Lines: Sealed. Delivered. (That's Your Job!)
By Chris Fortin, age 33
So you’ve done it. You’ve gone and been cast in your first scripted show (or second, or third, or twenty-third), and the director has said the most dreaded words an actor can hear: off book. You’ve got to ditch your script and actually have the words just IN your head, like some kind of ROBOT. What are you, A SPEAK AND SPELL?
Fear not, fellow human! Learning your lines seems daunting, but it’s so easy a talking dog who can also read can do it!
TAKE YOUR TIME, DAMMIT
Three general pieces of advice: learning lines takes time, so don’t be shocked if you don’t get it immediately; you’ll always remember lines better if you work them on your feet; and saying them outloud is always better than reading them. Reading it at a desk like you’re cramming for the MEAP test might put the words in your head, but you’ll get there faster walking around your living room saying them aloud over and over (and over) again. Plus, the more familiar you are with the script, the better you’ll understand the content of what you need to say, even if you aren’t word perfect yet.
PICK A METHOD THAT WORKS FOR YOU
There are a lot of different methods for learning lines, and everyone's going to have their favorites. Try them all out and see what works best for you!
Running lines with others is extremely helpful. Whether it’s the actual cast of the show, or that talking dog who can also read from before, it’s a great way to get those reps in to know the words, and just as importantly, your cues! Knowing your lines is great, but your scene partner’s gonna get annoyed if you just say them all in order at the top of the scene and then sit down, a big satisfied grin on your face. Don’t be satisfied! You didn’t do it right!
Don’t have access to a talking dog who can also read? There are a plethora of apps out there where you can upload your script, and then it acts like cue cards, showing you other characters’ lines so you can fill in your own. I’ve heard good things about this one. If you love the sound of your own voice, you’re in luck! Recording the sketch as a whole so you can hear it out loud and say your lines along with it gets you started, then recording another version with gaps for your dialogue can take you home!
Hate technology and love touching paper? HELLO! Take your script and an extra piece of paper. If you don’t make your own paper, store bought is fine. As you read the script, move the paper down to cover up your lines to quiz yourself on getting them right before showing them. If you get the line wrong, go back and do it again. Keep going until you can do a whole page right. Do it for the next page. Once you can do two, go back to the very beginning and repeat both pages before moving on to three. Rinse and repeat until you’ve got the whole gosh-dang thing in your noodle!
HONOR YOUR AUDIENCE
The earlier you’re off book, the earlier you can get to the actual FUN part of the show: acting! It’s hard to play with physicality and inflections and emotions while you’re still reading words off a page. No audience is sitting in their seats being impressed that the actors know their lines. That’s, like, kind of assumed. And you are better than that!
That’s it! At this point you’ll be beating that talking dog who can also read out for Almo commercials in no time! Give yourself time, and getting off book isn’t as intimidating as it seems. When the apocalypse happens we’re going to need something to replace TV, so having all this stuff memorized is gonna pay off eventually! Happy End-of-Days! And happy line-learning!
And if all else fails and you can’t learn lines, there’s always improv!
Want to see some memorized lines being said IN ACTION? Come check out “Don’t Google It” on Wednesday, November 13th at 10PM! Trust me, if THESE people can learn lines, SO CAN YOU! They’re freakin’ IDIOTS! Hahaha that’s not true, they’re good, kind people I respect immensely. Even Devin Jenkins.