Monologues: Ways to get started

Here is wonderful, up-to-date material for scene study, selected from the best plays from recent theater seasons. More than 20 monologues for both men and women, carefully chosen to display the widest range of dramatic ability, are essential for auditioning actors. A large selection of parts for woman provide exciting opportunities to sharpen acting skills in roles that brought accolades from New York's toughest critics. More than 80 scenes in all, many previously unpublished, allow every actor, professional, amateur or student, to choose from either smart, sassy, often outrageous comedy or deeply moving drama—a unique, balanced collection of the most successful contemporary plays. 84 fully playable scenes with story notes. Monologues from the best new plays—including Agnes of God, Sly Fox, Key Exchange and Nuts. The best contemporary selection of scenes for women—more than 50 in all.

Extreme Exposure: An Anthology of Solo Performance Texts from the Twentieth Century, edited by director Jo Bonney, features the work of 42 solo artists spanning the century-from Beatrice Herford in 1869 to Dawn Akemi Saito in 1994. Each artists' work is introduced by a journalist, artist, critic, agent, producer or educator who is intimately familiar with the material and its links to other forms such as vaudeville, theatre, cabaret, music, standup comedy, poetry, the visual arts and dance. In Bonney's words, "This anthology documents a part of our literary/stage history and offers the possibility of its being appreciated in a new context, for a new generation." Includes work by Beatrice Herford, Jackie "Moms" Mabley, Ruth Draper, Lord Buckley, Brother Theodore, Lenny Bruce, Lily Tomlin and Jane Wagner, Andy Kaufman, Ethyl Eichelberger, Laurie Anderson, Rachel Rosenthal, Spalding Gray, Eric Bogosian, Jessica Hagedorn, Diamanda Galás, Ann Magnuson, Rhodessa Jones, Tim Miller, John O'Keefe, Anna Deavere Smith, Danitra Vance, David Cale, Whoopi Goldberg, John Fleck, Reno, Heather Woodbury, Robbie McCauley, Lisa Kron, Brenda Wong Aoki, Guillermo Gómez-Peña, Holly Hughes, Luis Alfaro, John Leguizamo, Josh Kornbluth, Deb Margolin, Roger Guenveur Smith, Anne Galjour, Danny Hoch, Marga Gomez, Mike Albo and Virginia Heffernan, Dael Orlandersmith and Dawn Akemi Saito.

100 Exciting and Original Monologues from New Dramatists-New York's Outstanding Forum for Talented Playwrights Robert Anderson * Paul D'Andrea * Mary Gallagher * David Ives * Philip Kan Gotanda * John Pielmeier * Anthony Giardina * William Inge * John Guare * Sheldon Rosen * August Wilson * Jack Gilhooley * Lanford Wilson * and Others * Riveting parts for a wide spectrum of actors-ethnic parts, character roles, ingenue pieces, monologues for sixteen- to sixty-year-olds * Innovative short monologues from regional, Off Broadway, and Off Off Broadway productions-plus many previously unpublished monologues * All 100 monologues tested in audition workshops to insure successful performability * Important setting and background material provided with each monologue * A broad choice of styles, genres, and subject material, from light comedic pieces to violent dramatic climaxes * An emphasis on variety in roles, setting, and period, from historic parts to contemporary figures * Biographical information on new, relatively unknown playwrights, including a listing of agents Includes Monologues from: The Complaint Department Closes at Five * Living at Home * Ma Rainey's Black Bottom * Fences * The House of Blue Leaves * Come Back, Little Sheba * Mary Goldstein * Souvenirs * I Never Sang for My Father * Is there Life After High School? * About sally * Serenading Louie * The Boys of Winter * and Many More.

The most comprehensive sourcebook of Shakespeare's monologues ever available in one volume. A detailed guide to approaching Shakespearean text, Speak the Speech! contains everything an actor needs to select and prepare a Shakespeare monologue for classwork, auditions, or performance. Included herein are over 150 monologues. Each one is placed in context with a brief introduction, is carefully punctuated in the manner that best illustrates its meaning, and is painstakingly and thoroughly annotated. Each is also accompanied by commentary that will spark the actor's imagination by exploring how the interrelationship of meter and the choice of words and sounds yields clues to character and performance. And throughout the book sidebars relate historical, topical, technical, and other useful and entertaining information relevant to the text. In addition, the authors include an overview of poetic and rhetorical elements, brief synopses of all the plays, and a comprehensive index along with other guidelines that will help readers locate the perfect monologue for their needs. More than just an actor's toolkit, Speak the Speech! is also an entertaining resource that will help demystify Shakespeare's language for the student and theater lover alike.

Glenn Alterman, author of Two Minutes and Under, Volumes I, II and III has written this, his seventh book of original monologues. These one-minute gems are specifically written for those one-minute auditions that pop up more and more often. There are exciting and engaging monologues here for all types, ages, genders, and personalities.

The Library Journal¿s review of Alterman¿s Two Minutes and Under series states, ¿Actors looking for challenging, contemporary audition material should find a gold mine here.¿ Anna Marie Kostura, NBC Director of Daytime Programming, calls Alterman¿s monologues ¿Topnotch, offering the serious actor an emotional field day.¿

GLENN ALTERMAN is one of the country¿s foremost monologue and audition coaches, having helped thousands of actors in their search for (and preparation of) monologues, as well as creating their own material for solo shows. In 1994 he created The Glenn Alterman Studio (www.glennalterman.com), and through its auspices he has worked privately as a monologue and audition coach and at colleges, universities, and acting schools all around the country. Alterman presently lives in New York City where he is working on a new commissioned play, completing a screenplay, coaching actors, giving seminars, and occasionally working in film and TV.