The Best Men's Stage Monologues of 2008

In these pages, you will find a rich and varied selection of monologues from recent plays, almost all of which have been published and are thus readily available to you when you have found that perfect monologue to work on in class or to use for auditions. Many are for younger performers (teens through thirties) but there are also some excellent pieces for men in their forties and fifties, and even a few for older performers. Many are comic (laughs), many are dramatic (generally, no laughs). Some are rather short, some are rather long. All represent the best in contemporary playwriting.

Several of these monologues are by playwrights who have achieved considerable prominence, writers such as Horton Foote, Lee Blessing, David Mamet, Theresa Rebeck, Kia Corthron, and José Rivera; others are by exciting up-and-comers such as Itamar Moses, Qui Nguyen, Ron Fitzgerald, Brett C. Leonard, Kate Fodor and Young Jean Lee.

Most of the pieces included in this book are from published scripts, available from the publishers who also handle performance rights (see the Rights and Permissions section in the rear of this book). In the case of plays which have not yet been published, contact the author's agent for a copy of the entire text.

Break a leg!

- Lawrence Harbison
Brooklyn, N.Y. 11232