LEARNING TO COLD READ

Pick up a sample script, or use a newspaper or magazine if you don't have a script. Look at the first line, quickly committing it to memory. Then look up and say the line aloud. Congratulations, you've just done your first cold reading!

At first, you may find it very difficult and may only be able to memorize a few words at a time. But with practice, you'll soon be able to memorize entire lines at a glance. Being an actor is like being an athlete... the more you train, the better you will perform. After you're comfortable doing this by yourself, try it with another actor reading from the same script.

When auditioning, it's very tempting to sneak a look at your next line while the other character is speaking. Resist this temptation. How you listen to the other character is just as important as how you speak your own lines. Wait until it's time for your charaspond, then look to your script for the next line. Memorize as much as you can in a couple seconds, then make eye contact again and say your line in character.

If you have more dialogue than you can memorize in one glance, go ahead and repeat the process. Just keep your face out of the script! Never say your lines while looking at the script. You are acting out the scene like any other audition, only you are taking short pauses to read your lines. So be sure to stay in character even while you're reading your next line.

Next article in our Cold Reading Acting series: --> Cold Reading In An Audition