| How to Learn Lines for a Play Posted: 04 Nov 2017 05:00 PM PDT It can often seem difficult or intimidating to be handed a script and told to learn your lines. Whether you're learning lines for a school play, an Amateur Dramatic Production, or for a professional stage job, you can make sure you memorize your lines quickly and effectively by understanding what you're saying first. Then, memorize one line at a time and recite them daily until you get "Off-Book." Use movement and emotional cues if you need help remembering difficult lines. EditUnderstanding Your Lines - Read the play and understand it. Before you can understand why your character is saying what they're saying, you need to know what's happening in the play. Focus on your character's motivation and their relationship to other characters. It might help for you to write this information down so you can reference it later.
- One of the best questions to ask yourself is: "Why is my character saying this?"[1]
- Keep a notebook dedicated to your character notes, so you can reference the information easily.
- Make sure you have your character workbook with you whenever you're working on your lines.
- Go through the play again and highlight your lines. By highlighting your lines, you're making sure your eye is drawn to the most important information on the page. Highlight the lines directly before your lines in a different color. These lines are your "cue" lines that let you know that it's your turn to speak, so you should memorize those along with your own lines.
- Make sure you can write on your script before highlighting anything! If you can't highlight your version, try scanning it or copy your lines down by hand onto another sheet of paper.
- Read the play over again in your head, and then read it out loud. Reading the play helps you develop familiarity with your lines. Read it again and again, first in your head and then out loud, before you move on to reciting your lines without a script.[2]
- Don't be overwhelmed by the amount of lines you need to learn. The excitement of getting a big part can sometimes turn to dread when you realize how much having a big part equals having a lot of lines to learn. But instead of being disheartened, think of it as an opportunity! These lines give you more information about your character and a larger opportunity to craft a deep, thought-out character.
- Try to learn one line, one scene at a time.
- As you get more practice in memorization, the better you will get at it.
- Remember that you will have to put in more effort and time the more lines you have. Plan accordingly.
- Accordingly, others around you should understand you will have more lines as a principal part than say, a member with five lines in the play.
EditMemorizing One Line at a Time - Write your lines. Write each sentence on a separate line of lined paper, and focus on one section at a time. Make sure you write your cue lines as well, but consider highlighting them or writing them with a different color pen, so you don't confuse them for your own lines.[3]
- Make sure you write freehand, since typing is not as effective for triggering memory.[4]
- By writing your lines out, you're also using a different part of your brain than the part that gets used when you hear things aloud, so it can be a great addition to your memorization process.
- Fold your sheet of paper so you can only see one line at a time. By focusing on one line at a time, you're creating a manageable goal for your brain to memorize. If you have a really short sentence, try memorizing two sentences at once.[5]
- Repeat the line out loud until you've memorized it. This might take anywhere from 30 seconds to 5 minutes, so be patient! Remember that everyone's brain works differently.
- Shift the paper down and memorize the next line. Some people like to cover the previous line once they shift the paper down, while others like being able to see previous lines. Find a method that works for you.
- Repeat the process. Doing this just once won't help you memorize all of your lines. You'll find that, after a few hours or days, you won't remember the exact phrasing or details. The only way to make sure you get all of your lines right is to repeat this process over the course of several days.
- Take a nap after learning a chunk of lines. When you memorize lines quickly, your brain is using short-term memory to remember them. After you step away or stop reading lines, your brain things you no longer need that information and "throws out" the short-term memory, undoing all of your hard memorizing work. However, if you take a nap, your brain shifts that information to your long-term memory, which helps you remember your lines![6]
- Alternately, you can go for a walk outside after memorizing a chunk of lines. Actors believe walking engages muscles that help with memorization.[7]
- Practice your lines before going to bed. Your mind will actually still work on your memorization while your sleep!
EditGetting "Off Book" - Highlight important or difficult words. There might be a word or two that you struggle to remember or can't quite say correctly. If that's the case, make sure you note it on your paper so that your brain spends that extra split-second focusing on the word. This can often help you tackle a particularly challenging word or phrase.
- Set reasonable goals. You won't be able to get Off-Book in an hour or a day. The best thing you can do is give yourself tasks that you can accomplish. This also has the benefit of giving you a boost of confidence, and making line memorization enjoyable.[8]
- For example, you could say "Today, I'm going to learn two pages of lines and then tomorrow I'm going to run through those lines again and do another two pages."
- Match your lines to your blocking. Your movement on stage, or "blocking," determines where your character stands, when they sit, and how they physically interact with other characters. If a line or set of lines is really frustrating you, try acting out what your character is supposed to be doing during those lines as you say them. [9]
- Make emotional associations while acting. You might be tempted to recite your lines quickly and without inflection, saving the emotion for practice or real performances. However, saying your lines with emotion and inflection can actually help you memorize them in the first place, since this gives you deeper meaning behind the text.[10]
- Record your lines and play the recording during daily tasks. Listen to the recording while doing everyday activities like driving or taking a shower. If possible, speak along to the recording to help facilitate the memorization process.[11]
- You can choose to record the whole play, or just your lines. If you record just your lines, make sure you also record the cue line!
- Apps like Line Learner and Lines2Memory can make the recording and playback process easier.[12]
- Another strategy is to include a pause after each line so that you can say the lines back to your recording. For a more advanced version, put the pause before the line, and then listen to see if you got it right.
- Make sure you make your pause long enough for you to say the line!
- Ask a friend for help. Friends can read along while you recite your lines and tell you if you got any wrong. If you forget a line, ask for a prompt by saying "line." Your friend should also correct you if you say a line wrong. This can be as drastic as skipping a line or sentence, or as minor as using "and" instead of "but."[13]
- Make sure you don't get too dependent on your friends, or you might never memorize your lines!
EditMaintaining Your Memorization - Keep rehearsing your lines. Once you're off-book, you might feel a temptation to stop practicing your lines outside of rehearsal. But the only way to make sure you're consistently getting your lines right is to keep practicing. Maintain your habit of listening to your script recording or saying your lines out loud during daily tasks in order to keep your lines fresh in your mind.[14]
- How many times you rehearse per day depends on how many lines you have and how comfortable you are with them. If you've had those moments of panic on-stage, rehearse your lines several times each day. If not, rehearsing just once is fine.
- Reference your script if you're not sure about a sentence or phrase. In some plays, it's important to get every word right. This can be as small as making sure to include a "the" or saying "like" instead of "as."
- While you are aiming for accuracy, remember some productions will not care if you are not entirely perfect.
- Example: a professional troupe performing Hamlet will require a precision higher than a production of "Grease" at a high school musical.
- Ask your cast members for help. If you're not sure if you're getting a word wrong, ask your cast members for help. They should have memorized all of your "cue" lines, and they can provide a sense of whether or not you're saying your cue lines perfectly.
- Perform your lines in front of family and friends. One way to maintain your lines is to ask different family members or friends if you say say your lines to them once a day. This can also be fun for your family members and friends because it gives them a chance to see what you're working on and follow your progress!
- Make sure you have fun!
- If you are stuck on a certain part, keep going over that part until you get it right, even if it feels frustrating.
- If there are other actors in the scene, practice with them. Have an actor or friend that's not in the scene hold a script and help you if you get stuck.
- Don't worry if you accidentally forget a line during a practice or even a performance. This even happens to professional writers! If it happens to you, just make sure you go back to the script after the practice or performance and run that part over again.[15]
- Take breaks throughout the day to avoid getting overworked.
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| How to Adjust Bike Brakes Posted: 04 Nov 2017 09:00 AM PDT Routinely adjusting your bike brakes will help them perform better and ensure you're riding safely. The two main things you'll want to adjust in your bike's brake system are the brake pads and the brake cables. Worn down brake pads that are too low or high on the rim can be a safety hazard. Brake cables that are too loose will make it harder to brake. Fortunately, you can easily fix these issues with some simple tools! EditAdjusting Your Brake Pads - Check your brake pads before you make any adjustments. The brake pads are the pads that clamp down on the front tire of your bike when you pull the brake lever. If the brake pads are worn down past the line labeled "wear line," you'll need to replace them before you make adjustments to your brakes.[1]
- If the wear lines on your brake pads aren't labeled, they should be marked by grooves on the side of the pads instead.
- You can order new brake pads online or pick some up at your local bike shop.
- Squeeze the brake lever to see where the pads hit the rim. Both brake pads should be coming into contact with the rim of the front tire at the same time. They should be hitting the center of the rim, with an equal amount of space above and below the pad. If the pads are hitting the rim too high or low, they could come into contact with the rubber part of the tire or the spokes on the bike.[2]
- Crouch down to get a good look at the brake pads as you're squeezing the brake lever.
- Use an Allen wrench to loosen the bolts holding the brake pads in place. Turn the Allen wrench counterclockwise to loosen the bolts. Don't loosen the bolts all the way or the brake pads will come out of the brake pad holder.[3]
- Move the brake pads up or down in the brake pad holder. They should easily move up and down once the bolts are loosened. If the pads were too low on the rim, move them up until they're centered. If the pads were too high on the rim, move them down until they're centered.[4]
- Re-tighten the brake pad bolts with the Allen wrench. Keep turning the Allen wrench clockwise until the bolts are fully tightened. Check to make sure the brake pads are centered. Readjust if needed.[5]
EditTightening Your Brake Cables - Test the tightness of your cables by pulling each brake lever. When you pull the brake levers, they should be about 1 ½ inches (3.8 cm) away from the grip on the handlebars. If the levers hit the handlebars when you pull them, the brake cables are too loose.[6]
- Loosen the barrel adjusters for minor brake cable adjustments. If your brake cables are just slightly loose, loosening the barrel adjusters might fix the problem. The barrel adjusters are located where the brake cables meet the brake levers.[7]
- Loosen the barrel adjuster attached to the loose brake cable by turning it counterclockwise. Loosening the barrel adjuster will actually slightly tighten the brake cable.
- After you loosen the barrel adjuster, pull the brake lever to see if it fixed the problem. If the brake cable is still too loose, you'll need to adjust it on the caliper. Leave the barrel adjuster as it is. Don't tighten it yet.
- Unscrew the bolt holding the brake cable on the caliper. The caliper is the main frame of the brakes that the brake pads are attached to. The brake cable is the thin cable extending off the caliper. Locate the bolt that's holding the brake cable. Use an Allen wrench to turn it counterclockwise a few times until the bolt is slightly loose.[8]
- Don't unscrew the bolt all the way. Just rotate the Allen wrench counterclockwise 2-3 times until the bolt is loose.
- Pull the brake cable outward to tighten it. Now that the bolt is loosened, you shouldn't have any problem pulling the cable. Hold it in place with your fingers once you've pulled it taut. As you pull the cable, the brake pads should tighten on the rim of the front tire. You want them to be tight enough that there's some resistance when you turn the tire, but not so tight that the tire isn't able to turn at all.[9]
- If you can't turn the tire at all, pull less hard on the brake cable so it's not as tight.
- Tighten the bolt holding the brake cable on the caliper. Use the Allen wrench and turn it clockwise 2-3 times until it won't turn anymore. The cable should be secure in place once the bolt is tightened.
- Tighten the barrel adjusters on the handlebars. Turn the barrel adjusters you loosened before clockwise several times until they're fully tightened. Tightening the barrel adjusters will loosen the brake pads that are clamped onto the front tire. Once the barrel adjusters are tightened, your brake cables should be all set!
- Test the brake cables again by pulling the brake levers. When you pull the levers now, there should be 1 ½ inches (3.8 cm) between the lever and the grip on the handlebars.
EditThings You'll Need EditAdjusting Your Brake Pads EditTightening Your Brake Cables EditSources and Citations
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| How to Celebrate Guy Fawkes Day Posted: 04 Nov 2017 01:00 AM PDT On the 5th of November, 1605, a group of men attempted to carry out the 'gunpowder plot', a failed attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament and kill King James the First. The man who was to light the barrels of gunpowder was named Guy Fawkes. The plan was discovered, however, when one of the conspirators sent a letter to his cousin warning him not to visit the Houses of Parliament. Fawkes was then caught just before lighting the fuse to the 36 barrels of gunpowder; enough evidence to lead to his conviction and execution. Today, the plot continues to be remembered through the use of fireworks, bonfire parties and general celebrations, observed primarily in England, but also in places such as New Zealand. Four hundred years on, Guy Fawkes Day or Bonfire Night is really an excuse to have a firecracker of a party! EditBonfire party - Visit your local fire station or pub that celebrates bonfire night. This could consist of fireworks, a huge bonfire, and music. If it's a professionally organized event, it's likely that the festivities will be spectacular and you don't personally have to trouble yourself with tending a bonfire.
- Make your own bonfire party. Find a sizable amount of land that is free of trees. Make certain it is not inhabited by people, or has stores or houses close by. You'll also need to check that the local regulations allow the creation of a bonfire in your chosen area.
- Check the weather forecast for the specific day of the bonfire. Accuweather is a great place to check UK weather so you can be sure the night will be rain free.
- Gather materials to burn. Twigs and dry leaves will keep a bonfire going for quite a while. Invite friends and relatives and ask them to contribute materials to burn.
- Never ever use petrol to start the bonfire, death can, and does occur from this mistake each and every year. Petrol is a highly flammable and extremely dangerous liquid! Instead consider using fire lighting fluid or fire lighting blocks which are made from much safer solidified hexane.
- For safety precautions: Have a phone in hand at all times in case the bonfire gets out of hand. In the UK, dial '999' and request help from the local fire station.
- Fill two buckets of water and have them in handy. Powerful hosepipes are ideal.
- Purchase fireworks and sparklers. Use authorized suppliers and only purchase fireworks that are considered to be safe to use by individuals in a domestic context. If the fireworks require professional handlers, leave well alone.
- Get everything ready. About one hour before friends and relatives arrive, start the bonfire. Do this by placing the fire lighting fluid in the center of the bonfire. Dried leaves, newspapers and small twigs made ideal kindling if placed loosely around the fluid.
- Light a match or two and place it into the fire lighting fluid. The hexane will light in a controlled manner and will cause the kindling to light. As the temperature increases the flames will very quickly turn from a small fire into a raging inferno. Make sure than you have enough firewood to maintain your bonfire for the duration of the party. As a rough guide the bonfire will burn a pile of wood equal to the size of the fire every hour.
- Set up a guest area, a safe distance from the bonfire. When they arrive offer them a drink and some refreshments. After a brief time of meeting and greeting, start lighting the fireworks. Follow the instructions provided with the fireworks and aim well away from people, animals and buildings; aim into the air.
EditBurning an effigy - Make an effigy of Guy Fawkes and attach it to a post outdoors. As with the bonfire, it needs to be somewhere that is free of vegetation or other flammable objects and should have a good area around it that is clear of any objects.
- Make sure that it's legal to burn things in your area. Call your local police station to confirm before the burn.
- Burn the effigy on the bonfire. You can also sing the popular rhythm Remember Remember the Fifth of November. (The second verse is usually omitted).
- Remember, remember, the 5th of November
The Gunpowder Treason and plot;
I know of no reason why Gunpowder Treason
Should ever be forgot.
Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes,
'Twas his intent.
To blow up the King and the Parliament.
Three score barrels of powder below.
Poor old England to overthrow.
By God's providence he was caught,
With a dark lantern and burning match
Holloa boys, Holloa boys, let the bells ring
Holloa boys, Holloa boys, God save the King!
Hip hip Hoorah !
Hip hip Hoorah !
A penny loaf to feed ol' Pope,
A farthing cheese to choke him
A pint of beer to rinse it down,
A faggot of sticks to burn him.
Burn him in a tub of tar,'
Burn him like a blazing star.
Burn his body from his head,
Then we'll say "Ol' Pope is dead." - Throw water on the burnt effigy to ensure that there are no embers left to float off and start a spot fire. Dispose of the ashes appropriately.
EditBonfire Night food suggestions - Prepare food if you're holding a bonfire party. It's a great way to keep everyone entertained while waiting for the fireworks and makes sitting around the bonfire a bit more enjoyable. Some food suggestions include:
- Baked potatoes
- Sausage rolls
- Hot dogs and burgers
- Bangers and mash
- Potato wedges with sauces or dips
- Bread baked in the bonfire
- Any camping food you'd usually shove in the fire (but only in the coals, at the edge!)
- Chip butties
- Fish and chips
- Puddings and sweets of all sorts, from toffee to sticky date pudding (and toffee apples are an easy-to-carry choice for sitting around the bonfire and nibbling)
- Hearty soups.
- Provide some non-alcoholic beverages. While no doubt the beer will be flowing, not everyone will want beer all evening. Some hot chocolate, warm fruit drinks and other wintery drinks will be a good choice to keep everyone warm and toasty.
- This occasion is known less as "Guy Fawkes Day/Night", and more as "Bonfire Night". The terms are interchangeable but some may prefer one over the other.
- Stay at least eight meters away from the fireworks or you could badly injure yourself.
- Watch the movie V for Vendetta (Warner Bros.), where Guy Fawkes and revolution are central themes.
- Don't forget to check when you are making a bonfire that there are no hedgehogs among the logs.
- It may be illegal to set off personal fireworks in your area. Check with the local authorities first.
- If your fire looks as if it may spiral out of control, dial 999/911 immediately. It is a lot easier for the fire brigade to put out a big bonfire than a house!
- Fireworks are dangerous. Follow the instructions without deviation and if you're unsure, either ask the retailer for advice or do not use them.
- Use caution when handling fire.
EditThings You'll Need - Guy Fawkes dummy
- Materials to burn
- Fireworks
- Large open space, a beach is ideal! If the land is not your own, get permission from the owner first
EditSources and Citations
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