Mailbag—Listener Questions!

07/31/19 • 38 min

Speaking Of... Conversations on Voice, Speech, and Identity with Ryan O'Shea

On this episode of Speaking Of... I’m answering listener questions. My boyfriend, Cam, co-hosted with me, serving as the reader of questions (not to mention he was letting me know whether or not I was making sense).
Some of the Interview Highlights:

The most common “cringe-worthy” ticks that detract from a message.
The four pillars of accent work, and how to find specificity in any accent.
Tools for finding more ease in performing Shakespeare, so that you never need “Shakespeare voice.”
How breathing affects actors’ ability to be affected.

You can find complete show notes and links to everything we’ve mentioned in the episode on https://www.voiceandspeechwithryan.com/podcast.

The most common “cringe-worthy” ticks that detract from a message.
The four pillars of accent work, and how to find specificity in any accent.
Tools for finding more ease in performing Shakespeare, so that you never need “Shakespeare voice.”
How breathing affects actors’ ability to be affected.

You can find complete show notes and links to everything we’ve mentioned in the episode on https://www.voiceandspeechwithryan.com/podcast.

Previous Episode

What is a "woman's voice"? with Lisa Ermel

On this episode of Speaking Of... I’m joined by my wonderful friend, actress and writer, Lisa Ermel.

Lisa’s initial question was “What is a woman’s voice?” We quickly discovered that another way of asking her question is “When am I managing how I sound because I’m trying to manage how I’m perceived?”

This was a really important conversation that has relevance to anyone who has ever found themselves adjusting the sound of their voice in order to fit some ideal of how they *think* they should be. We talk about some of the reasons why womxn, in particular, might change the sound of their voices, and how this is likely limiting their power.

You can find complete show notes and links to everything we’ve mentioned in the episode on https://www.voiceandspeechwithryan.com/podcast.

Next Episode

How do I release my voice when I’m under stress?—with Vivi Devereaux

On this episode of Speaking Of... I’m joined by my friend, actor Vivi Devereaux. Vivi’s question was, “How do I release my voice when I’m under stress?”

Vivi is regularly performing and auditioning, and his question is related to the stressful “fight-or-flight” response that often accompanies performance. Throat tightening is a very common side-effect of nerves or fear, that affects performers and non-performers. We talk about WHY this happens and I offer an array of tools you can use both in the moment that the tightening is occurring, as well as some exercises to add to a vocal practice.

You can find complete show notes and links to everything we’ve mentioned in the episode on https://www.voiceandspeechwithryan.com/podcast.