Foreword by Naomie Harris How many Black British plays can you name? Inspired by both classical and contemporary plays, The Oberon Book of Monologues for Black Actresses gives readers an insight into some of the best cutting-edge plays written by black British playwrights, over the last sixty years. This collection features over twenty speeches by Britain’s most prominent black dramatists. The monologues represent a wide-range of themes, characters, dialects and styles. Suitable for young people and adults, each selection includes production information, a synopsis of the play, a biography of the playwright and a scene summary. The aim of this collection is that actors will enjoy working on these speeches, using them to help strengthen their craft, and by doing so, help to ensure these plays are always remembered.

Foreword by Kwame Kwei-Armah How many Black British plays can you name? Inspired by both classical and contemporary plays, The Oberon Book of Monologues for Black Actors gives readers an insight into some of the best cutting-edge plays written by black British playwrights, over the last sixty years. This collection features over twenty speeches by Britain’s most prominent black dramatists. The monologues represent a wide-range of themes, characters, dialects and styles. Suitable for young people and adults, each selection includes production information, a synopsis of the play, a biography of the playwright and a scene summary. The aim of this collection is that actors will enjoy working on these speeches, using them to help strengthen their craft, and by doing so, help to ensure these plays are always remembered.

A brand-new collection of original audition pieces written by and for actors of colour, commissioned by Tamasha Theatre Company and edited by Titilola Dawudu, with a foreword by Noma Dumezweni. Hear Me Now is a unique collection of over eighty original audition monologues, expressly created by a range of award-winning writers brought together by producer Titilola Dawudu and Tamasha Theatre Company. They're ideal for actors of colour searching for speeches for auditions or training, writers, teachers, and theatre-makers who are passionate about improving diversity. The book provides varied, nuanced stories that expand beyond the range of existing material available – from a cross-dressing Imam, to the first Black Prime Minister, the British Indian girl with dreams of becoming a country music star, or the young Black boy who loves baking as much as football – Hear Me Now is an essential tool for actors of colour to showcase their range, and seeks to inspire, empower, and create a legacy for generations to come.

"This collection features 45 monologues excerpted from contemporary plays and specially geared for actors of color. Robert Uno has carefully selected the monologues so that there is a wide-range of ethnicities included: African American, Native American, Latino and Asian American. Each monologue comes with an introduction with notes on the characters and stage directions to set the scene for the actor."--Publisher.

Selected and edited by the award-winning American playwright Reginald Edmund, who produced Black Lives, Black Words across the US, which premiered in Chicago, July 2015. The international project has explored the black diaspora’s experiences in some of the largest multicultural cities in the world, Chicago, Minneapolis, Cleveland, Toronto and London. Over sixty Black writers from the UK, USA, and Canada have each written a short play to address Black issues today. "I started Black Lives, Black Words because I felt there needed to be an opportunity for me as a playwright to speak out against the sins committed in this world inflicted upon black bodies: Michael Brown, Trayvon Martin, Rekia Boyd, Sandra Bland, Tamir Rice, and the countless many others. This in turn caused me to wonder what other artists were out there that possess this overwhelming desire to speak out for the unheard voices. Companies in Minneapolis with Guthrie Theatre, Carlyle Brown and Company, Bedlam Theatre, Freestyle Theatre, the Million Artist Movement, in Maryland – Columbia Arts Festival, Chicago – Polarity Ensemble Theatre, Toronto – Obsidian Theatre, Buddies and Bad Times Theatre, and the National Arts Centre, along with many others joined us and now, two years later we have given voice to over sixty Black Playwrights and over a hundred performers. From city to city, Black Lives, Black Words has remained an event that is accessible and affordable to all. Embraced by a wide range of different theatres that vary in capacity, playing to houses from 70 to 300 audience members. Selling out in every venue. I collected these works showcased at BLBW events from all over in hopes that the narratives that have been placed in here speaks to the Black Struggle, Black Achievement, Black Love, Black Aspirations, Black Hopes, Black Dreams, BLACK EVERYTHING. I hope that the narratives amplify the importance of the Black Lives Matter Movement, that these plays find themselves in theatres both community and regional, in classrooms and libraries, church houses, and communal gathering serving as a rallying cry for those that are artists and even those who are not that OUR BLACK LIVES MATTER, individually, globally, and spiritually." - Reginald Edmund, Managing Curating Producer, Black Lives, Black Words Featured in this collection are: Reginald Edmund, Idris Goodwin, James Austin Williams, Rachel Dubose, Becca C. Browne, Marsha Estell, Aaron Holland, Loy A. Webb, Lisa Langford, Christina Ham, Harrison David Rivers, Dominique Morisseau, Winsome Pinnock, Trish Cooke, Mojisola Adebayo, Rachel De-Lahay, Max Kolaru, Yolanda Mercy, Somalia Seaton, Courttia Newland, Luke Reece, Tawiah BenEben M’Carthy, Jordan Laffrenier, Meghan Swaby, Mary Ann Anane, Allie Woodson, Elliot Sagay, Amira Danan, Cat Davidson, Noelle Fourte, Kori Alston

A collection of thoughtful and provocative reflections on how theatre practitioners think about and engage with audiences, as well as define and explore sites for performance. Through shared experience and ritual, live performance functions as a catalytic medium for progress and evolution. In the hands of artists and audience, the stage is set for the re-makings of commonwealth, or necessary revolution. Caridad Svich received a 2012 OBIE Award for Lifetime Achievement in the theater, a 2012 Edgerton Foundation New Play Award for GUAPA, and the 2011 American Theatre Critics Association Primus Prize for her play The House of the Spirits, based on the Isabel Allende novel.

A collection of scenes and monologues by African American playwrights.