Know Your Material-Beyond Memorization

Know your Material!

Do not memorize your monologue the night before the audition. Know your monologue backwards and forwards. Now - this does not mean - know-your-monologue-so-you-can-do- it- the-exact-same-way- every -time-therefore-I-can't-do-it-any-other-way. Refer to Hedda Example.

If the director has time they may ask you to try something new - Hedda as a cheerleader. Or they may ask you to start from a particular section and do it again. Maybe with no change. Focus on your objective and your tactic. However if you've only ever done the monologue from the beginning AND if you've only ever done it one way - this request will not be easy - even if that haven't given you a direction.

So - when memorizing a piece:

• don't always start from the beginning
• try singing it
• do it with different "voices"
• Say it out loud - not just in your head
• have people talk to you while you are trying to do the monologue
• do it in a park where there are distractions (um - if it is appropriate...)
• have friends try to distract you
• Say it out loud
• do it with t.v., radio, dog in the room, playing with the cat
• Move your body while you speak out loud
• Did I mention SPEAK OUT LOUD - not just in your head!

 Let the words live in your body. In other words really KNOW the piece. Don't just memorize it.

Don't be rude

A friend of mine who is a Producer/Director was recently holding auditions. He was producing this particular show but decided to hang around the auditions, not in the audition room. A guy came in who had changed his appointment but showed up at his "original" time. The producer tried to engage this actor in conversation saying - "Have I seen you somewhere before?" The actor replied -"I don't know, have you?" When the guy came out of the audition room he said "she wanted a character analysis" and stormed out. Producer found out the director had asked "who is your character talking to? He answered "I don't know, I don't have time for this shit" - and left.

2 morals of this story:
1st- know your character, know who you are talking to and be ready to answer questions!
THEN -
 I tell my Hedda Gabler example in every audition class I teach.
         In an audition if a director ask you to play Hedda Gabler like a cheerleader - DO IT. They are just trying to see if you can take direction. 99.9 % of them do not believe Hedda is a cheerleader!

2nd - Don't be rude. Answer questions politely, make conversation if someone engages you, and as long as it is a reasonable request -  do what your asked! (Not resonable -don't jump off buildings or take your clothes off in front of a camera in some "producer's" basement!  )