger at sige at det ikke er sdan, men forsger udstille det som om der er nuancer og at hovedpersonen er problemet, hvilket stykket p ingen mde reelt viser at han skulle vre. Reasons to be Pretty by Neil LaBute. That makes Stephanie snap! I'm realistic and I know me as a person I don't have that much going for me, not really. Ages 12-17: Camp Broadway Ensemble @ Carnegie Hall. A bit outdated to the modern generation however despite not being that old. She is very insecure and when she finds. Con la discusin de Steph y Greg pasa algo parecido; ms all de la reaccin inclaudicable de ella, que tambin podra ser un poco inverosmil, los vemos nada ms que discutir y tratarse mal a lo largo de escenas largusimas, sin llegar a ninguna conclusin interesante. The trio of plays are connected not by characters or plot but by the recurring theme of body image within American society. 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. I would love to see it and direct it. (Beat.) (2021, September 9). The character of Steph really resonated with me as lately I've been feeling down about my appearance and wondering if I'm at all pretty. Ive always been that way but its no great big deal to meifanything, its worked against me for most of my life. 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. You always wanna say shit for me, vouch for me or sign shit that we should both have our names on and I'm not gonna have it anymore. (She starts crying.) Also, concerning Steph was always hitting her boyfriend and that was never addressed or held accountable. He's so cute!" (Smiles.) Grumpy Old Men The dialogue throughout is sharp and packed full of anger and hurt. After discussion with your preceptor, name one financial aspect, one quality aspect, and one clinical aspect that need to be taken into account for developing the evidence-based change proposal. They did. Greg's best buddy, Kent, and Kent's wife, Carly, also enter into the picture, and the emotional equation . Not really my favorite genre it felt like gritty American realism but with better dialogue and maybe some humor?? Greg argues that he was trying to say something complimentary about Steph. Now that you have completed a series of assignments that have led you into the active project planning and development stage for your project, briefly describe your proposed solution to address the. (Sits forward.) A friend recommended this as a play I might want to direct. ""Reasons to Be Pretty" Act One." So it's like a trickle up theory with him. Reasons to be Pretty by Neil LaBute Steph: No! 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. This is an edited/shortened version I performed as an audition piece. Fuck, fuck, fuck. New York, NY, Ages 12-17: Camp Broadway Ensemble @ Carnegie Hall Not that, but even on the fence How can I? I dont have any of those problems and Im happy about that. You always wanna say shit for me, vouch for me or Some sort ofoblivion that gets pasted over her eyes so she can go about life and not be aware that people are cruel in many ways. Why would you? He was a great boyfriend to her until he said what he did. Sarah said to herself, "Well, the job. Upgrade to PRO Sign Up for PRO to view suggested audition pieces! Majors is the new movies-spanning villain of Marvel-dom: the time-traveling supervillain Kang the Conqueror. STEPH I really do feel that, that I'm not this person who gets off on looks or the more, like, physical side of men but when it's the other way around [expletive], you know? I mean, I can take a lot, pretty much, anyway, but I'm, like, my face? This was one of the monologue options for the course final. (Laughs.) . Anyone can read what you share. 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. that may it please, please be with someone who can Carly states that his "communication skills suck.". (Beat.) Seeking 2 Actor Team for Spring Steph makes him sit back down at the table. 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. Looks are certainly an issue in the play; just not the primary issue in my mind. Kent reluctantly confides in Greg, admitting that he is having an affair with the "hot girl" at work. 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. Knowing that he's sitting there at dinner across from me but he's always reaching for something, the salt or whatever, or looking around the room, and why? You are not me so you don't know. Neil LaBute is an American film director, screenwriter and playwright. . I have been given this thing to wear around, my features, and I'm stuck with it. 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! I mean, wouldn't you? All she wanted was for Greg to own up to his mistake and make up for it. Ironically, whenever Carly is not around, Kent is far more demeaning and derogatory than Greg. Various situations, word choices, and even stage directions give me the unsettling feeling that the women in this play are seen through a lens of intense disregard, while the men are complex and active in the story. At the end of the scene, Kent makes Greg promise not to reveal the affair to anyone (especially Steph or Carly). New York, NY, Accessibility Statement Terms Privacy |StageAgent 2020. A hopelessly romantic drama . Research Playwrights, Librettists, Composers and Lyricists, See more characters from All rights reserved. Gain full access to show guides, character breakdowns, auditions, monologues and more! Gregs life spirals out of control when Steph leaves him, and he has to come to terms with what he has said.