Monologues From Plays

How do I put on a voice in a dramatic monologue without it becoming a comedic monologue?

I'm going to school for theatre this year, and I've been asked to prepare a monologue for the first day. I have it memorized, but the character I'm playing is 68 years old. I'm only 16, and I want to know if there's a way to put on a voice without taking away from the dramatic essence of the monologue. I have a feeling that me doing an old man's voice would make it seem funny, when it really has a deep feeling.... I like the way I've been doing it, in my own voice, but I'd really like to be in character all the way. Also, there's nothing really in the monologue that suggests the character's age, so if I did take a certain stance or voice, it might appear to be comedic.... T Thanks

Public Comments

1. Concentrate less on voice and more on elderly body language (slow movement, occasionally looking off into space, slight [very slight] tremble of the hand, etc.). For the voice, less is more. (When I play old characters I usually speak a little slower and deeper than my normal voice and a bit more 'downward', but I'm 40 so it's not as much a stretch. :) )
2. bad choice of monologue. it should be someone very much like you so change it. get a copy of the play,Rebel Without a Cause.
3. If there's nothing in the monologue that says the character is 68, then why do you have to play 68? Granted, if you were doing the entire play, and it's referenced there, you'd have to do it, but as long as the script you're using doesn't specifically support that it's an old man, make the character yours!