Speaking Of... Conversations on Voice, Speech, and Identity with Ryan O'Shea - Why do I sometimes drop off of my words in performance? And how do I project my voice in a theatre without straining my voice? with Cara Myers

Why do I sometimes drop off of my words in performance? And how do I project my voice in a theatre without straining my voice? with Cara Myers

06/19/19 • 32 min

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

Today on Speaking Of... I’m joined by actress, writer, director, and producer, Cara Myers.

Cara asks about some specific challenges she’s experienced in performance. We start by talking about why she sometimes has a tendency to drop off of her words in performance and how to overcome this difficulty. Then Cara mentions an upcoming project where she’ll be performing on stage, and her concern about her ability to project her voice in a larger venue.

Like many Los Angeles-based actors, most of Cara’s acting experience has been on camera, so finding ease in projecting her voice is a relatively new requirement for her. We talk about the major differences for speaking on camera vs. on stage, and I offer some tools for finding ease in projection regardless of the medium.

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

Today on Speaking Of... I’m joined by actress, writer, director, and producer, Cara Myers.

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

Previous Episode

Why do I feel fine having conversations in meetings, but feel nervous giving presentations? with Cameron Cramer

Today on Speaking Of... I’m joined by my partner, Cameron Cramer.

Cameron is a non-performer working in YouTube marketing, and he asked: why do I feel fine having conversations in meetings, but feel really nervous giving presentations? This question is a really common one for people in the professional/corporate world, but it’s also relevant for performers who often feel a shift in their ability to be present in different performance scenarios.

Cameron and I talk about how the context we give ourselves around speaking engagements ultimately decides how we respond to those scenarios, and why we must give ourselves a positive context in order to find enjoyment in any speaking scenario. We also discuss some of the public-speaking tips he’d been given over the years and how that “one-size-fits-all” approach has been unhelpful.

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 can I express myself without using vocal fry? What sort of warm-up should I be doing before going on set? with Eddie Ramos

On this episode of Speaking Of... I’m joined by actor and founder and creator of The Modern Actor, Eddie Ramos.

Eddie had two questions: “How can I express myself without using vocal fry? What sort of warm-up should I be doing before going on set?”

Eddie and I talked about how on-camera actors, in particular, often rely on vocal fry in their speaking. We talk about what vocal fry is, why it’s so common, and why it might actually be a useful choice for an actor. Then I share thoughts on how to find a fuller, more expressive voice as well as what type of exercises actors might do in order to perform in any context.
You can find complete show notes and links to everything we’ve mentioned in the episode on https://www.voiceandspeechwithryan.com/podcast.