There was a day when I’d hear the phrase “running lines” and immediately think of needing to go check the lake to see if we’d caught any fish. These days it has a distinctly different meaning.
I’m studying every night to learn my lines for my role as Rev. Parris in the SCCT production of Arthur Miller’s The Crucible. One of the guys in cast suggested that I record all the dialogue so that I can listen and say my lines along with the track. That’s been helpful, but I have a secret weapon: I have a Lilly.
Lil is a rock star thespian, which is a pretty big deal in our house and in our school. She was asked to be the Stage Manager for this year’s spring musical (The Wiz)–as a freshman! That never happens. She’s been on stage for most of her life, but her knack just might be directing the action.
She and I have a standing date just about every night. She reads me the lines leading up to mine and works with me to help me nail the line. And the cool thing is that she really gets what’s supposed to be happening on stage, so it’s not just the words that she’s monitoring. She’s looking for intent and feeling, for back story and underlying cause. She give me tips on inflection and emphasis and how I might deliver the line to be more believable. And she does it all in such an encouraging way–she’s giving me high fives and fist bumps.
I’m blown away by the young lady my Lilly is becoming. Team Sublett is pretty sweet!
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