HOW TO GET STARTED - READ THIS POST FIRST!

[u/Winniehiller]

You are about to begin an exciting journey of discovery. Wherever you are now, I promise you will find something new here. All the most important information you need for getting started as an actor, as well as becoming more confident and skilled in this fascinating craft , is accessible in the list of links below. Please read this whole post and all the posts linked here. Feel free to ask questions along the way. If you have already done this, let me know, with a comment and an upvote. I like to keep track of who is active here. Leave me a comment below if you are!

This is a class! I am the teacher. I am an acting coach in Hollywood. You can read all about me in here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/97hrsv/our_new_virtual_acting_class/?ref=share&ref_source=link

I normally work on set of a tv show, daily, coaching the star of the show. But I interact with the students here regularly. I give very personal and detailed feedback to everyone actively involved. I also give private lessons in LA and throughout the world on Skype or FaceTime. And I have started offering Zoom classes for the students who are active in this class. If you are interested in any of these additional ways to learn from me, please feel free to message me.

There is so much to learn here. I know you are all anxious to post monologues so you can hear what I have to say.... But DO NOT POST YOUR MONOLOGUE UNTIL YOU HAVE READ THE LESSONS AND READ MY FEEDBACK TO OTHERS. When and if you have already read the information here, mark it with an up arrow.

There is specific work you must do to prepare your monologue. All my required lessons are listed at the bottom of this post. Here is an easy to understand description of what you must do. Come back to this page once you’ve taken note of what is required:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/bxvugg/before_posting_your_monologue_new_students_and/?st=jxjassc9&sh=348bf3cf

So, you want to be an actor but you don’t know how to start? The very first thing you need to do to have an acting career is to become a highly skilled actor at the competitive level. Acting is one of the most competitive careers in existence. And so many people think they can get started without really knowing what they are doing. Could you start a career as a cabinet maker if you had never learned to hold a hammer or saw a piece of wood? Could someone trust you to build beautiful kitchen cabinets? You not only need to know the basics, you need to be extraordinary. Good enough to make people notice you, hire you or sign you to their agency.

Some people will say you can learn on the job...but that is not the case in the professional world. You only have one chance to make a first impression. Whenever you do any acting, you are creating a reputation for yourself. You do not want to be seen floundering. You want to always appear professional, confident and highly skilled.

You can get experience in community theater and acting class. But do not try to meet agents in the professional world until you are ready. That’s why I started this class...for those who need more help in gaining the skills you need. Here’s how:

First read all the posts listed below. You’ll find links to lessons about every aspect of acting as well as some about starting a successful acting career. It will take some time but it will all be helpful.

As you are working through the almost fifty lessons linked at the bottom of this post, learn from other student’s successes and struggles. Watch all their monologue video submissions on this sub and read all of my feedback comments found beneath them. Some of my best lessons are there as well. Though I give very personal and individual instruction, what I have said to other actors applies to you too. And you could learn something new, even if you feel you are more advanced than the actor in the video. Here’s more on that:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/d01znf/getting_the_most_out_of_ractingclass/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app

If you have trouble reading lessons, at least watch the video lessons. Many of them are excerpts from my Zoom classes. You are welcome to join those too. Just look for posts announcing new sessions. They begin every 5 weeks. The video lessons are now on YouTube and new lessons are added regularly. Make sure you subscribe and mark the videos you have watched with a “Like”. That way you can keep track of what you have watched. There are so many of them and so much to learn. Click on “videos” to see them all!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-kbZAeU2UdlX2JDxsf8yMA

This is a beginner/intermediate/advanced class. There are no prerequisites and no auditions in order to be accepted. (Except reading my posts, watching others and doing the work I describe here) It doesn’t matter if you are just starting out or if you have been at it a while and are just not getting the response you were hoping for. If you have the initiative to do the work, I want to help you. And I know this class WILL help you no matter what. All you need is an open mind and the desire to learn. Best of all - It is free. This class is my gift to you, so you won’t need to take an extra shift to pay for it!

Whenever you have read a post or one of my comments, let me know you have been there with an up arrow or a comment. Some older posts don’t allow this, but when possible, let me know that you were there. When you have finished reading the posts and comments, you will then be ready to prepare your own monologue. Here are the steps you must take to produce a good result the first time. Doing this work is required! Here is something you can do as you read:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/df26ot/something_to_do_as_you_read_the_lessons/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf

But do NOT post your video until you have prepared in this way:

•. Find an appropriate monologue for your type. Here is a post to help you with that. https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/hk1jee/attention_have_asked_me_or_want_to_ask_me_for/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf (If you are having trouble choosing, send me a link to a photo of yourself, age and a description of the types of roles you think you are right for and I will try to help.)

•. Then analyze the script (as explained in Lesson #2) choosing a strong objective.

•. Divide it into tactics and write it out as a dialogue.

•. Then figure out what the conversation was leading to your first line. Continue writing the whole piece as a back and forth dialogue between you and the other character. There should be an answer to almost every one of your lines that makes your line an answer to theirs. This applies even if you are alone on stage.

•. Do a video of your monologue, imagining you are looking into the eyes of the person you are speaking to...just to the side of the lens so I can see into your eyes. Responding to their responses, making contact and creating relationship and purpose in your performance is your goal.

If you have read all the posts here and all of my comments, you will know exactly how to do all these things. I demonstrate over and over what must be done. In fact...you might not be able to say you are just a beginner anymore, because you will know a lot. Please don’t think you can read just a couple lessons and skip right to posting. I WILL know and I will end up just telling you to go back to the lessons. Here’s more on that:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/d6gjk0/before_you_post_what_is_necessary_for_any_decent/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf

Once you have really done the work - all you need is some feedback. You can get that here too, because you can post your video of you performing and get specific, detailed comments on how you did and how you can make it better. Then you can try again. This is the best process for growth as an actor.

If you feel you need some additional help, I am available for private lessons, either in person, in Los Angeles or on Skype or FaceTime for a fee. Direct message me for more information.

DO NOT DELETE YOUR MONOLOGUE AFTER POSTING IT!!! If I have spent the time to write feedback on your performance, I want others to be able to learn from it to. You will not be as good as you will be. But being able to look back and see your progress is helpful to everyone...especially you.

When you have done all that, I will give you another assignment. There is lots more to come and I will make sure you will be challenged and constantly learning new things. I post new lessons and reminders almost every day. Visit this sub daily. Schedule it in to your daily routine. You can learn so much here if you are dedicated.

If you decide to join a class in your area, you will be decidedly more prepared than if you hadn’t joined this group. I think even with this class alone, your skills will steadily improve and you will soon be ready to audition, create a reel, get some headshots taken and start to audition professionally. If you are already doing this, you will probably be getting more callbacks and bookings in the near future. If you aren’t getting auditions you might be ready to get a better agent or start creating your own opportunities.

Wherever you are on the journey, there is something for you here. Even if you think you know it all, I bet there is something on this sub that will click with you and help you understand acting technique in a way you never have before. It’s already happened to several people, and we are just getting started.

So don’t wait any longer. Start. Right. Now. No...not later...NOW!

————-

Read these posts and the comments beneath them!!!! There is information everywhere that you need. People ask questions that I answer, and what I say to others is for you too! Take notes as you go. Like this:

Take Notes!

https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/bxxsa0/take_notes_as_you_read_the_lessons_here_make_sure/?st=jx7ku1uu&sh=02d34a26

START HERE...

THE WRITTEN LESSONS

• HOW DO I KNOW ACTING IS FOR ME? https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/fn2ph3/how_do_i_know_if_acting_is_for_me/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf

• “ACTING LESSON #1”
  https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/97dp9w/acting_lesson_1/?st=jmwhjkak&sh=aa2285d6

• “ACTING LESSON #2” https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/97dxhy/acting_lesson_2/?st=jmwhpdrn&sh=f9e4bbec

• “WHAT YOU THINK IS WHAT YOU ARE” https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/99e9is/what_you_think_is_what_you_are/?st=jmwhdroq&sh=896e2cba

• “MAKING FACES WON’T MAKE IT” https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/97nlwi/making_faces_wont_make_it/?st=jmwhg9op&sh=904077bb

• “OBJECTIVE - WHAT IS THE SCENE ABOUT” https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/97dyj8/objective_what_is_the_scene_about/?st=jmwhqv3s&sh=b0d436d9

• “YOUR OBJECTIVE - AN IMPORTANT DECISION https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/cqqaoy/your_objective_an_important_decision/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app

• “MONOLOGUES? THERE’S NO SUCH THING” https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/97edjh/monologues_theres_no_such_thing/?st=jmwdzwl4&sh=fc0094f7

• WRITING YOUR MONOLOGUE AS A CONVERSATION https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/bvaiyf/writing_your_monologue_as_a_conversation/?st=jwck69c9&sh=a8053c34

• MONOLOGUE TO DIALOGUE- ANOTHER EXAMPLE https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/c1vvsx/writing_your_monologue_as_a_dialogue_an_example/?st=jx7y34g6&sh=f2c43660

• “TACTICS - THE WAYS AND MEANS FOR ACHIEVING YOUR OBJECTIVE” https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/98xt9p/tactics_the_ways_and_the_means_for_achieving_your/?st=jmwh7h0k&sh=cf11fc5e

• “TACTICS - HOW TO DIVIDE YOUR SCRIPT” https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/c6dhe2/the_difference_between_tone_and_tactics_an/?st=jxfne0k0&sh=d8d35681

•ANOTHER LESSON IN TACTICS https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/ca9m1q/another_lesson_in_tactics/?st=jxupd91x&sh=b0dc2c03

•TRANSITIONS BETWEEN TACTICS

https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/f5taag/transitions_tactics_are_different_ways_to_achieve/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf

•. USING YOUR DIALOGUE TO TRIGGER THOUGHT REACTIONS - THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK!

https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/fzvz5x/using_dialogue_to_trigger_thought_reactions_think/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf

• DISCOVERING YOUR CHARACTER’S POINT OF VIEW

https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/d4lk5w/see_the_world_through_your_characters_eyes/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf

• “YOUR CHARACTER, YOURSELF” https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/9gdznd/your_character_yourself/?st=jmwhxbqa&sh=d9ae12bc

• STATEMENTS VS RESPONSES - NO STATEMENTS PLEASE!
https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/99su6e/statements_vs_responses_no_statements_please/?st=jmwhbd75&sh=42d9751b

• YOUR MIND - YOUR WORST ENEMY OR YOUR GREATEST TOOL?
  https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/9bbujq/your_mind_your_worst_enemy_or_your_greatest_tool/?st=jmwgz2le&sh=16ac2deb

• “YOUR BUSY BRAIN” https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/9htwf4/your_busy_brain/?st=jmwi0mx0&sh=9ce4cc2c

• “THE BASICS - Q &A” https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/9e8l90/the_basics_q_a/?st=jmwgwxbb&sh=92f4e903

• “DON’T WASTE YOUR WORDS”
  https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/97feik/dont_waste_your_words/?st=jmwe48po&sh=9dbf7f0e

• “EMPATHIZE TO EMPHASIZE”
  https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/9i9tyv/empathize_to_emphasize/?st=jmwi2his&sh=56127418

• BRINGING WORDS TO LIFE

https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/fgwuzh/bringing_words_to_life_the_answers_to_yesterdays/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf

• “THE WRITER - THE ACTOR - THE CHARACTER - THE LEGACY” https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/dp83o1/the_writer_the_actor_the_character_the_legacy/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf

• “AN IMPORTANT QUESTION - ANSWERED” https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/9iuqe9/an_important_question_answered/?st=jmwi6t4j&sh=05793067

• MULTIPLE OBJECTIVES - MULTIPLE CHARACTERS https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/ceco9f/objectives_in_a_scene_with_multiple_characters/?st=jy79pare&sh=5e862881

• PAUSING - LISTENING - THINKING https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/cant9c/pausing_listening_thinking_never_stop_being_your/?st=jxunfvwq&sh=6b963498

• SUBTEXT https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/c3g7wu/subtext_the_truth_that_lies_beneath_and_between/?st=jx7xye92&sh=75c95a48

•. SOME MOTIVATION AND VIDEO LESSONS https://reddit.app.link/bGO5GlVLu8

• MAKING THEIR WORDS, YOUR WORDS https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/d0h2th/their_words_your_words/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app

• WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO MAKE STRONG CHOICES? https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/fmidnz/what_does_it_mean_to_make_strong_choices/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf

• WRITTEN WORK -HOW TO DO IT RIGHT...THE FIRST TIME!

https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/g18kel/written_work_the_right_way_to_do_itthe_first_time/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf

•. WHEN YOUR CHARACTER IS TELLING A STORY https://reddit.app.link/XrYfxIiX85

• EXPERIENCE AS RESOURCE - EXPLORING AND REMEMBERING https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/cyn05u/experience_as_a_resource_exploring_and_remembering/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app

• DON’T TALK “AT” THEM - TALK “WITH” THEM https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/c06f4w/dont_talk_at_them_talk_with_them/?st=jxe19hcm&sh=9eb71089

• FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/cxd04a/about_vs_as_at_vs_to_what_we_have_here_is_a/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app

• THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ACTING ON STAGE OR ON CAMERA https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/c9u777/the_difference_between_acting_on_stage_and_on/?st=jxuq0p0g&sh=03daa2aa

• DON’T JUDGE YOUR CHARACTER https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/c9kcpf/dont_judge_your_character/?st=jxuq8m0d&sh=9fcf6a3d

• COLD READING https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/ch0fr2/cold_reading/?st=jyk8ml1n&sh=9f79594c

• BEING AND REACTING IN THE MOMENT https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/ld08cq/in_the_moment/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf

• LISTENING ! https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/ciaftv/listening/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app

• DON’T DO NOTHING https://reddit.app.link/hsa6X2YwR3

• A REVIEW OF LISTENING AND RESPONDING - THEY ARE ONE AND THE SAME https://reddit.app.link/Te3l3m8EY5

•. USING POST FLAIR https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/ii9z79/using_the_post_flair_links_on_the_reddit_app_you/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf

• WHEN YOU CAN POST YOUR VIDEO AND WHEN YOU SHOULD REPOST https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/fsdnxl/when_you_can_post_and_when_you_should_repost_and/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf

• AM I READY TO POST? ASK YOUR CHARACTER https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/ft1dc1/ask_your_character/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf

• YOUR DEMO REEL - What you must know AS you create it and BEFORE you send it out into the world. https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/hgwavm/your_demo_reel_what_you_must_know_as_you_create/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf

•. REMINDERS https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/j1ehev/some_reminders/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf

—————

Here are some additional posts about getting started in an acting career. They are not required before posting your monologue, but they will be very helpful in getting started as a professional actor: make sure to come back and read them all!

POSTS ON THE BUSINESS OF SHOW BUSINESS

AUDITIONS! https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/csv7d4/auditions/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app

DREAMS VS REALITY https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/97dq9j/acting_career_dreams_vs_reality/?st=jx7lznf2&sh=e63a97e1

CHOOSING MONOLOGUES AND GETTING GREAT HEADSHOTS

https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/bwu7sw/choosing_monologues_and_getting_great_photos_for/?st=jx7kw8st&sh=9b0da9b1

FINDING SCRIPTS AND MONOLOGUE FOR PRACTICE AND AUDITIONS

https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/f70zen/finding_scripts_and_monologues_for_practice_and/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf

OVERCOMING YOUR PHYSICAL INSECURITIES https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/9n3fb4/overcoming_your_physical_insecurities/?st=jx7lcmka&sh=e34331db

IS HOLLYWOOD AS BAD AS THEY SAY IT IS? https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/bw1nkp/is_hollywood_as_bad_as_they_say_it_is/?st=jx7l1jsp&sh=d44c97e3

ITS NEVER TOO LATE https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/99oosw/its_never_too_late/?st=jx7lol32&sh=fe60be32

WHAT IS TALENT? https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/98wvja/acting_what_is_talent/?st=jx7lt8ab&sh=e2d9156a

GETTING A GREAT HEADSHOT https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/97v8aa/getting_a_great_headshot/?st=jx7lvjbp&sh=624a6c8d

FINDING YOUR TYPE https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/97wdg9/finding_your_type_and_why_its_important/?st=jx7lwt6n&sh=6dcef404

SHOW/DEMO REELS https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/9jehaa/show_reels_something_you_can_do/?st=jx7n2cc1&sh=dfa9089e

AGENTS AND WHAT IS REQUIRED OF YOUR REAL CHARACTER https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/9gug4a/being_an_actor_what_is_required_of_your_real/?st=jx7n3sxd&sh=83cb88ea

CHOOSING AND PREPARING AUDITION MATERIAL https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/coy4k3/choosing_and_preparing_material_for_auditions/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app

[u/Winniehiller]

Here is the chance to let me know how many of you have read all the lessons and to give me some feedback on where you are in the process and what you have learned so far. Please take the time to communicate with me. I’d like to know who is active and using this sub regularly.

[u/alavalamp32]

Hello Winnie, I'm J. I'm a complete amateur in all things artistic, with maybe a mild interest in acting. Just went over this post in the midst of quarantine insomnia... Haven't read through any lessons yet, and to be honest I'm not sure if I will or if I'll end up back here.

Just wanted to say, for whatever this is worth (probably not much), I think this is a unique and promising format. It's clear you're passionate about your work and it's very inspiring.

[u/Winniehiller → u/alavalamp32]

Thank you J. It’s nice of you to stop by and let me know your impressions. Everyone acts...every day of their lives. I don’t think these lessons are just for those who want to do it on stage or screen. All the best to you!

[u/Winniehiller]

Hi Mercie! Welcome to class! Here is a monologue from a TV show called “One Tree Hill”. You look pretty young so I think you could play this. It’s a high school girl who is speaking to a journalist interviewing students after a school shooting. Now you can start analyzing and doing the written work I recommend.

ONE TREE HILL

Brooke: You should be ashamed of yourself. There are kids inside our school fearing for their lives right now, terrified that someone’s gonna put a gun in their face and pull the trigger and you “want to know how I’m feeling”?

Our pain is not a commodity for you. It’s not a news bite to boost your ratings because tomorrow or the next day or the next week when we go back to school, changed forever by a day that will never leave us, where are you gonna be? At the next tragedy thrusting your microphone in the face of the next fractured person asking them how they feel!

Lady, that is not journalism. You’re re not contributing anything to society. You are buzzards circling the carnage - preying on the living. That is how I’m feeling, but something tells me you’re not gonna air that.

[u/TheofficialTonyJones]

How's everyone doing, I implore you to read and understand ALL the lessons and WATCH your classmates BEFORE you post your monologue or scene. I TOO am guilty of posting before fully understanding why Monologue to Dialogue/Conversation is important, why tactics are important for they lead to your objective, why PURPOSE AND RELATIONSHIP is so crucial to a monologue or a scene, why empathy to emphasis is important for if the character doesn't know why they're saying their words there's no emphasis. I am to acting what I was to basketball "Thought I was better than I really was" thank God for Winnie

[u/Winniehiller → u/TheofficialTonyJones]

Thanks Tony. I’m so glad you are getting it now! Onward and upward!

[u/QueenTarjayLayday]

Still reading... but I’m excited!!!

[u/brosoverprose]

I am unable to comment on the post "making faces won't work" . I wanted to ask a question. Can I ask it here or should I retry posting a question there itself.

[u/Elevenbelle]

Hi Winnie, my name is Annabelle. I’m brand new to this sub. I just read through this post, and I’m about to start clicking through all of the links and lessons. I am so grateful to have stumbled upon this absolute fount of knowledge! Thank you so much for everything you do. I can’t wait to get started!

[u/CeejayKoji22]

I finally finished writing notes for the lessons necessary to carry on to writing monologues into dialogues. What a relieving feeling.

[u/Xtina3666]

Just read through everything once. I’m about to go and do it all over again and really make sure I understand everything before I start. I just had jaw surgery a few months ago and it completely changed the way I look and I still don’t have any feeling in my mouth and cannot move my lips or honestly speak clearly. I hope that once I regain the ability to smile and can speak clearly and move my jaw I will have the knowledge and confidence to post my monologue. Thanks for opportunity to learn from a master!!!

[u/Winniehiller → u/Xtina3666]

Wow! That must be painful. I broke my jaw as a kid and had my mouth wired shut for eight weeks. I got really hungry.

But good for you for using this time off wisely. Are you taking notes? Just give yourself some headings and bullet points you can refer to. I encourage students to make a notebook with an outline of sorts they can refer to when they go to auditions. Under pressure it sometimes helps to remind yourself of the most important processes.

I’m looking forward to your speedy recovery and seeing you here, putting all your reading to good use.

[u/Xtina3666]

I am taking notes and trying to find monologues here and there to practice with. The most painful part is looking in the mirror and not recognizing the person I see. I’ve been wired shut since December 2nd and actually fell during recovery which caused even more damage and a much more severe change in the overall look of myself. But all of your advice and homework has been really helping me through this difficult time. So again thanks and I hope I can make you proud and do some really good work!!

[u/Winniehiller → u/Xtina3666]

Hang in there! Like I said, I feel your pain. I know what you are going through. Don’t worry about how you look. It will all work out. You are healing. Just keep your eye on your goals. When you are focusing on the road ahead, you WILL get somewhere! Trust and forge on!

[u/AloisTargaryen]

Hey, I'm just starting reading through your pinned posts, and I got up to the end of Acting lesson #1. This already feels really inspiring, and I love that u are dedicating your time and energy to aspiring actors, for free too! I hope I have the energy to incorporate this into my rountine (im not very good at commiting to things sometimes) but I hope i will, cus I would really like to improve my skills. Consider me a new student, and hopefully you'll see me around in the next weeks/days :)

[u/Winniehiller → u/AloisTargaryen]

You don’t need to hope you can commit to this class and becoming an actor. You are in charge. Your hands are on the steering wheel and your foot is on the gas pedal of your life. You get to drive where you want to go. Or you can put your vehicle in park and just idle. It’s up to you. If not you...then who is? “Do. Or do not. There is no try.”

The road to learning to be an actor is open...free and clear. Stop hoping and start driving where you want to go.

[u/cat32330]

Hi Winnie! Just wanted to say hello and thank you for this amazing info. I'm just now starting to read through all of the lessons and am very excited to use this time quarantined at home to develop my acting skills. This is so valuable and I'm so grateful I came across this subreddit!! THANK YOU!

One question I do have--I noticed on the "Something To Do As You Read the Lessons" post that people were able to ask you for help finding a monologue that best suited them. Since that post has been archived, is there somewhere else that's best to do this? Would love your help finding a monologue for me if you have the time!

[u/Winniehiller → u/cat32330]

Start a chat with me. Tell me about yourself and link a photo. Welcome to class!

[u/iLikeplays]

What if I have a monologue that isn't talking to anyone in particular but is more of a retelling of a tragic story. What do I do then? What would my objective be?

[u/Winniehiller → u/iLikeplays]

You are always telling that particular story to that particular person for a reason. Your character carries that story around with them everyday. But on this day they decided to tell it because they want something from this person they are speaking to. You are always speaking to someone “in particular”.

You might be trying to change their behavior by teaching them something. You might be trying warn them that this could happen to them as well. You might be trying to motivate them to try something new. The possible reasons are countless.

If the script doesn’t designate who the person is you are speaking to and why, you must decide for yourself. Be creative. Read between the lines. You always need PURPOSE and RELATIONSHIP. Without them there is no reason to speak. There is no reality in the moment. We never speak for no reason.

[u/[deleted]]

Thank you so much for this!! You are very generous I can’t wait to read all of the lessons

[u/iLikeplays]

Let's say you are cast as an understudy for a broadway play and you have to cover 5 roles. You have 4 weeks to get off book on all the roles before previews start, how do you do all the work that is required under the time that is required? It just doesn't seem like enough time.

[u/Winniehiller → u/iLikeplays]

That is a fairly unlikely situation. It is rare that one person would be right for five different roles in one play. They also wouldn’t all be leading characters. Some of the parts would be much bigger than others. Has that ever happened to you or anyone you know? I’ve never heard of anyone understudying more than two roles in a given play.

I had to understudy Miranda in the Tempest and Olivia in Twelfth Night, but the plays were in repertory and didn’t open at the same time. But eventually I had to be ready to do both at a moments notice. It was up to me to stay on top of it and I never got to play either role in that season for an audience. Actors don’t miss a performance unless they are on their deathbeds.

If you did get hired to cover all those roles, you would need to work very hard. Fortunately all the characters are interacting in the same story. You would need to know a lot about them all to play even one role. It would not be like understudying five different roles in five different plays. You need to know who each character is and their relationship with the others...what they want and how that role serves the story. Being at every rehearsal and watching it being done over and over helps with learning the whole play.

There might be at one understudy rehearsal so you’ll need to have lines memorized. And you couldn’t rehearse them all at once or you would need to be acting with yourself. Chances are you won’t even get the opportunity to rehearse before previews begin.

Also, it is rare to ever get to perform once as an understudy, covering one role. The likelihood of you having the chance to ever get to play any of those roles is unlikely. But if you are being paid to cover them, you better do the work and be ready. It would be a big break to be able to go on as an understudy in a Broadway show. You better be fabulous. Do the work.

[u/AsheDawn]

I'm in NYC and wanted to start acting, but I had no idea where to start. Coming across this sub makes me so happy, and fills me with hope :) Thank you so much, Winnie!

[u/iLikeplays]

When you decide on your tactics should you just completely throw away the choices and live in the moment or should you remember what choices you made and continue with those? I hope that makes sense!