Whenever I meet a new group of actors, whether they're students or adults, I like to ask a question: how do you memorize lines? Does anyone have a special trick or method that works well for them?
Over the years, I have heard different versions of these methods:
1. As soon as I get my script, I get two colors of highlighters. One is for my cues and the other is for my lines. Then I read the script over and over.
2. I like to take my script somewhere I can read it where nobody will bother me. Then I read my scenes over and over.
3. I like to make two recordings of my scenes: one is with my lines and my cues, then the other is with just my cues. I listen to one, then the other, to see if I can train myself to say the line when I hear the cue.
4. I have a friend who isn't in theatre who I read scenes aloud with. She doesn't mind if I need to do it over and over. I think she likes making me stop and start over if I make a mistake.
5. I sit down with my script and a pen and paper and copy my lines out in longhand. As soon as I write the whole thing out three times, I will know it by heart. I once memorized all of The Belle of Amherst this way.
6. I record my lines and play them on repeat while I'm asleep.
7. I have a photographic memory. If I read something once, I know it forever.
8. When I study my lines, I use a black magic marker. As soon as I think I know a line, I black it out in my script. When I'm done, I know my lines cold, but my script looks like it's been censored.
9. As soon as I get my blocking, I find an empty space somewhere and run through the show, with blocking over and over. Eventually, I can do my likes and blocking without a script.
10. I always listen to music while I'm studying.
Some of these methods are great, some sound like terrible ideas (I had a college professor who recommended #8. He said it worked. He said a lot of things I didn't believe.) Notice that most of these methods include a need to repeat.
I have met a couple of students with photographic memories, but that didn't make them lead performer material. (They do make great stage managers, though.)
There is no "right" method for memorization. We all have brains that work differently, so to put it simply, the right method for you is the one that works best for you. If it itan't working, though, just do it again. and again.
Do you have a favorite memorization method? Feel free to share it.