Book excerpt: The theater of the 21st century, in many ways, is expanding to require new muscles of its actors, and so should their monologue choices. Contemporary Monologues for Twentysomethings is a compilation of monologues for actors ages 15 to 30, incorporating characters from a variety of backgrounds with different stories to tell, giving you the chance to explore those who are close to you and those who may come from someplace else. These monologues are compiled in order of length, with the shortest coming in a little under a minute and the longer pieces running closer to four minutes. All from plays written between 2000 and 2016, the monologues in this book are useful both for exploration in a classroom setting as well as for auditions. Jessica Bashline, adjunct professor of acting at New York University, has assembled a comprehensive collection, featuring work written by Neil LaBute, Sarah Ruhl, Zach Braff, Naomi Iizuka, and many more. Every playwright in this book is currently writing. Some of these plays have been produced on Broadway and some in tiny theaters in New York, Minneapolis, San Diego, or other cities around the country. This book offers a chance for emerging actors to explore work by playwrights, both emerging and established, that is truly contemporary.