Here's a collection of over 40 monologs and scenes from recently produced contemporary plays, featuring both established and new writers from around the world. The selections included here are specifically for use by young students and actors age 12 to 24 years old. The material is appropriate for all audiences in terms of language and situations, and the selections vary in length from one or two minutes to approximately nine or ten minutes in order to offer a range of challenges. Each piece is prefaced with the background information necessary as well as suggestions on performance approaches. The international flavor of this collection is also noteworthy because it offers some unusual challenges to students and actors. This anthology is designed not so much for production, but rather as a resource text for general reading, auditions, forensics activities, oral interpretation, and acting studio exercises.