Guest Blogger: Patti Meadors

After receiving a new script and knowing what you have been cast as, the first thing actors generally do is look through their script and identify their lines. If you are worried about learning lines quickly, here are some tips that have helped me learn lines quickly.

I just spent this fall season at five different colleges every weekend, auditioning for BFA musical theatre programs and I have learned a lot along the way. Here are 10 things I wish I knew before I embarked on this journey.

I attend public school every day and go from rehearsal to rehearsal after school. I am lucky to have these opportunities to perform and work with others in my theatre department. These opportunities often times lead me to being home later than expected. I sometimes go to three rehearsals after school and get home at 9:30.

I currently have the pleasure of attending a school that provides many opportunities for kids, especially those interested in the performing arts. I was selected to be one of four student directors, in which we select a show of our choice and get to direct it and put it up in the black box theatre at our school. My freshman year, I got to stage manage and help direct two of the one acts for the school's evening of one acts. Last year, I assistant directed the fourth quarter show. Will all of these opportunities, I got to see the other side of an audition process, which was very eye opening.

Injuries are the worst thing to have when you are running from rehearsal to rehearsal. Inevitably, everyone will end up with some sort of injury during some part of their life. When I was younger, I played softball competitively, and I was a catcher. My knees are a testament to taking care of your body, as I didn't ice after every game, and ended up needing physical therapy because of it.

Finding out you didn't get the part you wanted always stings a little. You could be jealous, hurt, angry, or just plain old sad. And all of these things are okay, and are normal emotions. Never suppress your emotions because it could lead to some pretty unhealthy emotional/mental habits.

Over the past week, I have been in the process of recording, rehearsing and being coached for my pre screen audition videos for applying to college. I was also scrambling to meet deadlines I had set for myself to finish my college applications. I spent an hour and a half recording the vocal part of my auditions, two hours recording one mandatory dance combination, introductions to my video and my monologues. I also worked for an hour on the optional/technique jazz combination video.

As a vocalist, sickness is my worst nightmare. I don't want to have to postpone voice lessons, practice or other rehearsal when I lose my voice. 

I tried out for my first play in several years. In prior years, I told myself I was too busy to take on another show, and let audition opportunities pass me by. To this day, that is my biggest regret of high school: not auditioning for everything.

As social media becomes more and more prevalent in society, casting calls and other theatre things have become increasingly digital. With Facebook pages for several kinds of casting calls, specific types, agencies and websites, people have more information about how to submit to these casting calls.

The beginning of school brings lots of fun activities, some homework, and new friends. A lot of the time, with theatre or music activities there are auditions that go hand in hand with it. I know that I am preparing for a week of auditions next week, and I'm trying to figure out all of the songs, dances, and scenes I'll need to know for these auditions.

High school senior Patti Meadors gives advice she would have loved going into high school. Incoming freshman, sophomores, juniors, seniors and anyone who has a high school student should know some of these tips to have a more comfortable transition into high school responsibilities and the college application process. 

As summer comes to a close, the infamous back to school commercials hit the TV screens. Often times, schools provide a student planner or other recommendation to stay organized. Some students may find these planners useless, and jot down assignments on their hand. Most of the time, these students are those who don't have after school commitments.