The Ultimate Audition Book for Teens, Volume 1

March 1, 2001
Gr 6 Up-This collection of monologues features relevant topics and issues that young people face, providing the actors with a broad array of personalities to explore. Circumstances include parental relationships, helping others, emotional issues, sexual orientation, dating situations, depression, etc. The three sections are organized by monologues that can be performed by males, females, or are not gender specific. The selections are brief, real, and sometimes touching. They are simple enough to learn quickly and will be an entertaining way for readers to hone their acting techniques. Some additional directions provide help in further understanding the characters and situations. A valuable resource for teachers and students alike.-Susan Shaver, Hemingford Public Schools, NE

Copyright 2001 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2001
Gr. 10-12. Young actors who have searched for audition material written in the voice of teenage characters will welcome this resource. The text is divided into monologues for males, females, and anyone, then subdivided again into comic and dramatic selections. Each monologue is timed to be performed in one minute, the length of monologues allowed in the International Modeling and Talent Competitions, for which the author is a coach. Teens may find some of the voices cliched, even insensitive (a girl's riff about the negatives of having large breasts may hit some young teens the wrong way, for example), and some of the entries, particularly in the dramatic sections, veer into adult situations--marriage conflicts, job stress, etc. But the majority of the pieces emphasize believable teen experiences, and young performers will find much in this diverse compendium of characters and settings to use immediately or to inspire their own writing. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2001, American Library Association.)