Tips for memorizing lines...

[Broadwaygirl22]

Posted: 7/14/05 at 1:36pm

Does anyone have any tips for memorizing lines? I'm in the musical Footloose and I got the part of Bickle who has a number of lines. If anyone has any tips that would be great!

[WonderBoy]

Posted: 7/14/05 at 1:38pm

Practice, practice, practice.

[VonTussleGirl]

Posted: 7/14/05 at 1:40pm

Just go over it section by section, repeating the lines over and over again until the point where you can say them without looking at the book. It sounds simple, but believe me, it works. (This is coming from someone who once had to learn a great deal of lines two days before opening night when a supporting actress found out she couldn't perform... and I had to take over her role.)

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 7/14/05 at 1:44pm

I just repeat until I have it down, starting at the beginning of a scene every time until I get the whole scene down. Do the blocking and say the lines out loud as if you're performing them. Don't close your eyes and do it in your head -- make learning the lines a complete sensory experience and connect your body motions with the lines.

Posted: 7/14/05 at 5:02pm

it's like shampooing you're hair.

Repeat, repeat, repeat...

Also, you could try recording the lines and then playign them back.

Just listen to yourself say the lines.

[ConvinceMe2]

Posted: 7/14/05 at 5:05pm

I always knew everyone elses lines in the shows I did. I could never just learn my own lines. No reference point. I don't have any tips, though. Just came easily to me. But, repetition is the key.

Updated On: 7/14/05 at 05:05 PM

Posted: 7/14/05 at 5:06pm

Its because you dont listen to yourself, CM.

[Aigoo]

Posted: 7/14/05 at 5:27pm

Try to record yourself saying lines. And then listen to it possibly. Just in chunks...as big as you can handle at a time. I don't really have a problem with memorizing, but it helps a lot with memorizing lyrics to a song (listening to it over and over again).

[Dollypop]

Posted: 7/14/05 at 6:33pm

Many years ago Angela Lansbury told me that the best time to memorize lines is just before bedtime. She said she rests in bed with her script and goes over them time and again. When she's comfortable with a scene she reads the lines of other characters and covers her own lines with an old envelope. She then recites her lines from memory and checks back to make sure she got the wording right.

[Cruel_Sandwich]

Posted: 7/14/05 at 6:36pm

"Many years ago Angela Lansbury told me that the best time to memorize lines is just before bedtime."

I like that tip. I've always usually done the same thing. Practice as late in the day as possible so that it works its way through your subconcience in its sleep (Or at least it does for me...). It helps when your rehearsals are later in the day, late afternoon or so.

But overall, you just seem to know your lines over time when you work on it for so long. It's like anything. Do it for a while and you pick it up.
Updated On: 7/14/05 at 06:36 PM

[shlamdiddly]

Posted: 7/14/05 at 6:38pm

You need to keep rehearsing and repeating them.

Two years ago I was in M*A*S*H. IA lot of times I would have to read in for smaller female parts who didn't show up. But the time of the show I could mouth the words of like, 5 characters right alongside with them because I read them and said them so many times. It came in handy when I had take over one of the Bonwitt sister's part for a gala performance. I only got to rehearse twice with everyone else.

[cturtle]

Posted: 7/14/05 at 9:46pm

"make learning the lines a complete sensory experience and connect your body motions with the lines"

i agree with johnpopa! always learn your lines while up on your feet walking around, even if the scenes haven't been blocked yet. this will make it easier to remember the lines when you do start saying them on stage.