DKJA Student Wins International Monologue Competition
Congratulations to Lila Drowos, a fifth grader at DKJA, for placing third in an international monologue writing contest held by Drama Notebook.
Lila's monologue, "Vegetarian Shark" is about a shark that complains about his or her vegetarian lifestyle.
Read Lila's winning monologue below:
Vegetarian Shark
You know, I don’t like being a shark. I mean, sure, I look pretty cool… (Actor pretends to look up and down their body, then smirks, but then sighs) But everyone is scared of me! Whenever I try to go talk to a little fish or even a human, they run off screaming about how I will eat them. I can’t even talk to my neighbors! It’s so unfair. Well… (Sighs) Here’s a secret. I’m a vegetarian. Yeah, I only eat plants. It's hard under the sea, but sea plants actually taste pretty great. (Grins, but then stops smiling and frowns.) The other sharks don’t like it. They say I have to eat fish like the rest of them. They say I have to eat meat like everyone else. They don’t accept me, because I’m a vegetarian shark. I feel like I don’t fit in anywhere. (Suddenly excited) Hey, look, a fish! (Turns away from the audience.) Hey there-! Wait, come back! I- (Sadly) Oh. No one appreciates a shark! (Mutters) Especially a vegetarian one. (Turns back to the audience.) I have sharp teeth and a scary face that everyone fears. It’s like I’m a criminal… except I never did anything wrong! Well, I better go get some more plants to eat… (Sighs) ...because I’m a vegetarian shark.
You know, I don’t like being a shark. I mean, sure, I look pretty cool… (Actor pretends to look up and down their body, then smirks, but then sighs) But everyone is scared of me! Whenever I try to go talk to a little fish or even a human, they run off screaming about how I will eat them. I can’t even talk to my neighbors! It’s so unfair. Well… (Sighs) Here’s a secret. I’m a vegetarian. Yeah, I only eat plants. It's hard under the sea, but sea plants actually taste pretty great. (Grins, but then stops smiling and frowns.) The other sharks don’t like it. They say I have to eat fish like the rest of them. They say I have to eat meat like everyone else. They don’t accept me, because I’m a vegetarian shark. I feel like I don’t fit in anywhere. (Suddenly excited) Hey, look, a fish! (Turns away from the audience.) Hey there-! Wait, come back! I- (Sadly) Oh. No one appreciates a shark! (Mutters) Especially a vegetarian one. (Turns back to the audience.) I have sharp teeth and a scary face that everyone fears. It’s like I’m a criminal… except I never did anything wrong! Well, I better go get some more plants to eat… (Sighs) ...because I’m a vegetarian shark.
An essay written by Lila will also be published in Skipping Stone Magazine later this month.
