Tips for Memorizing Monologues

[La06]

Posted: 9/6/04 at 9:06pm

Yes, I am a procrastinator, but I was wondering if anyone had any tips for memorzing monologues.

Thanks!
~La

[LadyGuenevere]

Posted: 9/6/04 at 9:07pm

Read them. Over and over.

Do a couple of chunks of the monologue at a time, and then keep adding gradually.

Really, you have to do a lot of recitation.

[Mattio98]

Posted: 9/6/04 at 9:10pm

Try copying it by hand. Also make sure you know the intentions behind all of the parts of the monologue.

[Sumofallthings]

Posted: 9/6/04 at 9:11pm

Write it down ten times without looking. Don't stop until you can write it completely perfectly from memory. Then do the same thing before bed because memorizing before sleep helps a great deal.

[Mythus]

Posted: 9/6/04 at 9:13pm

I record myself saying it and listen to it over and over again. The only problem with that is that you might say the monologue the same way you do on the recording, every time. But once you've memorized the words, you can do whatever you want with it. Am I making sense? I hope so.

[jacobtsf]

Posted: 9/6/04 at 9:15pm

I agree with the gradual adding

[Matt_G]

Posted: 9/6/04 at 9:15pm

I would always do it sentence by sentence. Read the first sentence 3 to 4 times. Than read the 2nd sentence 3-4 times. Than go back to the beginning and do it again until you're finished. I find it the easiest way to memorize.

[nychick9876]

Posted: 9/6/04 at 9:43pm

yeah high school drama teacher told us to memorize it a line at a time. after two minutes on the first line, go to the next. go back over the lines to make sure you know them every so often

[La06]

Posted: 9/6/04 at 9:56pm

Thanks so much...All of you! I almost have it completely memorized! w00t!

[MusicMan]

Posted: 9/6/04 at 10:59pm

Memorization is the least of it. Provide an objective, inciting incident, conflict and resolution (if there is one) with a line-by-line particularization and subtext and you will not only assuredly learn your monologue meaningfully but you will know it beat to beat and transition to transition, which is, after all, one of the goals of acting.

[SamIAm]

Posted: 9/7/04 at 8:37am

It also helps to break a monologue up into pieces (this also helps you to better understand what the author was trying to say and in what progression). Break it up into logical chunks that address a particular 'feeling' or 'topic' and then start the next chunk when the thought in the narrative moves on to the next topic.

THEN connect the two chunks by finding the association that brought the author to the next point they wanted to make...this way you'll remember which chunk comes next (though this isn't usually a problem).

This allows you to focus on a chunk at a time and get it down.

ALWAYS run the lines with the 'chunks' in the order in which you will say them onstage so you don't get confused.

Hope this helps.

[touchmeinthemorning]

Posted: 9/7/04 at 10:51am

Break up the beats...do your actor work...learn the motivation (not the lines)...once you've got the motivation, the lines will come VERY easily.

If you learn the lines by saying it over and over...your mind will not be involved with the text, but instead the rhythm of the text...which may be ok, depending on the text...but I doubt your working on something like that.

[aspiringguy715]

Posted: 9/7/04 at 12:25pm

I'm in a similar dilemma, but not because of procrastination.

I'm auditioning for a class, and on the admission sheet it says you will be called for audition dates. I assumed that they provide all audition materials, since it did not say "prepare a monologue." They called today to tell me that my audition is Thursday, and I need a monologue. What fun, I'll be memorizing like crazy these next two days! Plus school starts and I have an essay to finish. I repeat, what fun.

Posted: 10/11/04 at 8:51pm

I'm right now trying to memorize a monologue for tomorrow. I've read through it several times before and done a cold reading and workshopped it, but I'll let y'all know if these tips help tomorrow when I get back from my drama class.

[BroadwayDiva]

Posted: 10/11/04 at 8:59pm

I find it easier ot memorize when learning one sentence, and repeating it over and over. Then you learn the next sentence. Then you put it all together. So learn a sentence at a time.

I've also found that highlighting each sentence a different color works.

[TabooWickedFan]

Posted: 10/11/04 at 9:11pm

do it in chunks. i am doing that with my monologue for acting class so i have the first half memorized and tomorrow i start on the second half. i find it much more easier than trying to do it all at once.

[lostwallflower]

Posted: 10/11/04 at 9:24pm

I stopped doing the whole acting thing after I did Othello and realized that memorizing lines is just too much work. Now, my English teacher is making us memorize the General Prologue for the Canterbury Tales. With the whole old English sound. Torture...

Posted: 10/15/04 at 7:15pm

memorizing before bed was actually helpful. i duno if it has anything to do with it... but i had it completely fully memorized with all of the tips. thanks!