Book excerpt: Renowned editor Lawrence Harbison brings together approximately one hundred never-before-published women’s monologues for actors to use for auditions and in class, all from recently produced plays. The selections include monologues from plays by both well-known playwrights and future stars, including Michael Ross Albert, Don Nigro, Daniel Damiano, Molly Goforth, Seth Svi Rosenfeld, Brian Dykstra, Michael A. Jones, Sam Graber, Penny Jackson, Christi Stewart-Brown, George Sapio, Sarah M. Chichester, Constance Congdon, Steven Hayet, and Ashlin Halfnight. There are terrific comic pieces (laughs) and terrific dramatic pieces (no laughs), and all represent the best of contemporary playwriting. This collection is an invaluable resource for aspiring actors hoping to ace their auditions and impress directors and teachers with contemporary pieces.