Comments on: A Simple Suggestion for Getting Off Book

By: Ty Unglebower

Ty Unglebower — Wed, 19 May 2010 02:59:37 +0000

I am glad to see that many other make use of this simple technique. Simple really is best. Thanks for reading!

By: jon townson

jon townson — Wed, 05 May 2010 13:52:54 +0000

yup, been doing the same thing for a few years now. i’ve worn out 2 mini-cassette players by doing this. now, i have an ipod & a microphone attachment. bring it to the read-thru & record the whole thing. i can then burn to cd, or to my dektop at work. coolest device ever! as i struggle with a.d.d. & meorizing lines (don’t get me started!)that type of ‘background’ noise/listening to my lines is UNBELIEVABLY helpful. having it in a digital format is easier to skip through scenes, rough spots, etc….

By: Audrey Cefaly

Audrey Cefaly — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 00:11:54 +0000

I couldn’t agree more with this approach. I find I memorize everyone else’s lines too. I once memorized an hour-long monologue this way. I was surprised at how easily the lines were absorbed. I listen to them in the car, at work on my computer, doing dishes… even when I’m not consciously trying to memorize them, and it amounts to just “background noise” as I’m doing other more important things, the lines seep into my subconscious, much like the lyrics of a song that you can recall even though you never consciously tried to memorize them.

The only downside to this approach is that if you record something wrong, a missing word, or a mis-read sentence, for instance… well, you get the idea… In my current show, I have a line describing a woman coming at me in a crowded bar: “She was up in my face.” But I had memorized it incorrectly as: “She was in my face.” When I realized my error, after being prompted by the stage manager, I was shocked. The entire sentence has a whole new meaning with that one word (“up”) added in.

Great advice!

By: Dave Bayles

Dave Bayles — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 13:44:03 +0000

Simple but very good advise Ty. I have been doing a simular thing for some time. What I do is come to the first read through of the show I’m in and record the entire show. I then will edit out the lines I spoke and record everything on a CD. I can play this back while driving to and from work or at any time. Since it was a read through most lines are spoken slowly and out of character. I found that in this way I can be off book very rapidly. In rehearsals I start to apply character along with the other actors. I know my lines, don’t need to rely on that dreaded book carry and can add movement and all the other ellements. Of course i also spend time away from rehearsals listening and studying with the script in hand. That i think is most important and valuable, using time away from rehearsals and not just learning at rehearsals. Sometimes I suprise myself. I get a role that has many lines and I think “no way am I going to memorize all of this” but the simple suggestions you make really work. I find I’m off book quickly and have my character down long before that first cutain opening.