How to Learn Lines

It is Always, Always, Always easier to remember someone else's lines than it is to reel off your own. This is because you've heard the other actors say their lines over and over during read throughs and rehearsals. I've never met an actor who didn't know the other characters' lines better than they knew their own while preparing for a show.
Therefore, one of the best ways to learn lines is to hear them.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Small tape recorder
• Blank tapes
• Pen and paper

1. Before you do anything else, look over your lines and makes notes of the emotions and goals involved in each speech or set of lines. This way, when you forget the next line you can think about what your character is trying to say and that will usually jog your memory.

2. Repeating the lines aloud to yourself is, of course, a good way to start, but to amp it up it's best to record them and listen to them over and over.

3. If you don't have a tape recorder, find a patient friend or fellow actor who will read your lines to you a few times and then be on book for you (check your lines in the script) while you recite them.

4. If you're still having trouble, try copying out the lines you can't quite get right. This is especially great if you know the right words but are getting them in the wrong order.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are listening to the lines on tape, don't let yourself get in a rut with the way you're saying them. Be open to finding changes in mood, tempo and intention. You never want to sound like what you're saying is something you've actually memorized.