Meet Joyce
Actor Memory Coach. Jeopardy Champion.
Like a lot of actors, I used to think memorizing lines was just a matter of brute force. Repeat them enough times—over and over—and eventually, they’ll stick. Right?
That method kind of worked for me… but it was slow, painful, and wildly inconsistent. Getting off book always felt like a slog, and I just accepted the struggle as part of the job.
Then something unexpected happened.
Some friends and I started going to bar trivia nights. That turned into a passion for memory, learning, and high-pressure recall—which led me to audition for Jeopardy!
Not only did I make it on… I became a 3-day champion. 🎉
Before and after the show, I dove deep into the world of learning science. I discovered an entire toolbox of practical, research-backed techniques that make memorizing easier, faster, and more reliable.
And I had one big question:
Why isn’t anyone teaching this to actors?
Memorizing lines is a core part of what actors do—yet most acting programs don’t teach us how to do it effectively. We’re just expected to figure it out.
That’s why I created Off Book It.
To bridge the gap between performance and brain science.
To take the guesswork out of memorization.
And to help actors feel confident, calm, and ready—no matter how much material they’re handed or how little time they have.
I've done talks and Q&As with Actors Breakfast Club, DaJuan Johnson’s Self-tapes That Book, Ajarae Coleman’s The Table, Blythe Howard’s commercial workshop, Anastasia Edwards’s Actor’s Biz, Actor Playbook, Working Actor Pro, Limelight, Film Festival Live, the Actor Problems Podcast, and the Why I’ll Never Make It Podcast.
Meet Joyce
Actor. Jeopardy Champion. Memory Expert.
Throughout my time as an actor, I always assumed getting off book was simply a matter of putting in enough hours. Repeat those words over and over and eventually they'll stick in your brain. It was always a struggle for me, but I put up with the pain and made it work.
Fast-forward several years. A group of friends and I became avid bar trivia-goers. I became a contestant on the game show Jeopardy and was lucky enough to become a 3-day champion!
Before and after my time on the show, I did a lot of research into different methods to improve learning and memory. I discovered a plethora of simple strategies and techniques to improve retention and recall of information. I started to wonder why these techniques were not more widely known. I could easily see how useful they would be, especially to actors when it came to the memorization of dramatic text.
I realized how absurd it was that actors are never taught techniques specifically to improve their ability to memorize lines. It's a crucial part of the actor's job, and it's never a part of any actor training!
I created Off Book It to fill that gap.
I've done talks and Q&As with Actors Breakfast Club, DaJuan Johnson’s Self-tapes That Book, Ajarae Coleman’s The Table, Blythe Howard’s commercial workshop, Anastasia Edwards’s Actor’s Biz, Actor Playbook, Working Actor Pro, Limelight, Film Festival Live, the Actor Problems Podcast, and the Why I’ll Never Make It Podcast.