I've started a new evening class. This one is at the Arc in Stockton-on-Tees - arts centre. It's a drama class! Current class is called "Acting - The First Steps". It gives basic skills in acting. No, I'm not thinking of being a thespian exactly. But the skills on this course look useful for my storytelling. There are two further courses that follow this one.
Scott, the course tutor is excellent, and very helpful. I went to one of his one-day workshops last year. The programme for this course shows that the skills being taught are spot-on for my storytelling. For my storytelling I do a lot of hand-gestures, mime and improvisation. The course doesn't lead to any certificates but the skills themselves are what I'm interested in.
Scott asked me afterwards if I thought the course was going to be helpful. I said yes. I explained that there were parts of stories like the one I tell currently where there is a distraught pregnant lady caught in a storm, and I'm using my hands to indicate the storm. I call it creating pictures with my hands. Scott said, that's acting, it's pretend. I said, I suppose it is, it's about creating an illusion. I'd never thought of myself as acting!
This is a good course for me. There's 15 of us on it. There's one middle-aged gentleman, very keen, and the rest are youngsters. They are all keen and are all auditioning for local productions. No, I won't be auditioning for the plays, but I will enjoy being in an enthusiastic and supportive environment. A couple of the youngsters take the same bus home as me - one young lady lives just round the corner from me - she wants to be a drama teacher.
To be honest I don't think I'm as good as these youngsters - they are keen and seem to have done previous courses. But they are friendly and helpful and I can learn from watching them.
Great class!
Drama queen
I am so happy your life has turned around and you have found classes that will be helpful in Story Telling. It sounds like you had a very good summer going to all the story telling fairs and meeting some of the "greats". They all sounded so helpful when you got to meet them. The acting class does seem a natural thing for you as a story teller. Hand motions and body language type things make people more attentive, I should think. I am glad you like your classes. These sound more like fun than the ones you took last year! Hang in there, and I may be able to take you off my worry list finally! Doris
Hello Doris!
Yes, these classes should be helpful. I'm also going to a singing class - starts next week.
It'll be a while before I'm ready to do professional-level performances though - there is a lot of work involved in becoming a storyteller. It takes a very long time.
I would imagine though that you must have to have a natural gift for it in the first place though, which of course, it goes without saying, that you have in oodles.
It's a bit like when you pick up a book, either the first couple of pages grab you, or you struggle to keep your attention.It's all words on paper, but it's HOW they're written that makes the difference between a good novel and an o.k. one.
I can still remember ,was it Jackanory, when someone would sit and read a story.?
Some voices are sophorific, some just right for exciting stories. Rick Mayall read one, that I recall thinking his voice is spot on for this.
Yes, some voices are good for this. I suspect I'm fortunate in having a good voice. I used to do a lot of singing when I was younger and my voice probably has a lot of natural rhythm and cadences in it. A musical quality even when I'm not singing. I've noticed that singers who become storytellers have an advantage - their voices do tend to be easier to listen to. I'm going to buy some more CD-Roms of storytellers too and listen to the qualities of the speaking voices. I've just joined the Society for Storytellers too and they have a catalogue with lots of CDs in it - just waiting for that catalogue to arrive. I will be listed in the Society's directory!
Of course, there are non-singers who are excellent storytellers, Mike R for one. He has a conversational style of speaking.
Isn't it odd how some voices just melt you , i love deep voices, welsh voices especially, Richard Burton for example..
One voice that grates is Ashleys in Corrie street (not that I watch it, but the rest of the family are addicts....)
Richard Burton sigh. Sean Connery sigh. Anthony Hopkins sigh. James Mason sigh. Yes, there are voices that make me go weak at the knees. Oddly enough, not the voices of the younger generation.
You're right there, I think you can hear the depth and experience in their voices.
I was going to say apart from Bryan Ferry, but I guess he's not from the younger generation!!...