prepare to be heard.
everything you need to know before you show.
1.
headphones or earbuds - Yes
built-in laptop speakers - no
In order to succeed, you must plug in headphones or earbuds to your laptop. Why? Because the built-in microphone and built-in speakers on most laptops are just a few inches apart, when you listen to a Zoom meeting using the built-in speakers some of that sound will be picked up by the built-in microphone and cause distracting echo and/or feedback. We encourage everyone attending one of our events to use headphones. Doing so frees us all to UNMUTE during performance. When we unmute we recall what it means to be a part of an audience. One step closer to the warmth of a live audience reacting spontaneously to the performers.
4.
in our house, monologues are read
but you’d never know it.
We don’t ask anyone to memorize anything. But here’s a neat trick. If you read from a PDF on screen placed on the same screen you’re using as your Zoom portal, well then it won’t look like you’re reading as much as it would if you printed it out and read off a piece of paper. Try it.
Roland explains how to perform your monologue without memorizing it so no one knows you’re reading.
7.
B.Y.O.A.
Most monologues at Hear Me Out events are read/performed by the writers themselves. But we don’t want to force you to do anything you may dread. So, if you’re not able to be your own actor, we ask that you find an actor friend to bring. Once this casting is settled, please email Roland Tec the full name and email address of the actor.
2.
one 45 min. rehearsal
Before you perform your monologue, spend all the time you need working the material alone in the weeks prior to your one rehearsal with Director Suze Allen.
Make your choice of costume, location and lighting BEFORE the rehearsal so that those precious 45 min. can be spent on your acting choices, not on technology questions or which version of the script you’ll be using.
5.
when in zoom, plug in your laptop.
The last thing you want is for your powerful realization of that brilliant character study to be cut short with the unexpected and unwelcome appearance of a black screen. If you lose power during the show, that’s what we’ll get. Find your power cable and plug in.
3.
wifi is a risk. ethernet is more stable.
(optional)
You are strongly encouraged to bypass the WiFi connecting your computer to the internet with an ethernet cable instead. The ethernet cable plugs into the cable modem at one end and into your laptop or desktop on the other. If you are performing your monologue via WiFi and your screen freezes, the emotional journey will be lost as everyone in the audience forgets your character’s struggle and instead turns to worrying about you, your presentation, your internet connection, your well-being. When audio or video (or both) go in and out, we’ll never forget we’re watching work.
Bypassing router video 1. Bypassing router video 2. Mac adapters.
6.
Some1Speaking sound check begins
5:20PM, EST
house opens at 5:45PM, EST
show starts at 6:00PM, EST
Please arrive as close to 5:20PM as possible so that you and each of your fellow artists can have a quick sound check to set levels. When you set your level (with the help of our stage manager) make a note of where it is visually.
If you’re unexpectedly bumped out of a Zoom meeting before your turn, your audio settings may have returned to the defaults. Know your level just in case.