How do I mark up a script for rehearsal?
Choose your tools and shorthand
Use a pencil, not a pen, so you can adjust. Have an eraser and a few colored pencils or highlighters for different categories.
Create a simple shorthand: a slash for a beat, a verb in the margin for an action, a squiggly line for a pause, and a star for a key moment.
Keep a legend on the first page if you use symbols. That way you won't forget what your marks mean weeks later.
- Pencil for changes.
- One color for beats, one for actions.
- Slash for beat shifts.
- Star for important moments.
What to mark and where
In the margins, write your objective for each beat: 'to comfort,' 'to threaten,' 'to test.' These are active verbs that guide your delivery.
On the line itself, mark pauses, emphasized words, and breathing points. Underline words you tend to swallow or rush.
For blocking, use a separate page or the opposite margin. Write down stage crosses, sitting, standing, and prop handling. Keep blocking notes separate from acting notes.
- Objective in the left margin.
- Actions in the right margin.
- Underline stressed words.
- Blocking on a separate page.
Keep it clean and flexible
Don't over-mark. If every word is circled, nothing stands out. Limit yourself to a few notes per beat.
After each rehearsal, erase notes that no longer serve you and add new ones. The script should evolve as your understanding deepens.
For auditions, use a clean copy or a separate marked copy. Some casting directors prefer you not read from a heavily marked script.
- Less is more.
- Erase outdated notes.
- Update after each run.
- Keep a clean copy for auditions.
Common mistakes
- Using a pen so you can't adjust notes as your choices change.
- Marking every single word, which makes the script unreadable and defeats the purpose.
- Confusing blocking notes with acting notes, so you lose track of your character's intentions.
