"It's A Wonderful Life" Audition Monologues 

(choose one) 

FREDDIE FILMORE/ANNOUNCER: Good evening ladies and gentlemen, boys, girls, young and old, old and new. Greetings from Manhattan, New York, right here in the U.S. of A. I’m your host, Freddie Filmore, and it is my pleasure to bring you your favorite stories this and every week on WBFR Playhouse of the Air. Tonight we bring you a feel-good heart warmer, “It’s a Wonderful Life”. We begin our story in the little town of Bedford Falls… 

POTTER: Peter Bailey was not a businessman. That’s what killed him. Oh, I don’t mean any disrespect to him, God rest his soul. He was a man of high ideals, so called, but ideals without common sense can ruin this town. What does that get us? A discontented lazy rabble instead of a thrifty working class. And all because a few starry-eyed dreamers like Peter Bailey stir them up and fill their heads with a lot of impossible hooey. 

GEORGE: Do you know how long it takes a working man to save five thousand dollars? Just remember this, Mr. Potter, that this rabble you’re talking about… they do most of working and paying and living and dying in this community. Is it too much to have them work and pay and live and die in a couple of decent rooms and a bath? My father didn’t think so. People were human beings to him. But to you, a warped frustrated old man, they’re cattle!

PETER: You know, George, I feel that in a small way we’re doing something important. It’s not too much for a man to want his own roof and walls and fireplace – and we’re helping him get those things in our shabby little office. This town’s no place to live if  you aren’t willing to crawl to Potter. George, you get yourself an education. Then get out of here. 

VIOLET: Hello Georgie-Porgie. Oh, you like my dress? This old thing? I only wear it when I don’t care how I look. What gives? Oh, you’re going to the library, huh? Georgie, don’t you ever get tired of just reading about things? Come on, let’s make a night of it. What do you wanna do? “Go out in the fields and take off our shoes and walk in the grass”? Have you gone crazy? Walk in the grass in my bare feet?! 

MARY: Hello George. Your mother just phoned and said you were on your way over to pay me a visit. Would you like to come in? I just got back in town on Tuesday. I liked college and I liked New York okay. But I don’t know…I guess I was homesick…for Bedford Falls, and my family, and oh…everything. (replies to her mother) It’s George Bailey, mother! What does he want? I don’t know. What do you want George? (no answer) He’s making violent love to me, Mother! 

SAM WAINWRIGHT: George, I have a big deal coming up that’s going to make us all rich! Hee haw! George, you remember that night at Martini’s Bar when you told me about making plastics out of soybeans? Well my father’s checked into it, and now he’s going to build a factory outside of Rochester. Here’s the point, George, I may have a job for you, that is, unless you’re still married to that old broken down Building and Loan. I’m giving you the chance of a lifetime! 

SADIE: Now just a minute here, Potter. You can ’t fire me! I’m a bank examiner, and you can’t fire me. I’m state appointed. And what’s more, I’m not going to turn my back. This is stealing from the Baileys. Something like this would certainly cause them to fold. I want no part of this. The Baileys have always stood for something you always wanted and are so jealous of: They’re honest. 

CLARENCE: Ridiculous of you to think of killing yourself for money. Eight thousand dollars. It’s against the law to commit suicide where I come from. So I had to act quickly. That’s why I jumped in. I knew if I were drowning you would try to save me. And you see, you did, and that’s how I saved you. George, I’m the answer to your prayer. I know all about you. I’ve watched you grow up from a little boy. I’m your guardian angel. Clarence Oddbody, A-S-2. Angel, Second Class.