The Contemporary Monologue is an exciting selection of speeches of all types, serious and comic, realistic and absurdist, drawn from plays written by contemporary playwrights over the past ten years. Updating the popular Modern Monologues, this fresh collection of speeches represents the best American and English playwrights of today including Caryl Churchill, Ariel Dorfman, John Guare, David Mamet, Tony Kushner, Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman. Organized for maximum benefit to the actor gleaning for background material, individual selections are introduced with a summary of the play's action up to the point the speech begins. A brief sketch of the character is also given, utilizing, where possible, the playwright's own words. Finally, a commentary follows each monologue, alerting the actor to details in the speech that could help him/her perform it better. Some of the highlights of The Contemporary Monologue for men include selections from Angels in America, by Tony Kushner; Frankie and Johnnie in the Clair de Lune, by Terrence McNally; States of Shock, by Sam Shepard; and Speed-the-Plow, by David Mamet. Highlights of The Contemporary Monologue for women include selections from: The Contemporary Monologue is an invaluable resource for acting classes, competitions, auditions and rehearsals. It is an affordable and necessary tool for serious actors everywhere.

1 Notes to the Actor; 2. Angels in America Tony Kushner; 3. Assassins Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman; 4. Babies Johathan Harvey; 5. Belfry Billy Roche; 6. Berlin Bertie Howard Brenton; 7. Boy with Beer Paul Boakye; 8. Boys' Life Howard Korder; 9. Burn This Lanford Wilson; 10. Cigarettes and Chocolate Anthony Minghella; 11. Dancing Attendance Lucy Gannon; 12. Death and the Maiden Ariel Dorfman; 13. Dog Steven Berkoff; 14. Etta Jenks Marlane Meyer; 15. The Fastest Clock in the Universe Philip Ridley; 16. Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune Terrence McNally; 17. The Gigli Concert Tom Murphy; 18. Hard Feelings Doug Lucie; 19. Imagine Drowning Terry Johnson; 20. La Bete David Hirson; 21. The Last Yankee Arthur Miller; 22. Laughing Wild Christopher Durang; 23. Molly Sweeney Brian Friel; 24. Moonlight Harold Pinter; 25. The Normal Heart Larry Kramer; 26. Oleanna David Mamet; 27. The Pitchfork Disney Philip Ridley; 28. Playing by the Rules Rod Dungate; 29. Progress Doug Lucie; 31. Search and Destroy Howard Korder; 31 0. Serious Money Caryl Churchill; 32. Six Degrees of Separation John Guare; 33. Someone Who'll Watch Over Me Frank McGuinness; 34. Speed-the-Plow David Mamet; 35. States of Shock Sam Shepard; 36. Talking Heads Alan Bennett; 37. Three Hotels Jon Robin Baitz; 38. To Jim Cartwright; 39. Two Shakespearean Actors Richard Nelson; 40. A Wholly Healthy Glasgow Iain Heggie; 41. The Woman Who Cooked her Husband Debbie Isitt; 42. Women Laughing Michael Wall; 43. Your Home in the West Rod Wooden.