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The Actor’s Homework: Worksheet

Write the lyrics in prose form, carefully observing punctuation marks.

  Song title:

  Composer/Lyricist:

  Show title:

Write lyrics below

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What is this song about objectively? In other words, looking at the lyrics and without adding

your interpretation, what is the song about and what happens? One or two sentences.

Subjective Interpretation

A. Who is the singer? Describe the singer using clear, definite statements.

B. Who are you singing to? Choose a person or persons that will create interest and conflict.

C. When is it?

D. Where are you? The more specific your location, the more real it will be for you.

E. Why do you need to say these words? Obviously, the stronger the need, the better.

F. What changes during the song?

G. What do you want? What will happen if you don’t get it?

H. Why sing this song now and not yesterday or tomorrow?

Defining Sentence

This is a song about_____________________, me, that (continue the sentence below)

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Being Specific

What is the arc of your song? Winning, losing, “ending up where you started”, or an serendipity

arc?

Looking at the sheet music, do a simple analysis of the form and describe below using lyrics as

structural markers. Look for verse and refrain in songs before 1970 and for verse and chorus in

 pop/rock inflected songs after 1970. Also look for repeated musical sections, changes in tempo,

changes in style, and changes in accompaniment.

Read the lyric from the first page of this worksheet and make decisions as to where beat changes

are to occur. Deciding where beat changes happen is a delicate balance between musical

understanding, dramatic understanding and intuition. Summarize the beats below. You may want

to include a few lyrics that indicate beat changes.

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Choose a strong, active verb for each beat and write that verb next to the beat on the previous

 page.

Some of the verbs you may choose from:

Convince Bombard Hurt

Encourage Suppress Awaken

Prepare Belittle Mock  

Enlighten Lambast Crush

Annihilate Help Inspire

Get even Seduce Destroy

Overwhelm Ignite Incite

Reassure Build Tease

Do the 6 Song as Monologue activities on page 12.

Briefly describe the three pre-beat events: seeing the event (what do you see?), taking it in (what

effect does it have on you?) and responding to it (what is your response?).

Improvise the pre-beat with a friend. This will help you physicalize each event.

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