Intended for students and children taking part in speech and drama competitions and exams, this book contains a range of audition speeches. It includes female, male and unisex speeches selected from both plays and children's books. Where relevant the author has indicated how a speech could be shortened for younger children. There is also an introductory section with contributions from Alan Ayckbourn, Carol Schroder (teacher and examiner for the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art), Richard Carpenter (TV writer) and Ed Wilson (Director of the National Youth Theatre) and senior casting directors for the RSC, TV and film. This edition has been freshly revised to include 10 new speeches from well known recent productions as well as children's books including Harry Potter. 'A superb compilation' Amateur Stage

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.

An invaluable selection of pieces resource for actors working in radio, theatre or television.

With an impressive array of speeches from a diverse range of first-class playwrights, the Faber Book of Monologues is an indispensable guide to new, untapped, and cutting-edge material. Designed for use in professional auditions as well as student workshops, each volume contains over twenty-five selections, ranging in age from twenty to sixty-five, which are culled from a rich variety of tragic, comic, realist and absurdist works by the most vibrant new playwrights, as well as critically-acclaimed pieces from established masters such as Richard Greenberg, David Hare, Neil LaBute, and Yasmina Reza. In order to foster a more nuanced association between the actor and the material, each selection includes insightful character commentary, staging and vocalization recommendations, and references to past great performances. A thoughtful introduction, written by critic Jane Edwardes, provides helpful hints for the nerve-wracking audition process.

This book of contemporary monologues for women includes pieces from the best of the last three decades of contemporary playwriting, from Howard Brenton and Bryony Lavery to Charlotte Jones and Mark Ravenhill. Including extracts from plays by award-winning British playwrights, there are pieces both serious and comic providing the actor with all the challenges of performing contemporary plays. The book is an invaluable resource for auditions, acting class, competitions and rehearsals. A fuller appreciation of each monologue is provided by Chrys Salt's invaluable commentaries, giving clues as to possible direction and setting each piece in the context of the play as a whole.Praise for Chrys Salt's Make Acting Work: "A really useful book for every actor to own" Prunella Scales; "This book should be part of every resourceful actor's armoury" Annette Badland

First Published in 1994. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

The Dramatic Text Workbook and Video explores the expressive potential of language and how you, as an actor, director or teacher, can develop the skills to release that potential in rehearsal and performance. Written by acclaimed voice teachers David Carey and Rebecca Clark Carey, this practical textbook shows how to bring together the power of language with voice and provides practical approaches to each aspect of verbal expression with the aid of classical and modern scenes and speeches. Chapters consider: · Sound: speech sounds and how to use them more expressively · Image: bringing life and specificity to images when you speak · Sense: how to focus on the most significant words and phrases in a speech or scene · Rhythm: how rhythm is created and used in both verse and prose · Argument: the structure or logic of language The Dramatic Text Workbook and Video, a new edition of The Verbal Arts Workbook, includes a revised introduction, updated reading lists and access to over 90 minutes of online video workshops, exploring the key techniques and tactics discussed in the book.