Elaine, the Lady of Shalott
It is the fate of some to wait—and wait--
And wait still while her betters bide their time, Take rest to eat and drink and nevermind! The hours that their ladies spend in waiting. O!—Were I a man to do brave deeds And win renown for action, I’d be glad! Or be a counsellor, my wisdom heard, My creaking voice let loose like thunderbolts To shake the wheat from chaff, and save Our mangled Kingdom from collapsing on itself! …But I am sent here to the battlements To await this “Guinevere,” very late (If the chapel bell holds true)… Why, if I were sent to marry with the King? I should not hesitate! No storm deter my sleigh, but high ambition wing me To a princely seat, a sceptre and a crown…! Aye. And a Husband to go with it. (If Husband could be found.) But I am plain. And the best that may be said of me Is that I retain my...Virtue... Request the full soliloquy
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From: Act I of The Table Round by Emily C. A. Snyder
Length: 32 lines, ~2 minutes About the scene: Elaine, the Lady of Shalott from Arthurian legend, is a handmaid in King Arthur's court. Elaine has been sent to the battlements to await the arrival of the mysterious Guinevere, who has been sent for by Merlin to marry with King Arthur. Meantime, Elaine herself pines for the love of Sir Lancelot and, even more, for the opportunity to work for crown and country directly. About the verse: While Elaine starts off very measured, as her ambition and fears take hold of her, the verse become irregular - sometimes falling too short, sometimes stuffing too many words together. Pay especial attention to punctuation and to white space (places of long pauses). While this is a comic piece, there's room for genuine pathos. 
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PsycheThree days and thirty days have passed and he
Has not been seen again. Three days and three Too many. Three times thirty days, and still Too few before I behold my love again. My love! My love I call him, for I know No other name by which to call him except “My love.” And yet, not mine, for he will not Send word of how he likes me, or whether He likes of me, or whether he likes not Of me, or whether I am forgot. And what a case am I! To pine, suspire I!, who once burned with no greater fire Than that which my active mind could provide, Now find my mind feeble, and preoccupied With this stranger who kissed me! One kiss! What of that? As though I had never pressed A lip to a lip!... Request the full soliloquy
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From: Act II of Cupid and Psyche by Emily C. A. Snyder
Length: 19 lines, ~1 minute About the scene: Psyche, a mortal woman who distrusts love, discovers herself enamored by a handsome stranger (Cupid), who had kissed her several months previous. Furiously, she tries to regain her usual cynical mindset. About the verse: Line endings are the most important part of this verse: making sure not to drop the final word of each line, but to lean on it. This continues through to Psyche's inadvertent rhyming - just when she's trying to be sensible! 
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PersephoneAwake, O World! Rejoice, O Sun and rise!
I could not sleep last night, for silly fear I’d miss a single moment of my life. I woke before the morning glory yawned. Startled the brown owl in her nest. Cried “Hallooooo!” to Sirius the star Who bowed and waved his golden tail to me. O! The beauty of the world consumes me! Ask me tomorrow, and still I’ll say: I cannot-- Will not—be happier than I am today. O! We are all so very young; you and I—! Will be young and glad and giddy together! I have so decreed it: do you hear? We are, from this time forth, to be nothing else But giddy.... Request the full soliloquy
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From: Act III of Persephone Rises by Emily C. A. Snyder
Length: 21 lines, ~1 minute About the scene: Persephone, the young goddess of the Spring, has left the safety of the Virgin Court to travel with her cousin, Cupid. Freed to see the world, she is unaware of the creeping god of Death who stalks her every step. About the verse: There are a lot of "O's!" in this piece. You can treat each "O" as whatever sound you like. Really lean into vowels when performing this piece. Persephone is heart-open, and it shows in her easy use of verse. It's worth noting that this is Persephone at her youngest, Persephone before her fall, Persephone of the Eternal Spring. 
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Aphrodite
(To PSYCHE'S SISTER)
Perhaps she does not speak, because you do not stop. (PSYCHE'S SISTER exits. A beat. Then, to PSYCHE.) She is gone. And you have no need to speak. I only longed to look on you. They say That you are beautiful! Are you beautiful? You must think yourself very beautiful To have gathered so many hearts with so… Little effort; so little assistance. For I Did not assist you. Do you know who I am? Can you guess? Speak. Or do not speak. It makes no mind to me. But you do not answer me, Psyche. I bid you answer me. I conjure you. I command you! I will have you speak or… I will speak for you! And speak in vile tones So that those who gaze with eyes aglaze Will find in you no beauty; I will do this, I will curse you, Psyche. Speak! But one word! One delicate phrase, one damning verb, one Sound—a laugh, a cry, a curse, a plea—Speak! Tell me why men follow you; why they love you These finger-fumbled men… Request the full soliloquy
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From: Act I of Cupid and Psyche by Emily C. A. Snyder
Length: 24 lines, ~2 minutes About the scene: Aphrodite, the goddess of Love, has just learnt of the existence of Psyche, a mortal girl who refuses to love. Jealous, and more than a little afraid of losing her own power, Aphrodite confronts the girl to learn her powers. About the verse: Aphrodite loves the sound of her own voice, but in this case, all her words have no persuasion. The more unraveled Aphrodite becomes, the better the speech plays. Pay attention to line endings, since much of Aphrodite's mean girl snark comes through where she lingers on a line break. Technically, this is a speech to another person, so practice with someone else ignoring you so that you have the sense memory for auditions. 
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