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"Let the things that happen on stage be just as complex yet just as simple as they are in life. For instance, people are having a meal, just having a meal, but at the same time their happiness is being created, or their lives are being smashed up." Thus Chekhov summed up the credo that finds expression in the subtle construction and electrically charged atmosphere of his plays. In these portrayals of human beings trapped in a stultifying weakness as by the greed of others, the most casual words and everyday actions assume the import of acts of destiny. Tragedy is mingled with farce, protest wars with a resignation, in a moral affirmation - an affirmation that stands as the final mark and measure of Chekhov's art. As Robert Brustein declares: "...in the modern theater...there are none who bring the drama to a higher realization of its human role."

The forgotten classic that launched the career of one of America's greatest playwrights

Never have marriage and the family been more scathingly or hilariously savaged than in this brilliant black comedy. The marriage of Bette and Boo brings together two of the maddest families in creation in a portrait album of family life’s uncertainties and confusion. Bereaved by miscarriages, undermined by their families, separated by alcoholism, assaulted by disease, and mystified by their priest, Bette and Boo, in their bewildered attempts to provide a semblance of hearth and home, are presented with a poignant compassion that enriches and enlarges the play, and places Christopher Durang squarely in the forefront of American dramatists.

Antonio, the merchant of Venice, and Shylock the money-lender have struck a bargain whereby Shylock will lend Antonio some money provided that if Antonio cannot repay him, Shylock can claim a pound of Antonio's flesh. Antonio's ships are lost and Shylock seeks to enforce the contract. As Jew conflicts with Christian, the ancient argument for justice tempered by mercy is pleaded by Portia.

Published to celebrate twenty years of Methuen's Royal Court Writers Series, this volume contains five ground-breaking plays of the eighties and nineties.

This is a selection of speeches drawn from the great landmark plays of the twentieth century. The most famous playwrights of the British, American and European theatre, from Shaw to Sartre and Williams to Fo - and the plays most constantly performed on stages around the world - are represented in this unique collection. Monologues of all types - both serious and comic, naturalistic and absurdist - provide a dynamic challenge for all the actors: the student, the amateur and professional. Here is an invaluable resource for acting classes, competitions, auditions and rehearsals. A fuller appreciation of each speech is enhanced by the editor's introduction and commentaries, which set the plays and individual speeches in their dramatic and performance contexts.

The Misanthrope, The Sicilian/Tartuffe, A Doctor in Spite of Himself, The Imaginary Invalid

Lusty defrocked minister Lawrence Shannon is a tour guide in Mexico.

From the stately and poetic Greek tragedies to the lively, bawdy Restoration comedies, the classical repertoire is a treasure trove of often-overlooked materials for male and female, young and old. The solo pieces collected here vary widely in mood, style, and level of challenge; they include a generous supply of Shakespeare and his contemporaries; and they are fleshed out with brief plot synopses and valuable historical material. Stefan Rudnicki, an accomplished actor, director, and teacher, also provides practical tips on preparing each scene for audition or performance. Among the playwrights whose works are included are: Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euridipes, Aristophanes, Shakespeare, Tourneur, Kyd, Middleton, Jonson, Sheridan, Dryden, Congreve and many others.

The Oberon Book of Modern Monologues for Women is an essential resource for actors participating in acting classes, contests, auditions, and rehearsals. This book collects over fifty speeches from some of the finest plays of the last twenty years, bringing together specially selected speeches by essential modern dramatists.