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Theatre Games for Learning Scripts

In the theatrical world, actors and actresses must memorize lines and learn their scripts in order to connect emotionally and physically with the characters they play. Script learning games -- or exercises, as they are called in drama clubs and workshops -- help actors and actresses prepare for their roles so that they may give their top performances when on stage.
  1. Complete the Cue

    • Complete the cue is a theater game that involves one person reading the cue line from the script and the actor following the cue line with the correct line that follows in the scene. The person who does the reading can rearrange the cue lines so that they are not read in order of the script. This helps to ensure that the actor truly knows his lines, as well as which lines follow which cues.

    Pantomime

    • A useful script learning game idea is for the actress to perform the scene solo, in pantomime. Pantomime is a silent portrayal of the actions in the scene. The actress uses her body, facial expressions and imaginary objects to portray the events that are occurring in the script. For instance, if the scene calls for her to bake a pie, she will act out the steps for baking a pie. Pantomime exercises help actresses learn scripts, because they test the actress's knowledge of the scene, and the actress is still responsible for performing the actions and coming up with appropriate facial expressions for the script's subtext.

    Fast Script Read

    • A fast script read is a game where two or more actors from a scene get together and speak their lines as fast as they can. When one of the actors stumbles or forgets a line, the group starts over again from the beginning of the scene. The goal of the game is for the actors to have their lines down and memorized, without skipping a beat between them.

    Character Emotions Game

    • In the character emotions game, actresses have to recite their lines from the script using different emotions. The acting coach tells the actress, "Recite the same lines as if you were sad" or "recite the same lines as if you were excited." Changing up the emotions in the script gives the character new meaning while still reciting the same lines. This type of exercise teaches the actress how the character can change just by altering the emotion in the scene.

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