Anyone have any tips for working from a script, but not sounding like you're presenting memorized material?

I don't like the idea of "winging it," but I don't want to come across like a robot.

Practice,Practice, Practice. I truly believe this is the answer to this one. You simply have to memorize the material until you can do your patter without even thinking about it.

It's not much different than practicing and perfecting a sleight. Now, if every word dosen't need to be exactly precise, you can make a sort of "mental outline" in your head and then move from one heading to the next filling in the gaps by "winging it" so to speak.

Vandy

Use simple themes and gen up on them - jokes/one-liners etc
I typically use Male/Female (differences), Currency or Vodun (voodoo)
Then routine the tricks/patter around the theme - all then clicks into place.

If you had 100 tricks and 100 themes - you'll be in trouble. 99% of purchased tricks should be re-routined/themed to your own style. As you start doing this it's gets easier and easier to take any trick and make it fit you - not you fitting the trick!

Read a paragraph of the script, then look away, and try to recount what it said the way YOU would normally tell it. Don't try to recite it word for word. Make it your own, while using the script as a GUIDELINE for the theme.

Joe
I have to agree with Vandy. You have to know the material so well you don't have to think about what you are going to say. I am currently in a play with a long monolog and I found the better I had it memorized and practiced emphasis and pauses the better it sounded. When I was rehearsing and came to a part I did not know so well it sounded like I was searching for what to say. Your script should sound very smooth.

Dan

Joe,
This is the thing that a actors learn, making every performance feel fresh. It is a real skill, the first step is knowing the lines inside out (getting the gist of the piece is not an option I accept as a director, and a writer would have a S#&t fit if you paraphrase their work). Once the lines are second nature and you are not worrying about them you will start to relax (tension is one of the main causes of robot delivery). What Jeff says though about making it your own is important, if you haven't already rewrite the script in your own style, even if you only make a few word changes you should still rewrite it.

Actors do a lot of work on 'colouring' the words and making them interesting. Think about what you are saying and what it means. Think of your voice as a muscle...would you run a race without warming up? Then why do we perform magic, even close up, without warming our voice up. Something simple like a tounge twister
Peter piper etc will help a lot.

But don't just say it, try and make it sound interesting and exciting (try different styles, childrens tv presenter, sportscaster, shakespere). There is a lot more I do before rehearsal, but hard to describe in words.

Try doing your script before and after this abbreviated warm up you will hear a difference.

Hope this helps a little.