As you may know, I'm starting rehearsals for the play How I Learned to Drive. Part of my preparation work obviously entails memorizing a good number of lines. Everyone has their own methods but I've found one that works for me.

I'm a fairly organized person and I personally benefit from using short-term goals. Particularly when I'm really busy with other work, the small goals help me to keep focused and to keep my cool under pressure.

I've got a good memory but unfortunately it's not one of the "photographic"� kinds. I have to work at it. As such, a whole lot of dialogue to memorize can seem a little daunting, especially when you have a time limit. I also like to be "off-book"� as soon as possible.

So, what I usually do is this: I go through the script, highlight all my lines and then count them so I know how many I need to learn. Once I know that, I figure out when I want to be "off book"� and divide the number of lines by the number of days. This way, I know how many lines I need to memorize each day to meet my goal.

A little anal I guess but it works for me. Knowing I have to learn twenty lines a day (while maintaining what I've already learned), is far less daunting than just having a whole script of lines staring you in the face.

Speaking of which, back to work...!

It's amazing to me how many stage actors have the goal of Opening Night as their target for line memorization.

One sees this more often, of course, in non-professional circles, but even the "pros" amaze me sometimes.

The target for line memorization should be on the rehearsal timeline closer to that first rehearsal than the last. (I worked with one actor--veteran Philip Pleasants--who showed up at the read-through with his lines down; who-hoo!)

Ya can't even begin to truly play and explore until those lines are down.

Your memorization technique is a good one. Whatever works! I always encourage actors to plug the memorization process into their bodies and emotions as soon as possible...rather than simply memorizing straight off hte page. The more you know about your character and the given circumstances, of course, the better.

Thanks for the great site!

--Tom