If you are a classically trained actor, you have probably spent years in speech and voice classes. I did when I went to Juilliard. The reason for all of that training is that your voice is one of your most important tools. Think of it as a fine instrument with which you make beautiful music. Please don’t play boring notes with your amazing instrument by just saying your lines. Bring the words to life and make music!
When I am coaching students (especially with monologues), I am constantly asking them to be more interesting. One of the biggest problems is that they are not using their voices effectively. Often, they are monotone and every line sounds exactly the same as the last. This results in a flat, lifeless performance. As a good actor, don’t you wish to be entertaining? Don’t you want to seem real? Don’t you desire your character to come to life?
One of the most important tools to help you to achieve these goals is your voice. Obviously, you also need to use all of your other wonderful tools too. You need to imagine the reality, create a backstory, break the scene into objective beats and use your body, props and bits of business. Your voice is just one of your many important tools. But, boy, can you do something wonderful with it! Here are some suggestions to help set your voice free.
Give yourself permission to use your voice in weird ways.
When I tell students to use their voices in weird ways, it doesn’t really cause them to speak strangely. It usually just sets them free to let their voices do more fun, natural things… like real people. When you speak naturally, your voice’s pitch, tone and rhythm vary tremendously. But when people act, sometimes they are too controlled and are too married to just saying “a line.” The life force disappears.
Try a little exercise in the privacy of your own room. Pick a monologue or scene and get into character. Choose to say each phrase in a weird way. If you shout one line, whisper the next. If you speak in a high pitch, change to a low pitch. Try growling it out. Use an accent. Talk through your nose. Really try to stretch the boundaries of weird ways to express yourself.
Then, keeping that looseness, go back into character and see what happens to the scene. The character will start to find her own voice because you have set her free from your monotone line-acting. This is especially good for comedy.
Change up the rhythm.
Play around and find moments that change the direction of the speech and take a beat before continuing on. Change up the way you use your voice after each of those beats. Mix up the rhythm so it is not so predictable. Have more fun and add dynamic shifts.
Use your body.
Allow your body to join in. Your body and voice push each other’s buttons. When I work with voice over students, I usually start by having them use their entire body to help bring their voices to life. Using your body will really set your voice free, spark your imagination and cause your character to become more spontaneous and real.
READ: “5 Easy Steps to Great Improv”
Use non-verbal sounds.
Non-verbal sounds are sounds that aren’t actual words (breathing, “um,” snorts, laughter, sighs, “huh”). You can sprinkle them throughout your lines. They don’t change your lines because they are not actual words, but merely sounds. Most people use them constantly when they are speaking in real life. Therefore, you will stop saying “lines” and start to have a conversation.
Add a surprise ending.
A neat tip for monologues or long speeches is to do the last line exactly opposite of what you were just doing in the lines before. I know it sounds superficial but it usually just punches a button that causes something very real to happen. You basically surprise yourself as well as the audience and cause a very spontaneous moment to happen. You’ll be amazed at how much more interesting and organic this moment and your character will become than if just concentrating upon saying the line a certain way every time.
Inspired by this post? Check out our audition listings!
The views expressed in this article are solely that of the individual(s) providing them,
and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Backstage or its staff.
