--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sometimes in my class I have people come…" description: "\"Sometimes in my class I have people come in and do monologues inspired by people they know and I always find that to be useful to do specifics about so..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/777/amy-poehler-1084_character_sometimes-in-my-class-i-have-people-come_2121258.jpg" --- # Sometimes in my class I have people come in and do… ![“Sometimes in my class I have people come in and do monologues inspired by people they know and I always find that to be useful to do specifics about somebody and then you're actually doing a character and not doing some random old lady or something.” quote by Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/777/amy-poehler-1084_character_sometimes-in-my-class-i-have-people-come_2121258.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/777/amy-poehler-1084_character_sometimes-in-my-class-i-have-people-come_2121258.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/777/amy-poehler-1084_character_sometimes-in-my-class-i-have-people-come_2121258.jpg) > “Sometimes in my class I have people come in and do monologues inspired by people they know and I always find that to be useful to do specifics about somebody and then you're actually doing a character and not doing some random old lady or something.” [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Using personal monologues helps actors create specific, authentic characters rather than generic ones. **In simple terms:** Personal stories make characters feel real. Key Takeaway Use real details to deepen character work. Themes creativity authenticity character development Mood inspirational thoughtful practical Type educational instructional When to use this quote - theatre class - writing exercises - character building - performance coaching Key Concepts acting technique storytelling improvisation Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance personal input with imaginative creation? - What techniques broaden character perspective? A Different Perspective Relying solely on personal anecdotes may limit imagination. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Monologues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monologues/) ## Related quotes > [You can't judge a character that you're playing, because then you're fighting against doing what the character's doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-allman/you-can-t-judge-a-character-that-you-re-playing-because-then-you-re/) [Marshall Allman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-allman/) > [Being a correspondent on 'The Daily Show' is some combination of doing a character and doing stand-up. It's a juggling act to find a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-schaal/being-a-correspondent-on-the-daily-show-is-some-combination-of-doing/) [Kristen Schaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-schaal/) > [Well people love to go dirty and stuff like that. It's funny, because even really dirty things can kind of inspire, but all things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/well-people-love-to-go-dirty-and-stuff-like-that-it-s-funny-because/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [There were two things that became apparent, pretty quickly into the process. One was that the muscles didn't take as much reconditioning as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-macfarlane/there-were-two-things-that-became-apparent-pretty-quickly-into-the/) [Seth MacFarlane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-macfarlane/) > [51st State was one that I loved doing because the character was so out there, and in a way I was sad to leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-mortimer/51st-state-was-one-that-i-loved-doing-because-the-character-was-so/) [Emily Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-mortimer/) > [For four years doing that same character all the time kind of bothered me. Butit opened up a lot of doors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-bridges/for-four-years-doing-that-same-character-all-the-time-kind-of/) [Lloyd Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-bridges/) > [When you're doing a character, you want to know the full landscape. You want to know them spiritually, mentally and physically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chadwick-boseman/when-you-re-doing-a-character-you-want-to-know-the-full-landscape-you/) [Chadwick Boseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chadwick-boseman/) > [When you're doing a play that's fully produced, you have the benefit of rehearsing for four or five weeks, so you really get to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-preston/when-you-re-doing-a-play-that-s-fully-produced-you-have-the-benefit/) [Carrie Preston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-preston/) > [The one nice thing about doing a character for a long time is, you begin to feel more comfortable, and you are thinking less…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-cole/the-one-nice-thing-about-doing-a-character-for-a-long-time-is-you-2/) [Gary Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-cole/) > [If you are lucky as an actor, you are doing a character that really matches where you are in life, or you're doing a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-cohen/if-you-are-lucky-as-an-actor-you-are-doing-a-character-that-really/) [Scott Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-cohen/) > [I have no qualms about doing a character who may be below the lead in the pecking order, whether it's a hero or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tovino-thomas/i-have-no-qualms-about-doing-a-character-who-may-be-below-the-lead-in/) [Tovino Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tovino-thomas/) > [I'm more comfortable doing a character than being myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-besser/i-m-more-comfortable-doing-a-character-than-being-myself/) [Matt Besser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-besser/) > [I always thought, as a kid, if you - and the reason that I sort of stayed away from doing one character on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-shearer/i-always-thought-as-a-kid-if-you-and-the-reason-that-i-sort-of-stayed/) [Harry Shearer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-shearer/) > [I don't think I could last in anything for 10 years doing a character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-dean-morgan/i-don-t-think-i-could-last-in-anything-for-10-years-doing-a-character/) [Jeffrey Dean Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-dean-morgan/) > [The one nice thing about doing a character for a long time is, you begin to feel more comfortable, and you are thinking less…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-cole/the-one-nice-thing-about-doing-a-character-for-a-long-time-is-you/) [Gary Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-cole/) ## More by Amy Poehler > [When youre a stay-at-home mother you have to pretend its really boring, but its not. Its enriching and fulfilling, and an amazing experience. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/when-youre-a-stay-at-home-mother-you-have-to-pretend-its-really/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [I hope and assume that every good comedy writer, no matter the age, has a moment where they discover how great Cheers is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/i-hope-and-assume-that-every-good-comedy-writer-no-matter-the-age-has/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [I also think if you're an actor and you can improvise, when you go on an audition and you can improvise you're just a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/i-also-think-if-you-re-an-actor-and-you-can-improvise-when-you-go-on/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [It seems a strange thing, but once I was able to get past that kind of self-image problem, I was able to open up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/it-seems-a-strange-thing-but-once-i-was-able-to-get-past-that-kind-of/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [Sleep can completely change your entire outlook on life. 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Other people and other people's ideas are often better than your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/as-you-navigate-through-the-rest-of-your-life-be-open-to/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [I like hard work and I don’t like pretending things are perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/i-like-hard-work-and-i-don-t-like-pretending-things-are-perfect/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [The pressure of 'what are you going to do?' makes everyone feel like they haven't done anything yet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/the-pressure-of-what-are-you-going-to-do-makes-everyone-feel-like/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [I ate two waffles, a banana and cereal with blueberries. And that whas between my two breakfasts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/i-ate-two-waffles-a-banana-and-cereal-with-blueberries-and-that-whas/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [ “\[On getting older\]: You can witness young people embarrassing themselves and get a thrill--that it's not you. You can watch them throw around their… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/on-getting-older-you-can-witness-young-people-embarrassing-themselves/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [Too often we women try to tackle chaos that is not ours to fix.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/too-often-we-women-try-to-tackle-chaos-that-is-not-ours-to-fix/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [Try to keep your mind open to possibilities and your mouth closed on matters that you don't know about. Limit your 'always' and your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/try-to-keep-your-mind-open-to-possibilities-and-your-mouth-closed-on/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [All we do is watch The Wire and go out to dinner with our friends. I wish I could tell you that we had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/all-we-do-is-watch-the-wire-and-go-out-to-dinner-with-our-friends-i/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [I have these meetings with really powerful men and they ask me all the time, 'Where are your kids? Are your kids here?' It's such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/i-have-these-meetings-with-really-powerful-men-and-they-ask-me-all/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) [Explore all 296 Amy Poehler quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) ## More Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I'm often moved by the circumstances around some of my characters, but I don't think I've actually cried watching myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-m-often-moved-by-the-circumstances-around-some-of-my-characters-but/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [When you're on a daytime drama you get one page, you better damn well know your character. You better know what she would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hudgins/when-you-re-on-a-daytime-drama-you-get-one-page-you-better-damn-well/) David Hudgins > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/) [Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/) > [Your looks don't make you pretty, it's the person inside who makes you pretty!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-chan/your-looks-don-t-make-you-pretty-it-s-the-person-inside-who-makes-you/) [Aaron Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-chan/) > [I'm not a huge social media kind of guy, so I don't really know, I don't really ever get... at least in real life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-stroma/i-m-not-a-huge-social-media-kind-of-guy-so-i-don-t-really-know-i-don/) [Freddie Stroma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-stroma/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. 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