Overview

This volume gathers 110 standout monologues by great playwrights that are classic, but less familiar. They span 350 years, 15 countries, and 8 languages of origin - works by historic women and gender-expansive playwrights that are powerful, but under-represented. That gives actors the chance to stand out when performing them. From Aphra Behn to Alice Childress, George Sand to Catherine the Great, Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz to Zora Neale Hurston, these works are dynamic, well-crafted, and worthy of being performed time and time again. Indispensable for anyone who wants to walk into an audition room and be the only person who did that monologue. Expand the Canon is a non-profit that champions women and gender-expansive playwrights whose works should have always been considered classics.

Full Product Details

9798995091509

Table of Contents

Reviews

""A monologue book of staggering consequence from classic plays written by formidable women and gender expansive playwrights. Move over Arthur Miller, Shakespeare, and Strindberg, and make room for Alice Childress, Aphra Behn, Ntozake Shange. These writers and many others included in this collection have employed their craft to expand our human experience with language that put the actor through the intellectual and physical gauntlet with roles of complexity, humanity, and depth. Finally a book making the case to expand what we know about the classics and giving the artist new resources for expression."" John Douglas Thompson, Tony Award-nominated actor, winner of 2 Drama Desk Awards, 3 Obie Awards, an Outer Critics Circle Award, and a Lortel Award ""What an exciting resource for actors to have at their fingertips! After more than twenty years as a Casting Director, I've heard the same classical monologues countless times, especially at EPAs. 110 Standout Classic Monologues for Any Actor (from overlooked plays by historic women) offers something genuinely fresh: the chance to discover rich, compelling material drawn from playwrights whose work was too often ignored simply because they were women. This collection not only expands the canon of what we consider ""classical"" work beyond Shakespeare and Molière, but also invites actors to engage with voices and stories that deserve renewed attention. I'm thrilled that actors will now have access to these monologues, and I can't wait to dive into many of these plays myself!"" Erica Jensen, CSA, Calleri Jensen Davis Casting ""Expand the Canon is transforming scholarship and practice in relation to the stories being told on our stages, and provides a great deal of hope for the future of classical theatre."" Dr. Peter Kirwan, Professor of Shakespeare & Performance, Mary Baldwin University ""This is the monologue book I wish I had when I was starting out. Finally! This collection is more than a resource; it is a vital act of excavation."" Krystal Riggs, Off Broadway Actor, credits include Theatre for a New Audience and Red Bull Theater

Author Information

Emily Lyon (editor) is a director and dramaturg that carves out the humor and authenticity in new and classic texts. As Artistic Director, she co-created, leads, and curates Expand the Canon. As a freelance director, Lyon has directed 10 world premieres, many classic plays, and worked with The Folger, American Shakespeare Center, The Brick, Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, Geva Theatre, The Old Globe, LaMaMa, Yale Rep, The Royal Shakespeare Company, University of Michigan, NYU Atlantic, and others. Her productions have won Best Direction and Best Production (sheNYC), Best Ensemble (MITF), Best Actress (FringeNYC), and Best Premiere (UnitedSolo). As a freelance dramaturg, she's worked with writers on shaping 25+ new plays, including the world premiere of Kate Hamill's Sense & Sensibility and Diana Ly's Sex and the Abbey. She has also edited classical texts, including many of the Expand the Canon plays, an English-Spanish bilingual Hamlet (with readings at The Public, The Folger, Classical Theatre of Harlem, and The Acting Company), and The Tempest directed by Michael Greif for Shakespeare in the Park. Drama League Directing Fellow, SDC Associate. Find out more at EmilyALyon.com.

Tab Content 6

Countries Available