Middle School Moments

by Jay Di Prima

by Jay DiPrima

20 or more males and females. Unit set, 90 minutes, for young teens and their peers and parents.. $ 6.95

Have you ever wondered what goes on in the mind of a young adolescent? Do you dare to go there?

Jay DiPrima’s years of observing and interacting as a drama teacher of 6th, 7th and 8th graders gave him the courage to do just that. These monologues and scenes reflect the passions, the agonies, and the joys of being young in the 21st century. The subjects dear to their hears are all there – Sleep, Zits, the Prom, Lunch, Music, Lonely, and a couple of dozen others. See if your students don’t resonate to the titles – Not Much, Just Chillin’; I Didn’t Do It; Invisible; Ghetto.

The 30 monologues and scenes, taken together, add up to an hour and a half performance, but they can be selected to make the most of the time and talent that you have available. As they are developed in rehearsal, they’ll give your cast many a chuckle of recognition and a sense of ownership. Individual pieces are excellent for class or drama club projects throughout the year. Even better, they give you a wonderful end of the semester showcase for your students to share with their parents and peers.

There are lots of monologue books, but what makes this one exceptional is the quality of the writing. One parent wrote, “Jay, what a gift for telling a story you have.” The stories in Middle School Moments, compact and eloquent, belong on the most accessible shelf of your drama library.


"Back in the fall, my wife and I, she a former middle school vice-principal, had the pleasure of seeing Middle School Moments. It was the most engaging middle school production I have seen. The writing is full of acute observation, and holds a mirror up to the lives and fears and hopes of middle school students."

Christopher Farmer, Superintendent of Schools
Gloucester, Mass.