For many actors, the first reading of a script means sitting down in a coffee shop with a highlighter and looking through the script for your character’s name. This isn’t reading and it won’t help you. Instead of focusing only on your character, your first read should be like a first date where you put all your attention on the other person so you can get to know them. So take your script home, eliminate all distractions – and read the entire script at one sitting. Do not act your part, read your lines out loud, or take notes. Simply read the script from beginning to end without stopping. This reading must be active which means that you are concentrating and alert. As you read, use your imagination to generate images and responses. Remember, this reading is the start of your relationship with the script and the characters and that can’t happen if you read passively or daydream about other things as you read.
