Acting: volume

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volume

Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Producing Theater
Forum Name: Acting
Forum Discription: Q&A about auditions, character development and other aspects of the craft
URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3067
Printed Date: 9/07/24 at 10:28pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 8.05 - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: volume

Posted By: gaftpres
Subject: volume
Date Posted: 3/22/08 at 9:48pm

How do you get a cast member to project and be loud. We have tried exercises and it has worked somewhat. But she needs to be 10 times louder since her character sets up a lot of the scene activities. Help me anyone, I need suggestions. Thanks

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Old volunteers never die, they just get recycled!

Replies:

Posted By: sparf
Date Posted: 3/23/08 at 7:28am

Put the cast at the back of the theatre space, at opposite sides and corners. And make her rehearse like that. She'll soon begin getting loud enough because if she doesn't, they won't hear her. The other cast members must be instructed not to respond UNLESS they hear her perfectly clearly. It's an exercise that has worked for me in several shows with new actors who barely ever spoke above a whisper. One of them is now going to be working at an outdoor drama for the summer, to show you how well it can work.

Cheers!

-Sparf

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That is not dead which can eternal lie / and with strange aeons even Death may die.

Posted By: bbpchick
Date Posted: 3/24/08 at 3:47pm

What I do is stand at the back of the theater and everytime I can't hear some one I shout "I can't hear you!" or I shout "Volume!" they get tired of that real quick and start projecting.

I also make them stand in a row on the front of the stage and after going over how to project, I have each of them count to ten while I stand in the back of the theater, this helps when they start off loud, but by the end of their lines are barely more than a whisper. If I can't hear them by 10, they do it again. That really helps with sustaining volume throughout the lines.

Hope this helps.

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Kendra
http://www.murphysblackbartplayer.com - www.murphysblackbartplayers.com
You are NEVER too old to dress up!

Posted By: gaftpres
Date Posted: 3/24/08 at 10:42pm

Thanks for the suggestions, we have class tomorrow and I will try them both out......never too late 6 rehearsals till we open...I am sure you can understand my frustration now.... argh.. thanks again.

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Old volunteers never die, they just get recycled!

Posted By: jayzehr
Date Posted: 3/24/08 at 10:47pm

I'm sure you've tried this, but you can also have the actor try to imagine that they are talking to a person in the last row of the theater.

Posted By: JoeMc
Date Posted: 3/24/08 at 10:52pm

Have no fear gaftpres!

"She'lberight on the night!"

Just get her to lay on her back, hands on her belly & get her to feel the vioce come from with in her diaphram up & out the parrots beak!

She will feel her vplume increase, even just sounding the vowels.

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[western] Gondawandaland
"Hear the light & see the sound!
TOI TOI CHOOKAS
{may you always play to a full house!}