I am preparing a monologue for a showcase and I am actually on the right track as feeling the emotion and understanding the circumstance however when I read it I can feel it. When I practice it, I lose the feeling and spontaneous raw beats. I have said this over and over and though about it and even memorized it into beats. Thats why Im stuck in this mold. How can I break it? Its stifling my performance.

Are you clear on your objective? Do you have a clear idea of how each beat in the monologue helps you achieve the objective?
Don't worry about the emotion. Put the focus on having an objective and the actions you need to achieve it (presumably those actions are somewhere in the monologue).

I just saw a wonderful example of this in the French film "Le Mulet et La Graine". A daughter is trying to convince her mother to go to an event she's boycotting. The daughter does everything from trying to convince her mother she's letting another woman outshine her to... crying.

But of course if you're doing a monologue you have to find all this in the text.

Hi,

I'd like to offer you help. But there are so many possibilities of what is causing problems for you, it's kind of impossible on a website.

You need a great teacher...

I'd have to ask you tons of questions and watch you work in order to zero in on the problem(s). Usually, there are multiple issues involved in acting that isn't successful -- emotional, imaginative, analytically, etc. Each of these areas is vast.

You can start by, if you want, telling me EVERY SINGLE THING YOU HAVE DONE, from the moment of picking up the script until now. That may give me a sense of some things that are missing from your process.

My first question is always, are you in love with this material? If your soul doesn't need to do it, it makes succeeding very difficult, regardless of your process.

- Jason

Well my monologue is about a girl who is trying to convince her ex that she dumped to take her back. I cant relate exactly to the text because I have never had a boyfriend. So right now I am just trying to hold on to the fact that I feel reject and Im scared to reveal how I feel because he has someone else now and I last thing I want to hear is that he moved on.

I did a scene breakdoen. My objective is: I must let him know I have always loved him
Reason: I want him to take me back
Conflict: He resents me for dumping him when he was openly in love with me.
She keeps saying she screwed the relationship up because she didtn want to get hurt again. So I am tryin to equate it to a time when I was neglected by a good friend. It hurts to the core. And when I just look at the words I feel it when I silently read them. But as soon as I open my mouth I seem to slide back into that same old stale way of saying the lines, the beats are the same and I lose the feeling. I probably should have picked another monologue, but the best actors dont have to go through something to portray it.

Hello,

With all due respect, you have basically no acting process. I would be shocked if you could act the monologue well, given what you don't know right now.

Great actors usually study acting for years before understanding how to consistently create great work.

You did essentially no imaginative work, you don't know how to. A tiny amount of intellectual analysis, as you indicated above, accomplishes almost nothing.

You need to read many books and study with great teachers. - Jason

quote:

Originally posted by Totallycool:
Well my monologue is about a girl who is trying to convince her ex that she dumped to take her back.

Sounds like a nice clear objective to me. Why not just focus on that, and stop worrying about whether the emotion is "right", etc.?

So you've never had a boyfriend. Certainly you've tried to get someone to do something for you, no? Say, get a parent to buy you something they don't think you need. Or maybe a teacher to let you hand in an assignment late?

You're perfectly right, an actor doesn't have to experience something literally to reproduce it. Leelee Sobieski was a quite public virgin when she played a young woman who sleeps around in "A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries". But she found the sense of failure, of rejection, of feeling undervalued somewhere in her own experience.

I can't speak to your experience, your training, certainly not your fundamental abilities. What I can emphasize is that old familiar saw: objective. Put all your attention on trying to achieve it.

Try restating each beat in your own words, making it clear what you're trying to accomplish at that step in the monologue. Work that out, run through it and then - forget it. The beats are good preparatory information, but you have to let go of them once you're headed for your goal.

Think of a race car driver who's mapped out the hazards of a particular track. Yes, there's lots of specifics at the back of their mind. But once they're in the race the only thing that matters is winning.

Achieving your objective should be ALL that matters once you're actually doing the monologue. Not the beats, not the emotion, nuttin'.

Think Luke Skywalker. Once you're in flight, let the Force be with you.

quote:

Originally posted by Totallycool:
I cant relate exactly to the text because I have never had a boyfriend.

So here's your first problem -- and it's one many actors struggle with. There are some basic approaches.

First is the magic, "if," which you may be thinking about in the wrong way. You shouldn't be thinking, "What would I do if I had a boyfriend . . ."

You SHOULD be thinking, "What would I do if I were THIS CHARACTER and had a boyfriend . . ."

That can make a huge difference in your thinking.

If you still find it too difficult to imagine the circumstances, then you must find life experiences that are similar. You might not know what it's like to have a boyfriend, but you likely know what it's like to feel loved. You might not have ever dumped a boyfriend, but you've probably lost friends. Although you've never asked a boyfriend to take you back, you probably understand what it is to long for something profoundly.

Good luck.

I just want to add that my original post was meant to encourage you. I re-read it and thought it might not be taken that way. I hope it didn't make you feel bad.

If you don't know much about acting, right now, then your work has the potential to grow huge, huge, huge leaps and bounds with great training. And I had read in another thread that you've never taken an acting class.

Serious actor training works. In fact, it's usually life-changing.

So I hope you go for it -- read and study. I appreciate others trying to give you very simple advice. But I'm afraid it's a bit more complex than simple, anonymous advice via a message board. For all I know you're doing great work, and you just don't realize it.

Maybe you need physical work, emotional release work, voice work...maybe you need to learn how to use your imagination...maybe you need to learn script analysis...maybe you need more life experiences...maybe you need to learn to "act" from your imagination, because when you act, currently it's from your rational mind and is result-oriented...maybe you need to let go...maybe you need to try harder. I don't know because I'm not there and we can't talk.

The possibilities are endless.

Anyone can give you generic advice. Everything that was said is in most basic acting books. But the solutions are probably a bit more profound.

For example, how many times did you read the entire script? I don't even know that from your answer. Many aspiring actors go right to the monologue and break it down without even reading the whole script -- OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER. Jumping to advice about objectives and the magic if leaves lots of vital stuff out of the investigation. HOW did you create the imaginary world in which to live? What tools and processes did you use? What tools and processes did you use to "justify," IMAGINATIVELY, your character's goals? And on and on...

Here is a quote I love:

"Great acting is not easy; anyone who says it is is either shallow or a charlatan. And one of the hardest things about acting is admitting that it is hard." - Robert Cohen

Good for you for posting your question and I hope you quickly find ways to feel fulfilled in your work.

- Jason

There's no doubt of course that training is important for most actors. But, TC, I'm presuming you've had at least some if you knew to work on the beats of your piece. Even trained actors often find monologues daunting.

But perhaps you could give us some idea of your training up until this point, so we have some idea of what you're likely to already know?

TotallyCoool wrote, "I am interested in taking a techique class one day when I can afford it..." on another thread.

And I asked TotallyCool to tell me EVERYTHING she did in preparation to work on the monologue.

She wrote, "I did a scene breakdoen. My objective is: I must let him know I have always loved him
Reason: I want him to take me back
Conflict: He resents me for dumping him when he was openly in love with me."

Based on this, I concluded there was no professional training and no meaningful acting process.

I'd be glad to find out I'm in error. Perhaps she didn't answer my question fully. And regardless, I hope TotallyCool has tremendous success in this Showcase. - Jason

quote:

Originally posted by JBActors:
Hello,

With all due respect, you have basically no acting process. I would be shocked if you could act the monologue well, given what you don't know right now.

Great actors usually study acting for years before understanding how to consistently create great work.

You did essentially no imaginative work, you don't know how to. A tiny amount of intellectual analysis, as you indicated above, accomplishes almost nothing.

You need to read many books and study with great teachers. - Jason

Wow. Well My scene breakdown was much more than just objective reason and conflict. But that was the simplified version. Ive created an enviroment for my scene so that im not just talking to thin air. So can you recommend those "many great books"

deleted post.

quote:

Originally posted by JBActors:
I just want to add that my original post was meant to encourage you. I re-read it and thought it might not be taken that way. I hope it didn't make you feel bad.
If you don't know much about acting, right now, then your work has the potential to grow huge, huge, huge leaps and bounds with great training. And I had read in another thread that you've never taken an acting class.

Serious actor training works. In fact, it's usually life-changing.

So I hope you go for it -- read and study. I appreciate others trying to give you very simple advice. But I'm afraid it's a bit more complex than simple, anonymous advice via a message board. For all I know you're doing great work, and you just don't realize it.
Maybe you need physical work, emotional release work, voice work...maybe you need to learn how to use your imagination...maybe you need to learn script analysis...maybe you need more life experiences...maybe you need to learn to "act" from your imagination, because when you act, currently it's from your rational mind and is result-oriented...maybe you need to let go...maybe you need to try harder. I don't know because I'm not there and we can't talk.

The possibilities are endless.

Anyone can give you generic advice. Everything that was said is in most basic acting books. But the solutions are probably a bit more profound.
For example, how many times did you read the entire script? I don't even know that from your answer. Many aspiring actors go right to the monologue and break it down without even reading the whole script -- OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER. Jumping to advice about objectives and the magic if leaves lots of vital stuff out of the investigation. HOW did you create the imaginary world in which to live? What tools and processes did you use? What tools and processes did you use to "justify," IMAGINATIVELY, your character's goals? And on and on...

Here is a quote I love:

"Great acting is not easy; anyone who says it is is either shallow or a charlatan. And one of the hardest things about acting is admitting that it is hard." - Robert Cohen

Good for you for posting your question and I hope you quickly find ways to feel fulfilled in your work.

- Jason

lol, ok. Yes I did take it to heart and the words did hurt my feelings abit BUT I understand...now. And Yes I realize that it is a bit vague advice across the net. Im going to class tommorrow at the studio where my showcase will be so hopefully my teacher will help me but the last class all he could say it to "really feel it" and that didnt help AT ALL.

Hello,

See, in my first post I had asked you to tell me "everything" you did to work on the monologue and you wrote three little things. So I was going on exactly what you said.

I'll need to hear much more to give any meaningful advice. And maybe you can answer the follow-up questions in my most recent post.

Many books are named on other threads. Read, read, read.

In terms of what your teacher said, "...but the last class all he could say it to "really feel it" and that didnt help AT ALL."

Well, in my honest opinion, I think I can fairly say this person knows nothing about how to teach acting...nothing. Because that is a ridiculous thing to say to an actor. It teaches nothing, offers no tools or process. It's nonsense. If it were just about you choosing to "feel," I would think you would have succeeded instantly.

Acting is far more complex than this. Again, I hope the Showcase goes well. If nothing else, just have fun! Then, get on to finding some serious training.

- Jason

quote:

Originally posted by JimChevallier:
There's no doubt of course that training is important for most actors. But, TC, I'm presuming you've had at least some if you knew to work on the beats of your piece. Even trained actors often find monologues daunting.

But perhaps you could give us some idea of your training up until this point, so we have some idea of what you're likely to already know?

Weeeyeell, I just graduated from high School, have been doing school plays since middle school. I took musical theater classes for a year and then Acting for a year at my high shcool and performed in competition plays for the state, which we won first place two years in a row but always place amongst the top 3 other times. I also won first place a state-wide competition for performing a monologue from Doubt, the movie based off of the play thats about to come out. Moved to CA. Now, Im in a oncamera coldreading/ auditioning class. Im also doing a show at my college but they dont have classes outside of musical theater.

Hi, I would also gently say to you that the tools great actors use are virtually never taught in "cold reading/auditioning" classes.

You need a serious acting class. Eric Morris is a wonderful teacher for beginners. And you need movement and voice training. Richard Seyd is a brilliant teacher for later on.

Sounds like you are learning some tough lessons right now. It can be a real shock. Check out this article I wrote a few years ago:

http://www.jbactors.com/actingreading/littleaboutacting.html

- Jason

there is no script its an original monologue written by a writer. A solide paragraph that runs past 3/4th a page.....
So I imagine that I am going to a party that I know Ill see my ex. A friend informed me that he is with another girl now. I imagine that I pulled him aside into a private space to talk to him. I have to tell him I love him now because I have procrasticnated telling him and Im on the verge of losing him forever. But I know he resents me and could very easily shut me down. The whole reason I broke up with him is so I wouldnt be in this vulnerable position! Like I was with my first boyfriend(never mentioned) who really was neglecting, unfaithful, and mischevious.

Ok, but so far all I've heard is intellectual analysis and the way you think about the story. This isn't enough...

To learn acting tools, you need to work on great material by award-winning writers and full-length scripts.

You need to start with imaginative and emotional development work -- to expand and develop your imagination, emotional expressiveness, voice and body.

Check out that article...and read, read, read. Then find a great class and study, study, study.

Right now for you, it probably shouldn't be about Showcases and audition classes. It should be about serious professional actor training. There isn't really any more help I can give you on here.

Check out those teachers I recommended. Start with Eric Morris's book, "No Acting Please." Then, "Irreverent Acting." Then, "Audition" by Michael Shurtleff. Then, "The Intent to Live" by Larry Moss. Those books may change your life. Get them fast.

- Jason

quote:

Originally posted by JBActors:
Hi, I would also gently say to you that the tools great actors use are virtually never taught in "cold reading/auditioning" classes.

You need a serious acting class. Eric Morris is a wonderful teacher for beginners. And you need movement and voice training. Richard Seyd is a brilliant teacher for later on.

Sounds like you are learning some tough lessons right now. It can be a real shock. Check out this article I wrote a few years ago:

http://www.jbactors.com/actingreading/littleaboutacting.html

- Jason

Very nice article, and yes, I KNOW I need a better acting class!I really just wanted to take this one to adjust my stage experience to the screen. Now that I have been here for a few months, I feel it is really shallow thats why Im looking for a beter one, preferably in the IE cuz gas is nooooo joke and its rising now that christmas is over,lol. However, theres really nothing close to where I am. i think I was attracted to this simply because I know my teacher submits his students to auditions as a manager, not agent, and the price was actually affordable. I want to explore some other classes now, but its out of my budget, dangit. Finances finances finances.

You're writing posts so fast make sure you go back and read mine, because I edited some of them a few times...

I went into major debt to study acting -- MAJOR. And it was worth every penny. Actor training changed my life many, many times. I'm so much a better person for it, and of course, my work has grown leaps and leaps and bounds -- MANY times over.

But those books I recommended, you can sure learn a lot from them. - Jason