1. Find monologues that suit you

It's important to rehearse often with monologues that represent characters that you could potentially be cast, but it is also important to rehearse with text that you know well and that display a range of emotions. For example, if you are always rehearsing monologues for young girls, you might miss out on the opportunity to practice displaying other roles, emotions, and behaviors.

While it is important to understand and practice acting in your character type, you also have to be well-rounded in the event that your type changes or that you are cast outside of your character type.

To become well-rounded in a range of characters and emotions, but specialize in your type, you could practice characters that represent you as well as characters that represent big animated acting and emotions. To do this, you could practice monologues from your favorite tv show, character, or book. 

2. Practice, Practice, Practice

 Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.

You have probably heard the phrase "practice makes perfect" a hundred times. However, it is the number one way to improve your acting skills so long as you are receiving feedback. Without feedback, you could easily make the same mistakes over and over and force them into a habit. Be sure that you give yourself the opportunity to meet with others, especially fellow performers, for feedback and constructive criticism. 

It's important to remember that the only way to get better at anything is with practice and observance. Be sure that you have good role models and a generous amount of time dedicated to mastering your craft.

3. Read plays and movie scripts

Familiarize yourself with the formatting of scripts and plays. Through this process, you will slowly be capable of distinguishing film acting from stage acting. After reading a few scripts, you will be able to recognize common themes and behaviors amongst actors for you to emulate while on stage. 

If you are looking to improve your speech, read them aloud. First, focus on your diction and projection. Then, begin focusing on your expression. How you say the lines. If a line is confusing, analyze it and consider the deeper meeting in context with the circumstances, character, and tone. This will help you further understand how to present a line, which will help the audience understand the purpose. You will enhance not only your communicative skills in your everyday life, but your reading skills on stage.

1. Actually do vocal warmups 

A huge reason why people get discouraged when first starting to sing is that they want to immediately jump into singing the most vocally engaging song that they know with no errors, no warmup, and no prior practice... and that just isn't how it works!
If you want to train your vocal ability, you have to first start with vocal warm-ups at the beginning of every practice session. Start by giving your voice the chance to adapt. Then, begin your practices with less demanding songs and as you advance, begin adding more challenging songs into your practices.

2. Allow yourself to make mistakes

Many singers who are just starting out will sing a piece during a rehearsal, mess up, then continue charging through the entire piece. If you mess up in a song, whether it be a voice crack, a note is off, your vibrato was wacky, make note of it. Be sure to address the issue right then and there, because it is likely that if you try to go back after finishing the entire piece, you either won't remember where you messed up, or you won't remember how you messed up. Make note of the mistake right as it occurs.

3. Use your resources

If you can afford to get a vocal coach, then get one. Bottom line is that you need training, and it comes best from a professional. If you cannot afford vocal training, then follow along with videos of vocal coaches on Youtube. Natalie Weiss is a great example. It is important to practice most with singers that have similar singing dynamics as well as range so that you are not damaging your voice, but any lesson by Natalie with any singer can teach you the do's and don't's of learning to sing. Most bad habits that Natalie corrects will apply to all singers.

As with everything, practice makes perfect! While we don't have very intense choreography in our productions, dance ability is still valuable in our casting process. There are a few very easy steps you can take to develop your dancing ability, and we at Ritenour have a few recommendations.

1. Practice.

We know, that's what everyone says, but it's true. Practice makes perfect! You can practice by following along with dance tutorials online, especially with songs that you already know when you're first starting out. 

2. Seek professional help.

If you can afford dance classes, take dance classes. If you can't, really take advantage of the choreography involved in each production or be sure to take advice from professionals through their free online classes on Youtube.

3. Work out.

A huge part of dancing is strength, balance, flexibility, and coordination. Once you master these by doing a nightly workout and dance routine, the memorization and gracefulness will come easily. You have to master the basics before you can master the art itself.

4. Build your confidence

You could have the greatest dancing ability in the world, but if you have no confidence in your movement, it will look choppy and unsure. You can spot anxiety or a lack of confidence in movement with balled fists, no smile, and stiff movement. Be sure that you are teaching yourself to be confident so that you can feel as graceful as the routine itself.