Hi, friends! I've never acted in a play before, but I decided I may as well give it a shot and auditioned for the fall semester shows at my school and somehow ended up landing one of the leads in the first show of the semester (I know; I have no idea how that happened either).
I don't really need help with the actual acting bit as much as I need help with memorizing my lines. Our first off-book rehearsal is on the 24th, which is less than three weeks away and I have no experience with this kind of thing so I'm kind of freaking out.
That being said, does anyone have any tips for memorizing lines? Obviously everybody has something different that works for them, but I have no idea where to begin! The good news is that a lot of my lines are pretty short and easy to remember (there are a few exchanges where I'm just saying "yes" over and over again), but I have two or three monologues that I need to get down.
Hi, friends! I've never acted in a play before, but I decided I may as well give it a shot and auditioned for the fall semester shows at my school and somehow ended up landing one of the leads in the first show of the semester (I know; I have no idea how that happened either).
I don't really need help with the actual acting bit as much as I need help with memorizing my lines. Our first off-book rehearsal is on the 24th, which is less than three weeks away and I have no experience with this kind of thing so I'm kind of freaking out.
That being said, does anyone have any tips for memorizing lines? Obviously everybody has something different that works for them, but I have no idea where to begin! The good news is that a lot of my lines are pretty short and easy to remember (there are a few exchanges where I'm just saying "yes" over and over again), but I have two or three monologues that I need to get down.
Practice reading it out loud. Read it off the page, then do as much as you can without it. Eventually wean yourself off the paper entirely. But practice as much as you can. That's how we memorized music pieces in chorus, how I prepare myself for presentations, and take exams.
It would also be helpful to enlist your fellow actors or your friends/family to read the lines between your own. That way you can make little 'markers' of when say you're just going 'yes' a bunch, or it's time to launch into monologue mode.
But good luck all the same! Knock 'em dead!
Practice reading it out loud. Read it off the page, then do as much as you can without it. Eventually wean yourself off the paper entirely. But practice as much as you can. That's how we memorized music pieces in chorus, how I prepare myself for presentations, and take exams.
It would also be helpful to enlist your fellow actors or your friends/family to read the lines between your own. That way you can make little 'markers' of when say you're just going 'yes' a bunch, or it's time to launch into monologue mode.
But good luck all the same! Knock 'em dead!
"Yuck people are majestic." - yellowdragon18
FR+3
Practice makes perfect! As Torrie said above, do as much as you can and wean yourself off of the paper slowly. It helps to practice with a friend/the person you're interacting on stage with as well, so you'll have how you'll be acting during the performance down too.
Practice makes perfect! As Torrie said above, do as much as you can and wean yourself off of the paper slowly. It helps to practice with a friend/the person you're interacting on stage with as well, so you'll have how you'll be acting during the performance down too.
I'd suggest that first just skim through your lines, taste words here and there, then read the first monologue a couple of times. Take a break, let the lines sink in, read them again. Cover the lines when you feel like you could remember even just a bit, but if you hit a snag take a tiny peek and then try going on.
It's important not to push yourself too hard to remember and not rush, also sleeping is important and helps remembering things.
When you think you remember at least most of them, practice acting itself while reciting your lines, so they became part of your maneuvers. If there's someone who could read the script and watch you do you part solo and correct you if it's needed, that could help too.
Still, you don't have to get it all perfect when it's time to rehearse without book. In the end, it is quite like practicing before giving a presentation.
Good luck! :D
I'd suggest that first just skim through your lines, taste words here and there, then read the first monologue a couple of times. Take a break, let the lines sink in, read them again. Cover the lines when you feel like you could remember even just a bit, but if you hit a snag take a tiny peek and then try going on.
It's important not to push yourself too hard to remember and not rush, also sleeping is important and helps remembering things.
When you think you remember at least most of them, practice acting itself while reciting your lines, so they became part of your maneuvers. If there's someone who could read the script and watch you do you part solo and correct you if it's needed, that could help too.
Still, you don't have to get it all perfect when it's time to rehearse without book. In the end, it is quite like practicing before giving a presentation.
Good luck! :D
But I like it
Because it is bitter,
And because it is my heart.
Thank you everyone! I really appreciate it!
Thank you everyone! I really appreciate it!
@
scarydactyl
I was a lead in a few plays, and the best thing for me was always reading lines to myself ina mirror. It not only helps you get out of the book (because you have to focus on your reflection), it also helps you really fine-tune your facial expressions so that you can get EXACTLY the look you want for each line :)
@
scarydactyl
I was a lead in a few plays, and the best thing for me was always reading lines to myself ina mirror. It not only helps you get out of the book (because you have to focus on your reflection), it also helps you really fine-tune your facial expressions so that you can get EXACTLY the look you want for each line :)
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