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.