Devotional: Thoughts on theatre concepts with a Biblical perspective.

MEMORIZATION

“These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.”
– Deuteronomy 6:6.

Former boxing champion-turned-TV-pitch-man George Foreman has named all five of his sons George partly, he says, so he can remember their names. “I call them, they come, and they stand there until I remember which one I wanted.”

Some folks have said, maybe even Foreman, that he can’t remember because of all the shots he took to the head as a boxer.

Actors don’t have that excuse.

For actors, faulty memory falls into other categories: poor preparation (aka laziness) or fear.

Fear is also an underlying reason drama ministries have difficulty recruiting quality performers. Willing, but reluctant adults fear looking foolish if they “go up” on their lines. “I’ll do Reader’s Theatre, sure,” they’ll say, “But I won’t learn lines.” The obvious explanations are stage fright and age. Each is an understandable, common and manageable challenge.

Time is also a factor. Memorization is difficult. It’s time consuming. It’s often needed with the other people in a scene. Work, parental responsibilities, other church responsibilities get in the way of rehearsal. However, actors should not rely on the rehearsal time as the time to learn the lines, any more than we should rely on the Sunday service to learn scripture.

Memorization is a discipline. There are various techniques for learning lines: tape recorders, repetition with a partner, repeated reading, writing the lines on paper. And simply because a piece is read does not mean parts aren’t memorized, or rehearsed, or performed well. How much time do you give to the craft? Children aren’t the only ones with homework.

Consider this: Is memorizing scripture a child’s responsibility so that as adults, we’ll know enough verses to get by? Do children learn alone, or do parents help? Do we let them become distracted by games, music and TV? What’s the motivation to learn Bible verses, earning points for camp, or learning the Word?

If we are told to carry scripture in our hearts (Deuteronomy 6:6-9), how does it get there? Use the same approach in learning lines.

If memorization of lines is a problem – if you’re afraid – try learning small passages of scripture. A verse a week. Partner with a child. Or grandchild. Read their Sunday school verses with them. Try learning longer verses and have them test you. Set a goal of learning chapters, and tell them the story. Make scripture memorization part of your drama ministry warm-ups.

Build your confidence learning lines by learning scripture. That’s not a recommendation. That’s a commandment.

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Copyright 2002, Michael Edgar Myers
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