By Gwen Minor and Margaret Lavin
San Mateo County Times
Like families, schools are looking seriously at cost cutting. Even with stimulus package money going to education, the cuts are going to be deep.
Historically, in rough times, the first cuts are usually to the humanities programs: music, drama and art, because today's teachers are required to teach to and test for state standards that focus on the "three R's," reading, writing and arithmetic.
So what good are the arts to children? Some outside the educational setting take the arts lightly. Others consider them a break in the academic day, a period of playtime, fun and amusement that doesn't count for that much.
The value is often not recognized because there is no section for it on a standardized test. But the arts contribute to the development of the whole child. The intangible qualities of the dramatic arts make placing a value on them difficult, but drama matters.
[Read More...]
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Monday, March 2, 2009
Distraction and Concentration in Memorizing Lines
Having a quiet place to study is important. A library is good for reading and studying. However, you're training for delivering your lines on stage, not to write a test in a classroom. Distraction may actually help you learn... or at least help you to keep your brain on your lines amid the chaos of performing.
Just ask Kevin Spacey:
Read More...
Just ask Kevin Spacey:
The actor [Kevin Spacey] — who won has won two Oscars for his roles in "The Usual Suspects" and "American Beauty" - likes memorizing scripts in places like restaurants and train stations as it helps him focus.
Kevin, 48, said: "I go to very noisy restaurants when learning lines. I also go to very noisy train stations, where plates are dropping, babies are crying, phones are ringing - because somehow it forces your brain to actually focus."
Kevin Spacey Prefers To Learn Lines In Noisy Environments | iCelebZ.com
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Thursday, July 24, 2008
New Products Delayed by Explosion
Here is a recent news article about the place where I live (or lived, as the case may be): Displaced T.O. tenants await air-quality results
To summarize, for those who don't want to click the link: My apartment building had a major explosion in the electrical room in the basement, and a fire that spread toxic ash throughout the building. We will not be able to live there (or move our stuff out) for at least a month, probably more like two or three. We have not even been allowed in to retrieve important paperwork, my wallet, or any other items, although that should be changing in the next few days. When they get toxicity results back from the lab, they'll start taking tenants up to get their essentials for 10 minutes or so, and then be escorted out again.
MemorizeShakespeare.com is still online, and there is no problem ordering products and receiving downloads. However, new products will be delayed due to this unfortunate incident.
Sorry for the inconvenience!
To summarize, for those who don't want to click the link: My apartment building had a major explosion in the electrical room in the basement, and a fire that spread toxic ash throughout the building. We will not be able to live there (or move our stuff out) for at least a month, probably more like two or three. We have not even been allowed in to retrieve important paperwork, my wallet, or any other items, although that should be changing in the next few days. When they get toxicity results back from the lab, they'll start taking tenants up to get their essentials for 10 minutes or so, and then be escorted out again.
MemorizeShakespeare.com is still online, and there is no problem ordering products and receiving downloads. However, new products will be delayed due to this unfortunate incident.
Sorry for the inconvenience!
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Memorize Romeo's Lines and Next Project
Today, we announce that Romeo's lines are now available for instant download. We managed to cram them all onto 2 albums, so we could keep the price a low $24.
Visit MemorizeRomeoAndJuliet.com/romeo for details.
In other news, the polls have closed and the decision is in: our next project is As You Like It. For those of you who voted for a different play, we're keeping your votes on file for the following project.
Visit MemorizeRomeoAndJuliet.com/romeo for details.
In other news, the polls have closed and the decision is in: our next project is As You Like It. For those of you who voted for a different play, we're keeping your votes on file for the following project.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Sleep For A Memory Boost
Some memorization strategies are so easy, you could do them in your sleep. What strategy is that? Sleeping: you need to sleep to get the most out of your study. To memorize your lines in Shakespeare, don't stay up late.
A lot of recent research is pointing to the fact that memories are encoded in the brain during sleep. What you learned during the day will be forgotten more easily if you don't get a good night's sleep within 30 hours. That amount of sleep is different person to person, but it's probably around 8 hours for most.
Here is an excellent article about sleep and memory:
Hit the Books or Hit the Sack*?
If, like me, you find repeating your lines a little hypnotic and boring, and tends to make you sleepy, don't fight it! Use it!
Don't oversleep. Not only do you waste your time and get less done, but you'll actually feel less energetic. But never feel guilty for getting your optimal amount of sleep. 6-8 hours at night, plus 1-2 hours in the afternoon may just be the thing that makes you a genius, and have the best memory in your cast.
A lot of recent research is pointing to the fact that memories are encoded in the brain during sleep. What you learned during the day will be forgotten more easily if you don't get a good night's sleep within 30 hours. That amount of sleep is different person to person, but it's probably around 8 hours for most.
Here is an excellent article about sleep and memory:
Hit the Books or Hit the Sack*?
If, like me, you find repeating your lines a little hypnotic and boring, and tends to make you sleepy, don't fight it! Use it!
- Always study your lines before bedtime, after changing into bedclothes and brushing your teeth. When you get sleepy, just crawl into bed.
- For those who like an afternoon nap, set an alarm for 1 hour. Study your lines for 20 minutes, or until you get really tired. Then nap for 40 minutes.
Don't oversleep. Not only do you waste your time and get less done, but you'll actually feel less energetic. But never feel guilty for getting your optimal amount of sleep. 6-8 hours at night, plus 1-2 hours in the afternoon may just be the thing that makes you a genius, and have the best memory in your cast.
Trouble Remembering Act 2 & 3?
In our search for the best ways to memorize lines, there are certain principles that are well proven, and others that are unreliable. Today, we look at two memorization ideas that have been shown to work for everybody... so much that it's almost common sense.
Memory research has long known about two major effects from standard tests. One way psychologists study retention is to have the subject memorize a long list. Sometimes these are numbers, other times they use random words. Either way, the accuracy of the participant's recall always follow a predictable pattern: forgetting is highest for the middle of the list.
The Recency Effect refers to the fact that you'll remember the last few items really well because you heard or read them most recently. As an actor, you probably already read over a scene right before a rehearsal to refresh your memory.
The Primacy Effect shows us that no matter how long a list is, the first few items are remembered especially well. So, you probably know Scene 1 really well.
So how do you increase your memory of the middle of the play?
It's no mystery: rehearse those scenes more.
As an actor, you don't have control over the rehearsal schedule, but you do have control over the time you use for memorizing your lines. Whenever you start a memorization session, always start one scene later than the last time. Let's say you're playing the Prince in Romeo and Juliet. You'd have dialogue in I.1, III.1, and V.3. So, your first memorization session, start with I.1 and go through all your lines. The next day, start with III.1, go to the end of the play, then do I.1 last. On day 3, begin your study session with III.1. That way, the "middle of the list" is always a different scene each study session, and each scene you're in gets a chance to profit from the Primacy Effect and the Recency Effect.
In long scenes, you probably know your first line best, and your last line really well too. If you make any mistakes in rehearsal, I bet it's closer to the middle of the scene. If you memorize from the script, it's tough to get around this problem except by drilling the problem lines more and more. On the other hand, if you use ScenePartner, all your lines are on separate tracks and they're all numbered. So you can use the same method we already talked about: the first study session, start with line 1 and go through the whole play in order. The next day, go through all your lines again, but start with line 2, then line 3... then finish with line 1 at the end.
Once you've got your lines down, get the cues album, and say your line after you hear the cue line, and use the same pattern: one line later each day.
Then, put your Memorize Shakespeare playlist on random!
Memory research has long known about two major effects from standard tests. One way psychologists study retention is to have the subject memorize a long list. Sometimes these are numbers, other times they use random words. Either way, the accuracy of the participant's recall always follow a predictable pattern: forgetting is highest for the middle of the list.
The Recency Effect refers to the fact that you'll remember the last few items really well because you heard or read them most recently. As an actor, you probably already read over a scene right before a rehearsal to refresh your memory.
The Primacy Effect shows us that no matter how long a list is, the first few items are remembered especially well. So, you probably know Scene 1 really well.
So how do you increase your memory of the middle of the play?
It's no mystery: rehearse those scenes more.
As an actor, you don't have control over the rehearsal schedule, but you do have control over the time you use for memorizing your lines. Whenever you start a memorization session, always start one scene later than the last time. Let's say you're playing the Prince in Romeo and Juliet. You'd have dialogue in I.1, III.1, and V.3. So, your first memorization session, start with I.1 and go through all your lines. The next day, start with III.1, go to the end of the play, then do I.1 last. On day 3, begin your study session with III.1. That way, the "middle of the list" is always a different scene each study session, and each scene you're in gets a chance to profit from the Primacy Effect and the Recency Effect.
In long scenes, you probably know your first line best, and your last line really well too. If you make any mistakes in rehearsal, I bet it's closer to the middle of the scene. If you memorize from the script, it's tough to get around this problem except by drilling the problem lines more and more. On the other hand, if you use ScenePartner, all your lines are on separate tracks and they're all numbered. So you can use the same method we already talked about: the first study session, start with line 1 and go through the whole play in order. The next day, go through all your lines again, but start with line 2, then line 3... then finish with line 1 at the end.
Once you've got your lines down, get the cues album, and say your line after you hear the cue line, and use the same pattern: one line later each day.
Then, put your Memorize Shakespeare playlist on random!
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Sounds Prompt Sounds: Listen and Repeat Your Lines
"Oh, wait... I know this line. I can see it on the page... uh, the top of page 40. Argh, I can't remember... How does it start?"
I've heard so many actors say that sort of thing in rehearsal, and I can tell you exactly why it happens: memorizing from the page. In performance, you'll have to speak the lines, so you must use sounds (hearing and talking) for memorization early and often.
Of course, all you have to start with is the script, or your Complete Works of William Shakespeare. The problem is: if you keep using the written words to learn your lines, you'll "see" the text, and you'll have to "read" them each time you recall them. It also slows down your reactions to other characters for the same reason: you memorized the cue line as text. When you hear it said, your brain has to translate what you heard into text, recognize that it's your cue, retrieve the correct response line (as text), then translate it into the sounds you speak.
I can hear the outcry: "I have always memorized from the page, and I'm really good at it. I don't hesitate, and I don't see words floating in the air either. Poppycock!"
So, let's go over some proven facts:
1. Just because you're not aware of a mental process, doesn't mean it isn't happening. You'll never see magic text that you actually read... but the act of switching between modes of recall (vision vs. sound) takes mental energy away from your acting - and that is visible to the audience.
2. It's a tiny gap. For a natural English speaker, the translation between text and sound takes milliseconds. But that tiny pause is the difference between natural conversation and the recitation that kills so many performances.
3. The extra layer of processing harms your recall. Even if you're accustomed to learning your lines from the book, you'll find it easier and faster to learn by ear.
Have you ever noticed that you learn other actors' lines really easily during rehearsals? When they blank or call "line!", are you faster than the Stage Manager in feeding them their next words? That's because hearing Shakespeare is like hearing song lyrics (that's why they call it verse). Learning the lyrics to a song comes naturally from hearing it repeatedly, not from reading the lyrics sheet every night.
And when you hear other actors in rehearsal over and over, their lines get stuck in your head. Then it comes to your line, and you mess it up. Why?
Because you don't hear your own lines over and over... unless you get creative.
Some actors (including myself) record lines onto a mini-tape recorder. I hear only my own lines, and repeat. It's effective, but clunky. Here's some reasons it's not ideal:
1. Rewinding: Whether digital or mechanical, to go back a few lines to drill them is a pain.
2. Rhythm and tricky words: Even if you try to record with no emotion, what do you do about "incarnadine"? You can't record past that line until you check with the director about pronunciation.
3. Cues: To perform dialogue well, you should learn your cue lines by ear as well. However, you shouldn't listen to the same voice for the cue as the line, or you'll screw up even worse. So what do you do, get every other actor to record onto your mini-tape as well?
So Memorize Shakespeare has done it all for you. Select the character you'll be playing, download the lines and cues albums, and play them on any mp3 player, or burn them to CD.
Besides learning your lines faster and more reliably, you'll find your acting improving. No more translating between visual and sound... you hear a cue, you say your line.
"I can't remember... How does it start?" Right here: How To Learn Lines In Shakespeare
I've heard so many actors say that sort of thing in rehearsal, and I can tell you exactly why it happens: memorizing from the page. In performance, you'll have to speak the lines, so you must use sounds (hearing and talking) for memorization early and often.
Of course, all you have to start with is the script, or your Complete Works of William Shakespeare. The problem is: if you keep using the written words to learn your lines, you'll "see" the text, and you'll have to "read" them each time you recall them. It also slows down your reactions to other characters for the same reason: you memorized the cue line as text. When you hear it said, your brain has to translate what you heard into text, recognize that it's your cue, retrieve the correct response line (as text), then translate it into the sounds you speak.
I can hear the outcry: "I have always memorized from the page, and I'm really good at it. I don't hesitate, and I don't see words floating in the air either. Poppycock!"
So, let's go over some proven facts:
1. Just because you're not aware of a mental process, doesn't mean it isn't happening. You'll never see magic text that you actually read... but the act of switching between modes of recall (vision vs. sound) takes mental energy away from your acting - and that is visible to the audience.
2. It's a tiny gap. For a natural English speaker, the translation between text and sound takes milliseconds. But that tiny pause is the difference between natural conversation and the recitation that kills so many performances.
3. The extra layer of processing harms your recall. Even if you're accustomed to learning your lines from the book, you'll find it easier and faster to learn by ear.
Have you ever noticed that you learn other actors' lines really easily during rehearsals? When they blank or call "line!", are you faster than the Stage Manager in feeding them their next words? That's because hearing Shakespeare is like hearing song lyrics (that's why they call it verse). Learning the lyrics to a song comes naturally from hearing it repeatedly, not from reading the lyrics sheet every night.
And when you hear other actors in rehearsal over and over, their lines get stuck in your head. Then it comes to your line, and you mess it up. Why?
Because you don't hear your own lines over and over... unless you get creative.
Some actors (including myself) record lines onto a mini-tape recorder. I hear only my own lines, and repeat. It's effective, but clunky. Here's some reasons it's not ideal:
1. Rewinding: Whether digital or mechanical, to go back a few lines to drill them is a pain.
2. Rhythm and tricky words: Even if you try to record with no emotion, what do you do about "incarnadine"? You can't record past that line until you check with the director about pronunciation.
3. Cues: To perform dialogue well, you should learn your cue lines by ear as well. However, you shouldn't listen to the same voice for the cue as the line, or you'll screw up even worse. So what do you do, get every other actor to record onto your mini-tape as well?
So Memorize Shakespeare has done it all for you. Select the character you'll be playing, download the lines and cues albums, and play them on any mp3 player, or burn them to CD.
Besides learning your lines faster and more reliably, you'll find your acting improving. No more translating between visual and sound... you hear a cue, you say your line.
"I can't remember... How does it start?" Right here: How To Learn Lines In Shakespeare
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