Our biggest character thus far, Rosalind from As You Like It is ready for download.
She has 201 utterances, which means that we couldn’t fit all her lines on two discs as we would like. The CD format can only have 99 tracks. Our normal pricing scheme is $12 per CD, so that minor characters would be $12, and major characters would be $24. According to that rule, we should charge $36 for this album. But for a limited time, you can get Rosalind’s Lines for $24, just like our other major characters.
Check it out: Rosalind Lines
Up next: Orlando’s Lines, and then on to the Cues albums for all the As You Like It characters.
I just learned about this terrific idea that seems to be very close to Memorize Shakespeare, or at least to what some people think ScenePartner does. The company is called Ovation, and their product is Earprompter. Their slogan in “Speak Like A Pro In One Day”.
The idea is that you purchase their hardware to prompt yourself with your pre-recorded speech while performing. It consists of a tiny earpiece which gets audio by a radio signal from a mini-tape recorder hidden somewhere on your body. You can pause and resume the playback with a separate button you can put in your hand or hide somewhere else in your costume.
How much would you pay for such a thing? For the wireless version, you’re looking at $799. They also want to sell you training at $2500 for a half-day, or just get the Interactive Training DVD for $99.
I think it’s an obvious choice for public speaking, where the speaker wants to be free of notes and look spontaneous, but also wants to deliver every line exactly the way they wrote it. I love watching good speeches, and this device could give you a major boost to your public speaking performance.
Even if we ignore questions of “authenticity” or “cheating”, I still would not advise using this for acting. Foremost, there are interruptions on stage that you can’t control. If another person on stage skips a line, a good actor should be able to continue the scene as if nothing happened… you can’t stand there saying “Hmm…” and fiddle with your costume while you try to fast-forward the tape to the right spot.
Secondly, you can’t keep the pause button in your hand, but you also don’t want to keep touching the same part of your body at the start and end of each of your lines. You’d look like a compulsive. Maybe they teach you how to avoid that in the training half-day.
Finally, you rob yourself of discovering new moments or going with your instinct on stage. Yes, you can record the line exactly how you plan to say it from your rehearsals, but thereafter in every performance you’re listening and repeating with the same pauses, the same tones, the same energy as when you recorded it. What if you discover something you want to change in your delivery? You have to remember that when you hear the forceful reading in your ear, you have to modify it to a creepy slow performance while it’s happening.
With ScenePartner, you actually learn your lines. You download the audio that we’ve recorded, and use your computer or mp3 player to aid your memorization. No hardware to buy. No special training needed, just press “play” and repeat at the sound of the bell.
Most importantly, you retain the freedom to react to other actors. If you’ve learned your lines and cues well, when they skip a line you can go straight on without hesitation. If you discover a new moment, the words are in your head, not broadcast into your ear, so you can change your delivery and be more fully present on stage.
The audience is on your side.
This is true in all performing arts. No one goes to any type of show hoping to see the performer fail. Every person in every seat in the theatre wants to see a great show. If they came to see a comedy, they are ready and waiting to laugh.
They are not hoping you’ll fail.
In most shows, most of the audience doesn’t know the material. But people who come to see Shakespeare generally know the plot, the best scenes, and their favourite lines by heart.
Oh no! They’ll be expecting so much more!
Do you think they’re hoping you’ll screw up? No! Unlike other audiences, they are more supportive and enthusiastic, which means they’re rooting for you even more.
And here’s the really important part: a lot of actors think they have to reinvent the famous characters, and unless they do something completely original in every scene, then the audience will be bored.
“Ho hum… I used to like Macbeth, but this actor is performing it as if he were a Scottish King who usurped the throne, and I’ve seen that before.”
Of course they’ve seen it before. But they’ve never seen YOU do this part before. Even if you try to copy Ian McKellen’s performance, because you have your own voice and body it will be new.
So don’t try to force the part to be completely different from every thing that came before. Audiences still watch Shakespeare because they love to see the same brilliant plays over and over again. They’re cheering for you.
I know you’ll all be overjoyed that Jaques famous speech from As You Like It “All The World’s a Stage” is now available for only $6.
Also, we had an anonymous request for Duncan from Macbeth, so Lines and Cues for Duncan are in the store right now too.
Rosalind is next, and Orlando.
A quick update: if you’re interested in As You Like It, Celia’s lines are now available. 2 CDs’ worth, $24. Other characters already posted: Touchstone and Phebe. This week, I’ll be posting Jaques famous speech “All the world’s a stage…”, then I’ll tackle Rosalind.
Enjoy the autumn colours!
After being unable to live or work at 2 Secord for 7 weeks (due to an exploding transformer in the basement), we are back home and back in business.
During the time away, I was not idle… I was sound editing! Go to MemorizeShakespeare.com and download the cue lines for Romeo and Juliet, and in that play you’ll also see Mercutio’s Queen Mab Speech is posted as well. Since it’s only one speech, it is one mp3 in one ZIP file for $6.
There is a new category up too, containing the first album from As You Like It, Phebe’s Lines. More from As You Like It will be coming soon.
Keep the requests coming for characters and plays we haven’t produced yet… we only exist to help you learn your lines.
Here is a recent news article about the place where I live (or lived, as the case may be): Displaced T.O. tenants await air-quality results
To summarize, for those who don’t want to click the link: My apartment building had a major explosion in the electrical room in the basement, and a fire that spread toxic ash throughout the building. We will not be able to live there (or move our stuff out) for at least a month, probably more like two or three. We have not even been allowed in to retrieve important paperwork, my wallet, or any other items, although that should be changing in the next few days. When they get toxicity results back from the lab, they’ll start taking tenants up to get their essentials for 10 minutes or so, and then be escorted out again.
MemorizeShakespeare.com is still online, and there is no problem ordering products and receiving downloads. However, new products will be delayed due to this unfortunate incident.
Sorry for the inconvenience!
Today, we announce that Romeo’s lines are now available for instant download. We managed to cram them all onto 2 albums, so we could keep the price a low $24.
In other news, the polls have closed and the decision is in: our next project is As You Like It. For those of you who voted for a different play, we’re keeping your votes on file for the following project.
Drop by MemorizeShakespeare.com or MemorizeShakespeare.blogspot.com.
Today, we announce that Romeo’s lines are now available for instant download. We managed to cram them all onto 2 albums, so we could keep the price a low $24.
Visit MemorizeRomeoAndJuliet.com/romeo for details.
In other news, the polls have closed and the decision is in: our next project is As You Like It. For those of you who voted for a different play, we’re keeping your votes on file for the following project.
Although we haven’t got all of the R&J albums online yet (do you know how many lines Romeo has?!? I’ll tell you: 163), we are beginning the planning of the next play for your memorization needs.
We make this decision based partly on overall popularity of the play, but mostly on your feedback. What does that mean? You get to vote for our next project!
Go to the Request/Feedback page at memorizeshakespeare.com and you can vote for any play, or go to our new blog: memorizeshakespeare.blogspot.com or to the Squidoo page at www.squidoo.com/scenepartner and answer the poll (with limited choices), or write an email to: request@memorizeshakespeare.com
I will tabulate votes from all sources, and announce the winner and you guys can argue about it in the discussion board.