(Applause Acting Series). This foray into the deeply serious and deeply funny (sometimes at the same time) world of life after 40 focuses primarily on scenes that depict the struggles of contemporary characters to come to terms with disappointment and obsolescence or to redeem their lives from the mistakes or miscalculations of their youth. It draws heavily on American classics like Long Day's Journey into Night , Death of a Salesman , The Price , Glengarry Glen Ross , Fences , and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? , as well as more recent classics-in-the-making like August: Osage County , Good People , and God of Carnage . There is also ample representation from British playwrights like Harold Pinter, Tom Stoppard, Simon Gray, and Peter Nichols, whose work also explores this territory of growing older in a society obsessed by youth and novelty.

The scenes contained in this volume are presented exactly as written by the playwrights, with no internal deletions. The introductions to each follow the headings "Characters," "Scene," and "Time"; the playwrights' stage directions are contained in parent

The theater of the 21st century, in many ways, is expanding to require new muscles of its actors, and so should their scene choices. Today, amid flourishing new play resources, it can be difficult to nail down contemporary scenes for two people. These scenes, all culled from plays written between 2000 and 2016, are useful to actors between the ages of 15 and 30. They range from about two to seven minutes' running time – appropriate for different classroom explorations – and are grouped by scenes for two males, two females, and one male and one female. Contemporary Scenes for Twentysomethings offers the opportunity for emerging actors to explore work by playwrights, both emerging and established, that is truly contemporary. Jessica Bashline, adjunct professor of acting at New York University, has assembled a comprehensive collection, featuring work written by Samuel D. Hunter, Liz Duffy Adams, Timothy Mason, Nina Raine, and many more. Every playwright in this book is currently writing. The characters included in this compilation come from a variety of backgrounds with different stories to tell, giving you the chance to explore those who are close to you and those who may come from someplace else. When perusing this book, look for scenes that instantly draw you. There is more than enough material to find something that speaks to you, and your passion for a piece will strengthen your final performance!

(Applause Acting Series). While contemporary culture may be fixated on youthful sex appeal, the most complex and interesting characters in dramatic literature have been (and still are) those over 40 years old. Whether it's Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman , Gorgeous Teitelbaum in Wendy Wasserstein's Sisters Rosenzweig , or Troy the former big leaguer in August Wilson's Fences , these characters have a texture and a gravitas that can't be found in younger roles. This volume selects from classical sources like Euripides' Medea and Shakespeare's King Lear , as well as contemporary ones like Yasmina Reza's God of Carnage , Christopher Durang's Vonya and Sonia and Masha and Spike , and David Lindsay-Abaire's Good People , to provide a challenging and enriching experience for both the dedicated professional and the inquisitive amateur.

(Applause Acting Series). The first and only book of its kind, this cutting-edge and incredibly hysterical monologue book is specifically for actors auditioning for LGBTQ roles. LGBTQ Comedic Monologues That Are Actually Funny features works by LGBT writers and comics (and their allies) who have written and/or performed for Comedy Central, Backstage magazine, NBC, the Huffington Post , the Onion , Second City, E!, and many more. This collection is the go-to source for the comedic monologue needs of actors seeking LGBT material, as well as a paean to LGBT characters and artists.

This cutting-edge, incredibly hysterical monologue book is specifically for teen girls who need the extra bang to land the perfect comedic role. Teen Girls' Comedic Monologues That Are Actually Funny features monologues by writers and comics who have written and/or performed for Comedy Central, Backstage magazine, NBC, Huffington Post, The Onion, Second City, E!, and many more. This book is the answer to the comedic monologue needs of teen girls everywhere!

This book is the answer to the comedic monologue needs of kid actors – and their parents – everywhere. Kids' Comedic Monologues That Are Actually Funny is specifically geared for children ages 5-12. Divided into boy, girl, and gender neutral categories, every piece is guaranteed to be clean, hilariously funny, easy to memorize, and a joy for young actors to perform. It features monologues by writers and comics who have written for or performed on Ellen, Saturday Night Live, The Tonight Show, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central Stage, and many more.