Do 1-799 First

An extremely hardworking, totally charming, incredibly attractive guy who has been in my class for a couple years showed up to Audition Night unprepared because he’d had so many auditions of late. I said no problem, go in my office and prepare for the next three hours. You’ll go last.

Three hours later he did his scene. He was totally memorized. How did you prepare? I asked.

Silence.

Didja memorize it?

Oh yeah, he said.

I could tell, I said. It was completely indicated, pushed, and state-of-being. That’s what happens when you don’t do ANY of your work and instead spend all of your time MEMORIZING. UCCCCCCCH.

There are eight hundred things you have to be able to do brilliantly and concurrently in order to be a great actor. The last one on the list – numero 800 – is memorizing. If you even do numbers one thru fifteen you might be fabulous (and probably? Memorized.). But if you ONLY do number 800? Your acting will not. Be good.

Please change your habit. I know it’s hard to change a habit. Butcha gotta. Put post-its up everywhere – on the fridge, on the phone, on the remote, on your steering wheel – everywhere. Do 1-799 FIRST.