“Travel broadens the mind”, the saying goes. But how can travel help you as a performer?
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1. When you travel, your mind has a chance to open itself to new ideas. When travelling, you may spend hours in transit, allowing your mind to wander; or you may visit new places, meet new people, and see new sites that awaken your brain to think new thoughts. Our brains love these types of experiences. You shift into a more curious, but relaxed mode. This ‘open mode’ is actually one of the conditions necessary for creativity to flourish – and travel helps it happen. So when you have a quiet moment during your trip - put that phone away, and allow yourself to daydream instead! You may experience a creative burst of energy as a result... perhaps you’ll get an idea for your next creative project!
   
   
2. You can see works you wouldn’t normally see in your hometown. When you travel to a city like London, New York, Berlin or Los Angeles from Australia, you’ll get a chance to see cutting-edge theatre. There’ll be everything from large-scale mega-productions, like major musicals, through to unique, avant-garde fringe productions in small theatres – both of which push the boundaries of the art form. Or perhaps you can see some films that wouldn’t normally be released back home. Going to a major cultural centre is a great way for you to understand the extent and breadth of your own artistic field. So when planning your trip, sniff out some interesting creative experiences, and aim to experience something you may not otherwise see.
   
   
3. You can actively network with industry professionals. When travelling to a new city, find out where the professionals hang out! Perhaps you can meet locals by attending an acting class or workshop, or by researching local networking events in advance. You may even be able to tour a film studio or theatre, or meet someone at the stage door after a show. And we’re not just talking about selfies with famous people, fun though it might be! Make sound and sensible connections - plan to include something in your trip which may help you professionally later on. An actor can work just about anywhere – so you never know what that holiday connection may bring in the future. Have a business card ready or aim to connect on social media after meeting someone important.

​Did you know that at Perform Australia, we combine travel with training in one of our courses? In the CUA40513 Certificate IV in Musical Theatre, we take students overseas as part of their course. Sometimes other students and graduates of other courses can also join the trip. Get in touch with our office to find out about any upcoming trips we’re planning. 

From Macbeth to Julius Ceaser and Othello, we know William Shakespeare as the world's greatest dramatist or the writer of English Literature. 

Here are  a few facts about Shakespeare that you probably didn't know:

2. The legendary started writing from 1589. He's written a total of 154 sonnets, 37 plays and a number of poems. Additionally, he also collaborated in a number of 'lost plays'.

3. His last play  'The Two Noble Kinsmen' was written in 1613, at the age of 49.

4. Apart from writing many plays and sonnets, Shakespeare was also an actor, playing the role of the Ghost in 'Hamlet' and Adam in 'As You Like It'

5. He had his own personal style - of wearing a golden hoop earring in his left ear, as depicted in the Chandos portrait - one of the  famous portraits of Shakespeare.

Know more: Shakespeare a.k.a 'The Bard'

 2. Channing Tatum
​The American actor, singer and producer started his career with a drama film named “Coach Carter” in 2005. Interestingly, the actor was discovered working as a stripper in a night club.

The secret behind his chiseled body is being a great sports player – football, martial arts and baseball. Tatum played football for his school team and later was offered a football scholarship.
 

Read more: What Happens in An Acting Class?

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Learning lines is an important skill for the actor. You've got to learn your lines before you can step on stage or set and perform. But how do you actually go about it? There are lots of different approaches to the task, and really, you have to find one that suits you. Learning lines is simply about committing the words you have to say to memory - and that's just plain hard work for most people! While some actors have a natural flair for line-learning, others have to spend many hours on the task.

It's important to honour the writer's work, and not paraphrase it. Every time you change the words, even just a little, you change the original meaning that the author intended. While in some contexts "improvisation" around the lines may be permissable, for the most part, the actor is expected to present the words as written. It's your job!

And it's not until after you've learned your lines that a director can really work with you. Some beginning actors think, "As long as I've got my lines down by opening night, I'll be fine..." - but in a professional setting you're usually required to have your lines down early in the project's timeline.  Reason being, a director can do far less in creating a scene if you're still wandering around with a script in your hand. You're not free to play, to create, to experiment during the rehearsal process.

And while theatre productions may have long rehearsal processes over many days or weeks, a film project may have very little rehearsal at all. So in that case, you've got no choice - you just have to have those lines in your head ready for the director to call "Action!"

Here are some tips and tricks that may help you get started on learning your lines: 

1. Chunking: Go through your script from the top, and cover the words, say them, and check them - in phrases (chunks). Be careful not to memorise words in rhythms, though – well-trodden rhythms in your mind can mean you end up delivering you lines in a sing-song way. Moreover, at the line-learning stage, you don’t know how a director is going to ask you to deliver each line. Don’t become wedded to a way of speaking them too soon. 
   
2. Visualisation: If your text uses a lot of imagery, as you might find in a Shakespearean work, for example, use visualisation to help get the lines down. Imagine the scene in a series of pictures. Draw them if it helps. Tie your line memorisation to images, rather than words.
3.  Use your phone: Not only can you record your lines on a phone and play them back, you can source an app that is specifically designed for line learning. Apps like Script Rehearser and Rehearsal Pro let you upload a script, record it, or play it back line by line.
4.  The Buddy System: Once you’ve got the basics down, find someone who’ll run your lines with you. That may be a fellow actor, or just a willing friend. Give them a copy of the script, and have them read opposite you, ready to correct you when needed. Working with another person can make line-learning fun and less tedious.
5.  Get the words into your body: If you’re struggling getting certain phrases into your head, assign physical movements to the tricky bits. Sound them out symbolically with gestures or whole-body movements. When you physically repeat them, your brain is finding a way to make connections beyond the words on the page. Some say this method works wonders.
6.  Write them out: This is perhaps the ‘old-fashioned way’ of line-learning - but there’s something to be said for the magic that happens once words travel down your arm and out your pencil! The brain loves a process to help solidify learning.

Then, once you learn your lines, you must maintain them. You may find that during a season, if you’re not going over them regularly, some of the words slip away and you start paraphrasing - so it’s always good to revisit the script throughout your project.