For some people using the words, holding them, without sounding stiff or stilted is a challenge. Not for M though, she goes right to it and brings the words and her voice and emotional life to life. Its her talent and its her youth.

So whats the message! When working on your voice and the idea of speaking in public bring to it a memory of a time when you felt free.

Working with a client on Shakespeare I looked for Peter O’Toole on YouTube, thinking I had only heard him reciting Shakespeare in ‘Venus’. I also found O’Toole’s acceptance speech for a Lifetime Award at the Oscars, in 2008. And I was so happy to see that he was breathing! Mostly everyone at the Oscars is disassociating. They will tell us later that they almost forgot their own name, forgetting to thank their parents or husbands, children etc. But Peter was breathing.

It was remarkable. Unusual. One billion people watch the Oscars and how many are in the auditorium under the lights.

I have worked with many actors and celebrities and businesspeople. And I send everyone to poetry and to the actors who are able to really use poetry. Poetry builds eloquence. I learned this myself in my study of literature, acting.and voice and diction. I had this ‘voice’ and I had to learn what to do with it. It sent me to Richard Burton, to Peter O’toole, Vanessa Redgrave, Joan Greenwood (anyone know her?) Jane Fonda, yes! and Orson Wells. I listened and I listened.

I have met many actors from the time I was very young. It is the water I lived in. However I did not expect to encounter Peter O’Toole five feet away on 7th Ave. and 57th Street. looking frail and sickly, possibly drunk, standing still holding the tiniest Henri Bendel shopping bag. Was he lost? (Isn’t everyone he would have answered). I was unable to speak, to engage him. This person standing near me was so far from that voice that I could imitate and that gave me so much structure. O’Toole was able to make bad dialogue sound like poetry.

On the Oscars, years later he was certainly recovered. Ah Peter, next time, I will assume you are just having a bad day.

later in the day
Ailey’s struggle to ‘own’ a General American accent came to a head today in wonderful moments of recognition. “Who am I in English?” “Who am I if I allow my accent to drop off?” “Well.like a coat,
you can always put it back on, when you need to.” I asked Ailey what male performer or spokesperson
he most admired, someone he could use as an example. “So many”, he told me. I asked him to keep listening chose one by the time we met next. “Who would be best for me to listen to?” “Follow the one that moves you.”

Since the holidays are a busy time I am offering a winter special!

You can start class either in December or January. We will officially start the 10-week session in January. For those who want to get started early, please join me for a special, pro-rated class in December.

Looking forward to working with you soon.

All wishes,

Lynn

Voice and Consciousness Classes
Lsvoiceworks training incorporates bodywork (bioenergetics, yoga, feldencrais), emotion memory exercises, visualization and poetry. Awaken your vocal power and intuitive sense of language through investigation of breath, sounds and text. Develop and maintain strength, subtlety, richness and spontaneity.

Class Information
Intermediate/Advanced Class
Special pro-rated class: December 20th
Tuesdays: January 10th – February 14th

Beginning Class
Special pro-rated class: December 21st
Mondays: January 9th – February 13th

Both classes are 10 weeks for $400.

Healing your voice does heal the world.