Hey Kerwin! I hear ya! Of course you need to be off book well, but I do believe that many of us have an unconscious belief that forgetting = BAD and we make it mean that we are failing. A simple mindset shift that tells you otherwise may help. See the whole article here: realactorslab.com/forgetting-your-lines/
@@RealActorsLab Thanks. I'll check out this link. Believe me, I'm way off book. In fact I know all the others characters lines before and after mine. I record them on a voice recorder app on my phone leaving space for me to say my lines in between. This gets me used to hearing the lines before mine and then the ones after. The whole scene is memorized in my head so that isn't an issue either. Like the gentleman in your video I am so into the scene and my scene partners that I'm not thinking of anything else and for the life of me I can't figure out why the line escapes me. I'm thinking about doing something I called "cheating". In this particular play I'm in there are lots of other scenes in between the scenes that I am in so I think I will carry a copy of the script backstage and look over my lines before my scene begins and then go out there and do them. Hopefully seeing them that close to performing them will keep me from forgetting them even after all the hours that I have put in memorizing and rehearsing the lines. What do you think?
@@kerwinalexander6836 It's hard to say without having worked with you but typically I do not recommend cramming lines beforehand. The issue is usually a personal / emotional one -- like a limiting belief you have about yourself. My personal favorite mantra is "I do my work, I do not prove my worth". You know the lines. Perhaps a fear of failure? or not feeling good enough?
@@RealActorsLab Yes, I agree there is something stemming from me (personally). I've recently discovered that I am a " Self- Oriented Profectionist" stemming from my childhood and young adult years that as a black male I was told that I couldn't do this and I would never be that and I decided to prove them all wrong whenever I was told any of that. Also I've been a surgeon's assistant for the last 25 years (I'm now 58 years old and I retired 2 years ago). Everything I did in the operating room had to be precise and organized to the letter or the patient could be injured or killed. So my perfectionist personality trait worked out really well in that occupation. Now I'm pursuing an acting career and that trait is not so warranted or necessary. So now, I believe you have helped solve my issue with the forgetting of lines. I just read your blog "Do you know how to rehearse well" and discovered/ remembered that for this particular play my cast (there are 2 casts - this is a community theater) we're shut out of several rehearsals and dress rehearsals because they had issues with getting choreographers, lighting problems, and props. They also aren't open on Wednesdays and Sundays. Long story short, me/my character never got proper staging for the show and so we're now two shows into actual performances with a crowd and when saying my lines I have props, lighting and staging issues to deal with that I shouldn't if they were worked out during rehearsals. So the idea from your article is I should practice my lines while moving and staging myself as I do in the play (as if it was a rehearsal) at home. Since I've done two shows I know exactly where my blocking is, who I'm talking to, what my lines are and what props are around me. I can do my own rehearsals of my scenes at home (visualizing the people, props and saying my lines of course). My brain should make the connections it needs so when I'm on stage there shouldn't be too many surprises (of unknown origin) and my body and lines will flow naturally without being in my head for anything. What do you think? Great article by the way.👍 You're a great inspiration too. I'd love to be one of your students. Watching your videos excites and motivates me. Also, I've subscribed to your YT channel and book marked your website. I'd really love to meet you in person some day and/or participate in an online webinar or class you may host in the future. I live in Ft. Worth Texas so I'm not able to attend your classes in person. Hope to hear from you soon. Keep the videos coming. I'm definitely watching them.🎭
@@kerwinalexander6836 wow Kerwin! This is so inspiring, I'm so happy this helped conversation nudge you in the right direction and I hope that you find a lot of freedom and joy in your work on the play! I'd love to meet and chat about working together in a Zoom class sometime. You can always set up a free enrollment conversation over Zoom here: bit.ly/20withsarah
Seems easy maybe just nervous that's why I talk to every actor on the side to make myself feel comfortable
I hope you're correct in saying whatever you say when you lose the line will be ok cause it doesn't feel that way when it's actually happening 😬
Hey Kerwin! I hear ya! Of course you need to be off book well, but I do believe that many of us have an unconscious belief that forgetting = BAD and we make it mean that we are failing. A simple mindset shift that tells you otherwise may help. See the whole article here: realactorslab.com/forgetting-your-lines/
@@RealActorsLab Thanks. I'll check out this link. Believe me, I'm way off book. In fact I know all the others characters lines before and after mine. I record them on a voice recorder app on my phone leaving space for me to say my lines in between. This gets me used to hearing the lines before mine and then the ones after. The whole scene is memorized in my head so that isn't an issue either. Like the gentleman in your video I am so into the scene and my scene partners that I'm not thinking of anything else and for the life of me I can't figure out why the line escapes me.
I'm thinking about doing something I called "cheating". In this particular play I'm in there are lots of other scenes in between the scenes that I am in so I think I will carry a copy of the script backstage and look over my lines before my scene begins and then go out there and do them. Hopefully seeing them that close to performing them will keep me from forgetting them even after all the hours that I have put in memorizing and rehearsing the lines.
What do you think?
@@kerwinalexander6836 It's hard to say without having worked with you but typically I do not recommend cramming lines beforehand. The issue is usually a personal / emotional one -- like a limiting belief you have about yourself. My personal favorite mantra is "I do my work, I do not prove my worth". You know the lines. Perhaps a fear of failure? or not feeling good enough?
@@RealActorsLab Yes, I agree there is something stemming from me (personally). I've recently discovered that I am a " Self- Oriented Profectionist" stemming from my childhood and young adult years that as a black male I was told that I couldn't do this and I would never be that and I decided to prove them all wrong whenever I was told any of that. Also I've been a surgeon's assistant for the last 25 years (I'm now 58 years old and I retired 2 years ago). Everything I did in the operating room had to be precise and organized to the letter or the patient could be injured or killed. So my perfectionist personality trait worked out really well in that occupation. Now I'm pursuing an acting career and that trait is not so warranted or necessary.
So now, I believe you have helped solve my issue with the forgetting of lines. I just read your blog "Do you know how to rehearse well" and discovered/ remembered that for this particular play my cast (there are 2 casts - this is a community theater) we're shut out of several rehearsals and dress rehearsals because they had issues with getting choreographers, lighting problems, and props. They also aren't open on Wednesdays and Sundays.
Long story short, me/my character never got proper staging for the show and so we're now two shows into actual performances with a crowd and when saying my lines I have props, lighting and staging issues to deal with that I shouldn't if they were worked out during rehearsals. So the idea from your article is I should practice my lines while moving and staging myself as I do in the play (as if it was a rehearsal) at home.
Since I've done two shows I know exactly where my blocking is, who I'm talking to, what my lines are and what props are around me. I can do my own rehearsals of my scenes at home (visualizing the people, props and saying my lines of course). My brain should make the connections it needs so when I'm on stage there shouldn't be too many surprises (of unknown origin) and my body and lines will flow naturally without being in my head for anything.
What do you think?
Great article by the way.👍
You're a great inspiration too. I'd love to be one of your students. Watching your videos excites and motivates me.
Also, I've subscribed to your YT channel and book marked your website. I'd really love to meet you in person some day and/or participate in an online webinar or class you may host in the future. I live in Ft. Worth Texas so I'm not able to attend your classes in person.
Hope to hear from you soon. Keep the videos coming. I'm definitely watching them.🎭
@@kerwinalexander6836 wow Kerwin! This is so inspiring, I'm so happy this helped conversation nudge you in the right direction and I hope that you find a lot of freedom and joy in your work on the play! I'd love to meet and chat about working together in a Zoom class sometime. You can always set up a free enrollment conversation over Zoom here: bit.ly/20withsarah