#38: Dear Julie: Memorization Woes
Wednesday 8/21/24
DEAR JULIE: I’m in a show with a lot of lines (plus songs!) and I’m having a hard time memorizing everything. I usually use flashcards but it’s not clicking yet. Happy to take any tips or tricks plz!
Oh this is a fun question. Here’s what I do:
I primarily memorize via audio recordings. I’ll talk all the lines in the scene into my voice memo using my regular voice for my own lines (with intention and pace) and I’ll use a different tone for the other voice. You should hear my Sweeney audios - they are WACKY lol. This works for me because it mimics the way I learned full cast albums when I was a child. To practice I listen on my airpods or just out loud and I speak my lines WITH myself. It really is a game changer. Poof… I know it. I break the recordings down scene by scene.
Things I know work for others/some of which i do:
Doing the scene full-out with blocking while memorizing. Where are you? Where do you go? What is the muscle memory? I do this too - I really use rehearsal to connect dots as well as at home rehearsal. Simply sitting and looking at my script/looking up/checking my line does nothing for me.
Utilize a friend to help. Set your expectations (i get PISSED if someone corrects one word if the rest is ok… like, don’t stop me for a this vs that please… tell me later).
A lot of people write lines out. I don’t do this for memorization but i DO write all my lines out on my “track sheet” that I make for each show. I type every single one out. This definitely helps solidify.
DO SOMETHING ELSE. Use a walking pad, go for a walk, do laundry, cook, etc. There is research that proves memorization is activated by action.
MY FAVORITE: mnemonic devices. OH LORDY HOW I LOVE THESE. I especially use for memorizing solo songs… “what comes next” tough sections. I use letters and also all kinds of creative twists and turns. When I was memorizing “everest” aka “God, That’s Good” - the ONLY way I could do it was by weird things to also remember haha.
Give them a shot!
Dreams Don’t Die
Julie