Cattle Prods and Casting Calls

Oh boy - next week we're supposed to be off book for ongoing play rehearsals.

I'm not even near ready.

In years past, I was a very quick memorizer (is that a word?). I'd pick up on lines very quickly and even knew everyone else's lines too. This evening I did okay on my lines but it's the lead-in line that is still getting to me.

My brain just doesn't have the capacity it once had. And no, don't you dare say it is age talking. Seems to me it is being out of practice with learning how to memorize.

Why can't I get this? It's frustrating the living tar out of me that I haven't memorized the entire thing in just two weeks.

Am I expecting too much? Ya think?

Okay, I'm not the living, breathing, walking computer brain I once was, but there's still got to be a better way to get all of this in my head. How did I used to do this? I just cannot remember doing anything other than reading through a script over and over and then reading it out loud to myself.

One of the ladies this evening said she tapes herself reading the entire script with blank places where she's supposed to say her lines. Then she burns it on a CD and takes it with her everywhere she goes to play it over and over and over again. That way she gets away from the book and HAS to get her line in during the silent sections.

Maybe it's going to take doing something new like that. I don't know, but I'm getting a little stressed about being able to handle all of this. Deep breaths - shake it off.

It will come. It's just going to be a little slower than it used to be. It isn't like I'm going to be electrocuted with a cattle prod if I don't get my lines correct.

Hmmm, wouldn't put it past Ruth to try something drastic when you get right down to it.