History Main / ReadingTheStageDirectionsOutLoud

* In ''ComicStrip/{{Doonesbury}}'' for May 1977, an entire graduation speech at Waldon is given this way, including the speaker's thought balloons.

[[folder:Films -- Animation]]

* Frank Drebin in ''[[Film/TheNakedGun The Naked Gun 33 1/3]]'' does this with an autoprompter. Then he inadvertently starts reading parts of the script meant for the other co-host.
* In the 1982 film version of ''Film/{{Annie|1982}}'', Oliver Warbucks did this for his radio appearance, where he reads "drop page" and "Warbucks interrupts".
* Willy Wonka (Creator/JohnnyDepp) in ''Film/CharlieAndTheChocolateFactory'', probably because he hasn't had time to prepare to memorize the introduction speech he gives for the guests after his puppet show goes up in flames, reads it off of index cards, saying, "I shake you warmly by the hand," which he promptly does. In the book, this line is incorporated into the message printed on each Golden Ticket.

* Played with in ''Film/RevengeOfTheNerds''. The jock Ogre is about to engage in a belching contest against the nerd Booger. The announcer reads off Ogre's real, upper crust, and completely nonthreatening name. Ogre leans in and whispers something in the announcer's ear. The announcer steps to the mike again. "Ogre U. Asshole." Another whisper. "Ogre."

* An unintentional example occurs in the ExploitationFilm ''Video Violence 2''. "You scared me, covering her breasts!"
* The line "I need a vacation" wasn't part of the dialogue in the script for ''Film/Terminator2JudgmentDay'', it was only written to describe that the T-800 in that particular scene "looks like he needs a vacation". [[Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger Arnold]] instead decided to ThrowItIn as a line, and Creator/JamesCameron liked it enough to keep it.
* Happens in ''Film/{{Bewitched}}'' when Creator/NicoleKidman's character tries out for the Samantha role and reads the scene descriptions and character names.
* In the 1975 ''Film/{{Rollerball}}'' film, star player Jonathan E. is giving a TV interview. He reads from a prepared script, "Hello, pause, I'm Jonathan, smile."
* A rather laughable incident in the beginning of a ''Literature/PussInBoots'' film starring Creator/ChristopherWalken: The ogre is introduced to the audience, and the ogre then says precisely this: "Laugh! [[EvilLaugh HA]] [[EvilIsHammy HA]] [[UnEvilLaugh HA]]!"
* In ''Film/PrivateBenjamin'', Judy Benjamin, when taking her oath of loyalty after signing up for the Army, repeats, "...do solemnly swear or affirm..."
* In ''Film/AnimalHouse'', Otter leads the Delta House in taking the fraternity pledge:
-->'''Otter:''' I... state your name.\\
'''All:''' I... state your name.

* In ''Film/AFaceInTheCrowd'', one of the many signs we get that rising star/demagogue "Lonesome" Rhodes says and does as he pleases rather than sticking to a script is his stiff reading of an advertisement on his Memphis TV show, complete with reading the punctuation marks aloud.
-->'''Rhodes:''' ''[reading from a crumpled piece of paper]'' "Friends, comma, why not invest in sleep insurance, question mark. That is what you will be doing when you buy your... Luffler Easy-Rest mattress, period."
* In ''Film/{{Yellowbeard}}'', Flunkie announces Commander Clement at Queen Anne's court by reading from the guest list:
-->"Commander of Her Majesty's Secret Service! Do not read this part out loud!"

* The book and play ''Enter Laughing'' takes its title from this trope, and the example therein.

* In his humorous essay, ''Spring Bulletin'', Creator/WoodyAllen writes that before the invention of italic type, "great actors frequently found themselves saying, "John rises, crosses left."

* Referenced in ''Literature/TheKaneChronicles'' when Sadie attempts to cast a spell. She's so nervous that she almost says "I, insert your name here!"
* In ''Literature/{{Jennings}}'', the boys try to put on a play called "The Miser's Secret" (having rejected [[AlliterativeTitle "The Mysterious Mystery of the Miserable Miser"]] on the grounds of [[DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment redundancy]].) The first rehearsal begins with the murderer reading out his first line: "Creeping on stealthily. I wonder if I will meet that old miser today."
[[/folder]]

* "Stage freeze!" in ''[[Series/ItsAlwaysSunnyInPhiladelphia The Nightman Cometh]]'', immediately rebuked with "You don't say stage freeze, you just do it!" on stage.
* As seen in the above page quote, Joey Tribbiani of ''Series/{{Friends}}'' has done this on some of the (very few) occasions that we actually get to see him do some [[JustForPun act]]ing. Another example was the time he got to read a news report: "Good evening, I'm Name!"
* Stephanie did this on ''Series/FullHouse''. She was in a cereal commercial and read as her lines, "Stephanie takes a spoonful of cereal."
* Perry from ''Series/{{Undeclared}}'' did this.

* Jerri Blank in ''Series/StrangersWithCandy'' does this occasionally, BreakingTheFourthWall for no adequately explored reason. ("The two hug.") Nobody else ever notices.
* ''Series/ThirtyRock'':
** Something similar to this happened in an episode in which Jack Donaghy was put in a sketch. In rehearsal, he read Josh's line after walking on stage, even though that line was "What's up, Mr. Donaghy?"
** Also used in the ChristmasEpisode where they are putting on a last-minute live special. Tracy reads "cross to piano" aloud while introducing Jenna.
** And when Tracy is reciting a script to impress a member of Congress with NBC's rich diversity, he reads all the directions, including "Don't read this part, Tracy."
** Kenneth reads a memo from Jack: "Due to the Obama worldwide recession, there will be no Leap Day bonuses this year. Mean laughter, sound of a drink being poured, what are you writing now, you slack-jawed donkey."

* On cycle four of ''Series/AmericasNextTopModel'' the girls were supposed to read from a prompter, pretending to be a red carpet announcer. Kahlen read the stage directions "looks to the left" out loud, followed by an "oops".
* On a ''Series/{{Taxi}}'' episode, Jim Ignatowski is moonlighting as a vacuum cleaner salesman:
-->'''Jim:''' How do you do, Mr. or Mrs. Fill in Name of Couple. I'm Your Name Here, but you can call me Nickname.
* Happens during Creator/SpikeMilligan's BBC series ''Q6'' (1975) -- during a visit to Harrods, Milligan's character says "we pause here, the man backs out of shot and comes back with a new parcel three minutes later". The line preceding the Harrods visit is "Cut to Harrods beautiful salon room with thick carpets"!
* In the ''Series/DoctorWho'' episode "Under the Lake", the Doctor reads a CueCard that had been prepared for when says something insensitive word for word.
-->'''The Doctor:''' I'm very sorry for your loss. I'll do all I can to solve the death of your friend/family member/pet.
* Happened in the UK game show ''Series/TheGenerationGame'', where in one episode the contestants had to put on a short pantomime of 'Cinderella'. Due to various parts of the script being hidden to the audience behind pieces of scenery (because of time constraints), not only would the contestants sometimes read out the stage directions, there were also times where they had to be directed to the next piece of script.
* There was another UK game show from the '80s where the contestants got to be movie stars for a day and reenact famous movie scenes. They almost always read the stage directions along with their lines -- by accident of course.
* When imitating former British Prime Minster UsefulNotes/TonyBlair, impressionist Jon Culshaw would have him reading his stage directions off the autocue, suggesting that everything he did was fake and calculating. Brief pause, caring expression, emotive hand gesture.
* Apparently accidental version in ''Series/PowerRangersSPD''. "BATTLE CRY!"
* Creator/RobinWilliams in ''Series/MorkAndMindy'' added the words "heavy sigh" to his lines to express Earthling emotion.
* Timberly on ''Series/Reboot2022'' isn't a trained actress and has to be reminded not to include lines like "Whitney exits" in rehearsals.
* ''Franchise/StarTrek'':
** Seven of Nine does this on an episode of ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'' while reading a sample conversation the Doctor gave her to improve her interaction skills.
** Also happens in ''[[Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration The Next Generation]]'' when the crew are stuck in the past and Picard is trying to distract the Landlady who wants to kick them out for not paying the rent. He gets her to read the part of Titania in ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' -- she reads the stage directions along with the part.

* ''Series/GetSmart'': One secret mission of Maxwell Smart's required that he pass as an actor in a stage play, and CONTROL hires a famous acting coach to teach him the basics. [[HilarityEnsues Much hilarity ensued]] as Max [[TheDitz bungles every line and direction he is given]] -- one of his mistakes was to read the script as "I beg your pardon, smiles and bows".

* ''Music/SongsToWearPantsTo'':* ''[=BriTANicK=]'' has a sketch where Brian is trying to remember the next line in his favorite Shakespearean monologue. Being the good friend he is, Nick starts throwing out random lines, including, "Exeunt, Malvolio."

A script is more than just the lines of dialogue and the names of the characters. It also contains numerous on-stage cues which the actor must follow in order to progress the scene. These are part of the scene, but they are indications for the actor to, insert italics, ''do'' something. Experienced actors know how to navigate a script and can easily sift the text from the metatext. Inexperienced actors, however… That struck a nerve, do not finish that sentence. New paragraph.

This trope comes into play when a character unfamiliar with script format is unaware that not everything on the page is part of the spoken text. He may well start, Administrivia/WikiWord, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Reading The Stage Directions Out Loud]]. New… oh.

* A common example of the shoddy writing encountered on the stories riffed in ''WebVideo/BadCreepypasta'' are the writers neglecting to place a second set of speech marks to mark where a character stops speaking and the narration resumes; naturally, this just means the hosts continue to read as if the character were [[ReadingTheStageDirectionsOutLoud saying the narration out loud.]]

Display indexes.

--->'''Militant #1:''' The militants turn startled! How did you get in here?\\

--> '''Critic:''' (narrating as Willis) North was in a jam. He really didn't relate to his parents. Next page.

* Similarly, from ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'':

-->'''Biden:''' End of quote. Repeat the line. [[https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/1545444306995011585]]

->End examples.
->Add witty [[TheStinger stinger]] here.
->Display indexes.

This trope comes into play when a character unfamiliar with script format is unaware that not everything on the page is part of the spoken text. He may well start, WikiWord, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Reading The Stage Directions Out Loud]]. New… oh.

See ReadingAheadInTheScript, RepeatAfterMe, SayingSoundEffectsOutLoud, as well as some examples of HelloInsertNameHere for tropes which use the same basic principle of humor, open parenthesis (saying stuff that the character is not supposed to be saying, close parenthesis). A staple of BadBadActing. End of description, insert line, open list of examples. Oh, damn.

The inverse of OverlyLiteralTranscription.

* Creator/AgathaChristie's play ''Spider's Web'' ends with Clarissa saying [[BreakingTheFourthWall to the audience]] "Exit Clarissa ... mysteriously", before disappearing into the SecretPassage.

** A junior {{novelization}} book that adapted this episode took it even further, with Sandy criticizing Patrick's reading of the stage directions.

--->'''Dennis:''' Will you sing us a lullaby, Mother? ''*radio feedback*'' No, Dennis, with feeling for God's sake! No! No! Don't repeat that, you idiot!

--->'''Dennis:''' Will you sing us a lullaby, Mother? ''*radio feedback*'' No, Dennis, speak with feeling. No, don't repeat that, you idiot.

* A rare [[WantonCrueltyToTheCommonComma possibly-inadvertent example]], from the Series/DoctorWho TieInNovel ''The Year of Intelligent Tigers'':

* ''Machinima/RedVsBlue'':

* Frank Drebin in ''[[Film/TheNakedGun The Naked Gun 33 1/3]]'' does this with an autoprompter. UpToEleven when he inadvertently starts reading parts of the script meant for the other co-host.

* In ''Fanfic/AnEagleAmongLions'', Edelgard has a Divine Pulse-induced vision of her alternate-universe self practicing a NewEraSpeech written for her by her world's Ferdinand and Hubert. Dorothea has to remind the other Edelgard not to say "pause for effect" when giving the actual speech.

* In the ''Music/{{Wire}}'' song "Map Ref. 41°N 93°W", singer Colin Newman says "chorus:" in a conversational tone just before launching into the first chorus.

* The ''WesternAnimation/BunsenIsABeast'' episode "Astro-Nots" has Commander Cone flub his script for Bunsen and Mikey's staged battle against an alien creature this way.
-->'''Commander Cone:''' Don't worry, young man. I will vanquish this enemy of all that is good and nice, and force him to spit out your friend Bunsen. Commander Cone moves off-camra!\\

** In the PSA "Planning to Fail", Caboose reads the script as "''Moaning... mooooooaaaaaaning...''"