Dreaming of being a successful actor and making the same come true are two different things. Your dream inspires and encourages you to take steps to finalise it and give realty to it. And when you start taking steps to make your dream come true, you have to do several things. These things could be attending acting classes, doing self or group practice, looking for practice scripts for actors, creating portfolios, and searching for an acting opportunity. 

Scripts are critical for you whether you are a successful actor or an aspiring actor. You should read the script before preparing yourself for a role. For giving your best, you should read the complete script if it is available. Going through the following points/reasons will make you comprehend why reading the script is crucial for you:

1. Enable you to know the story 

As an actor, you are a story narrator and have to play a role for a particular character if you are offered the job or you are going to sign for it. So, knowing the complete story is important for you. It enables you to have a good comprehension of the flow, produced circumstances, and the context of a character.   

Comprehending the characters you will have a contact in the play or movie and your character’s circumstances enables you to get the depth and nuance of your performance. As an actor, you have to do several things such as:

1. Choice making  
2. Knowing other related characters 
3. Exploring what others need to know and don’t need to know about your character
4. Being familiar with the complete story 
5. Having familiarity with what will happen in the next and how others will react   

2. Helps you know the writer 

For a film or stage performance, you, as an actor, are a story narrator. Each writer has their own style, flare, and genre to narrate a story. Reading the complete script enables you to know the mindset of the writer of the same. Here is more on what you should do:

• Read other allied works/books of a writer if you choose a role for a stage performance

• Go through the entire script for a screenplay to comprehend the tone of the story writer  

• Read a few books of your instructors if you are learning how to act at an acting school

3. Facilitates you develop your performance 

As an actor, you narrate a story through your performance/acting on a stage or a camera. And in this regard, you need to build your performance and structure it to make it suitable for the journey of your role or character. 

Keep in mind good/influential stories have a flow of narrative structure. Going through the entire script will help you know the goals of the playwright or screenplay. At your point, you should do what can help you develop acting/performance based on the story.     

Take away 

Going through the script provides you a better understanding of the story, your role, and the roles of co-stars or co-actors. It will enable you to give your best and be supportive to others in the play or movie.