Books by Michael Earley

The Classical Monologue, in two volumes, one for men and one for women, is a fresh selection of the best speeches from the repertoire of the classical theatre, from the Greeks to the beginning of the twentieth century. These great dramatic monologues--from all periods and styles, all varied in tone and genre--make an indispensable actor's companion for auditioning, rehearsing and performing. Each monologue is accompanied by textual notes explaining any unusual vocabulary or syntax, and by commentary in which the editors offer interpretive points and practical advice in preparing the speech for performance. Both beginners and experienced actors will find The Classical Monologue a treasury of theatrical riches waiting to be released on stage.

Includes monologues from Orestes in Libation Bearers (The Oresteia) to The Captain in Strindberg's The Dance of Death to Gerald in Oscar Wilde's A Woman of No Importance.

The Contemporary Monologue is an exciting selection of speeches of all types, serious and comic, realistic and absurdist, drawn from plays written by contemporary playwrights over the past ten years. Updating the popular Modern Monologues, this fresh collection of speeches represents the best American and English playwrights of today including Caryl Churchill, Ariel Dorfman, John Guare, David Mamet, Tony Kushner, Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman. Organized for maximum benefit to the actor gleaning for background material, individual selections are introduced with a summary of the plays action up to the point the speech begins. A brief sketch of the character is also given, utilizing, where possible, the playwright's own words. Finally, a commentary follows each monologue, alerting the actor to details in the speech that could help him/her perform it better. Some of the highlights of The Contemporary Monologue for men include selections from Angels in America, by Tony Kushner; Frankie and Johnnie in the Clair de Lune, by Terrence McNally; States of Shock, by Sam Shepard; and Speed-the-Plow, by David Mamet. Highlights of The Contemporary Monologue for women include selections from: The Contemporary Monologue is an invaluable resource for acting classes, competitions, auditions and rehearsals. It is an affordable and necessary tool for serious actors everywhere.

The Contemporary Monologue is an exciting selection of speeches of all types, serious and comic, realistic and absurdist, drawn from plays written by contemporary playwrights over the past ten years. Updating the popular Modern Monologues, this fresh collection of speeches represents the best American and English playwrights of today including Caryl Churchill, Ariel Dorfman, John Guare, David Mamet, Tony Kushner, Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman.

Organized for maximum benefit to the actor gleaning for background material, individual selections are introduced with a summary of the play's action up to the point the speech begins. A brief sketch of the character is also given, utilizing, where possible, the playwright's own words. Finally, a commentary follows each monologue, alerting the actor to details in the speech that could help him/her perform it better.

Some of the highlights of The Contemporary Monologue for men include selections from

Contemporary Scenes for Actors: Women collects scenes from the most acclaimed and award-winning playwrights of the 1990s. It contains over 40 two-character scenes (for women/women and women/men), with the selection of scenes encompassing the widest range of styles from serious to comic and shades in between. A fuller appreciation of the dramatic context of the scenes is enhanced by the editors' introductions and commentaries. Each of the scenes offers the actor the opportunity to develop and explore the vital, dynamic and unique challenge of working with a partner on stage.

This is an exciting collection of scenes from the most acclaimed and award-winning playwrights of the 1990s. It contains over 40 two-character scenes (for men/men and men/women), with the selection of scenes encompassing the widest range of styles from serious to comic and shades in between.

A fuller appreciation of the dramatic context of the scenes is enhanced by the editors' introductions and commentaries. Each of the scenes offers the actor the opportunity to develop and explore the vital, dynamic and unique challenge of working with a partner on stage.

The Modern Monologue in two volumes, one for men and one for women, is an exciting selection of speeches drawn from the landmark plays of the 20th century. The great playwrights of the British, American and European theatre-- and the plays most constantly performed on stage throughout the world--are represented in this unique collection.

Monologues of all types--both serious and comic, realistic and absurdist--provide a dynamic challenge for all actors: the student, the amateur and the professional.

A fuller appreciation of each speech is enhanced by the editors' introduction and commentaries that set the plays and individual speeches in their dramatic and performance contexts.

The Modern Monologue: Men contains 50 speeches from such plays as:

Old Times, Harold Pinter
Murder in the Cathedral, T.S. Eliot
Pygmalion, Bernard Shaw
The Tooth of Crime, Sam Shepard
Huis Clos, Jean-Paul Sartre

At last, over 175 of Shakespeare's finest and most performable monologues taken from all thirty-seven plays are here in two easy-to-use volumes (Men and Women). Selections travel the entire spectrum of the great dramatist's vision, from comedies, wit and romances, to tragedies, pathos and histories.

At last, over 175 of Shakespeare's finest and most performable monologues taken from all thirty-seven plays are here in two easy-to-use volumes (Men and Women). Selections travel the entire spectrum of the great dramatist's vision, from comedies, wit and romances, to tragedies, pathos and histories.

Over 150 speeches for women from the best plays of the eighties. Takes the mystery out of the audition process, with excerpts from the plays of David Mamet, Harold Pinter, Sam Shepard and other top dramatists.

Over 150 speeches in two volumes (MEN and WOMEN) from the best American and British plays of the 1980's have been selected with the actor's needs in mind. Each volume boasts work from such top dramatists as Sam Shepard, David Mamet, Beth Henley, Marsha Norman, Lanford Wilson, Emily Mann, Christopher Durang, Harold Pinter, David Hare, and Simon Gray. With notes on character, context and approach accompanying each piece, SOLO! takes tile mystery out of the audition process and replaces it with confidence and poise. An invaluable resource entitled "Your 60 Seconds of Fame" guides the actor through the art, science and business of monologue performance. After grasping the demands of the monologue form, the actor is ready to meet the casting director and his or her demands before ... Next! "Your 60 Seconds of Fame" covers the terrain from monologue selection through performance.