In this thoughtfully curated collection, teen actors preparing for an audition or searching for quality scenes to hone their chops will find a wealth of contemporary material from American and British plays. Almost all of the works are from the year 2000 to the recent 2014 Broadway production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in Night-Time, chosen from the point of view of a professional acting teacher, director, and casting director.

Along with covering the basics of how to match the best monologue to the actor and how to approach the rehearsal and performance of the piece, the book provides a synopsis of each play, a character description, and a list of questions specific to each monologue that will direct the actor toward shaping a complex, honest, and thoughtful performance that has a strong emotional connection, a clear arc, and playable actions. There is also a brief lesson on appropriate rehearsal behavior and preparation.