Character: A child hoping their handmade star stays on display.
Suggested playing age: 7–10.
Tone: Dramatic · gentle request.
Length: 112 spoken words; approximately 45–90 seconds.
Casting: any gender; one child speaking to a silent listener.
The age range is a starting point for choosing material. Read the whole piece together and time the actor’s own delivery, including pauses.
Please Keep the Crooked Star: full monologue
Please don't put that star in the bin. The blue one. I know one point is shorter. I tried to fix it, but then the next point was too long.
My brother held the paper while I cut. He usually says he's busy. Yesterday he sat with me until we finished. He even found the bit that fell under the table.
I told him you would put it where people could see it. Could it go by the door? It doesn't have to be in the middle.
Or I could take it home. He'll say it's crooked. I'll say I know. Then I can show him exactly where his thumb got blue.
Who are you talking to?
The teacher taking down a classroom display.
What you want: Find a place where the crooked star can stay.
What changes: Trying to pass the star off as neat becomes admitting why it matters personally.
Three acting questions
- What is the teacher about to do when you start?
- Which detail of making the star do you most want to tell?
- Does taking it home feel like a disappointment or a new good idea?
Try it two ways
Imagine the star stays in the teacher's hand for the whole speech. Keep your attention on the teacher while allowing one glance at the blue paper. You can care strongly about it without forcing tears.
A parent, teacher or rehearsal partner can be the silent listener. They do not need to supply extra lines. Imagine their answer before moving to the next thought.
Rehearse Please Keep the Crooked Star free
Open the real CueRoom rehearsal room with this exact monologue divided into four thought beats. Practice my lines lets you try the words from memory. Use Prompt when you need the current beat, or choose Listen to the recording to hear the prepared reading.
No account, purchase or replay credits required. The demo has fixed text and a saved voice. You can repeat the same section as often as you need.
Rehearse this monologue free →
No microphone is needed to read, listen or advance manually. Timed hands-free practice is available; optional Voice Control depends on browser support and microphone permission.
A simple way to learn the words
Remember the uneven points, your brother helping, the place by the door, and the blue thumb. Let the last image change how you feel about taking it home.
Try one beat before revealing it. Check the wording, correct one small section, then join it to the next beat. The recorded voice offers a reading to practice with; the young actor can use their own natural voice and choices.
For a class or audition
Ask what kind of material is accepted before learning the speech. This is a complete CueRoom original, not an extract from a published play. If the brief requires a named play, choose qualifying material instead. Time the performance yourself for any strict limit; the demo’s waiting time is not an audition timer.
Content: A child values time spent with a sibling; mild disappointment about a classroom display.
For a younger reader, explain unfamiliar words before working from memory. Keep the first rehearsal focused on the listener and the request rather than asking for a particular facial expression.
You may use this original for personal rehearsal, classes and auditions that permit original material. Do not republish or sell it as your own. A teacher’s or audition’s specific requirements still apply.
Try another situation
Compare One Seat on the Bus with The Dragon in the Coat Cupboard. Read both and choose the situation the actor most wants to explore.
Browse all 12 monologues for kids · Explore monologues for older performers · Plan a monologue rehearsal
Parents and teachers: rehearse your own material
These prepared demos stay free. If you want to import your own scripts, choose reader voices and organize a personal rehearsal library, explore the full CueRoom app.
Explore this piece alongside the other dramatic monologue selections, with guidance on the listener, the request and the change you can rehearse.