Voice as Action
Your voice is an extension of you, and it’s important to state up front that the aim of voice training is not to “fix” or otherwise erase any of the distinctive things that make your voice yours. Contemporary, inclusive voice training is not about the diagnosis and correction of vocal “faults”. Rather than erasing what makes you unique, voice training is intended to empower your individual voice with new kinds of precision and purpose, helping you make the most of your words and take pleasure in the act of expressing what matters.
That sounds a lot like the job of an actor. On stage, you’re tasked with pursuing objectives, navigating obstacles, deploying varied tactics, and approaching your job with a sense of play—and all of these things can be done through the medium of sound. Your voice is not a static echo of fixed identities. It’s a dynamic tool for engaging and affecting the people around you–including audiences, fellow performers, and even yourself.
Voice and movement bridge the gap between actors and audiences. You may have a rich psychological experience of your character, but to an audience member, if they don’t see it or hear it, it isn’t happening. In addition to imagination, your voice and body are crucial acting tools. Your characters’ voices emerge from your body and breath. You are the one who turns thoughts and intentions into tangible sound waves that traverse physical space and physically–that is to say, bodily–touch your listener.
Put simply, voice is the audible aspect of your acting. Your voice is the medium through which your character’s thoughts, feelings, and desires become palpable to those listening to–and feeling–your performance. In the words of Catherine Fitzmaurice, “Voice is an action.”
Sensation and Expression
To touch an audience, the actor’s voice must be supple enough to respond to the boundless impulses of their imagination. Voice training is not just about making sounds, but also about expanding the range of what can be experienced and expressed by your physical instrument—embracing experiences and expressions that are bigger than daily life. Even the most mundane scene, when situated on stage, is heightened or poeticized by the presence of an audience, and the actor’s voice must be able to rise to the occasion.
As you explore voice work, you will delve into these two interwoven realms: the expansion of sensation and the expansion of expression. As you practice the skills of perception and reaction, you will learn to convert authentic experience and moment-to-moment impulse into specific vocal action. A well-trained voice is receptive, flexible, and focused, equipped to carry out whatever action your character might employ with intention, spontaneity, and specificity.
Some Possible Goals
Through your voice practice, you might:
- Celebrate and explore the unique qualities of your voice, enriching your own identity inside your art.
- Cultivate vocal flexibility to embody diverse characters and express experiences beyond the confines of your daily life.
- Broaden your vocal expression beyond habitual patterns, unlocking the full range of vocal choices at your disposal.
- Understand the mechanics of your voice and how to use it sustainably.
- Cultivate a voice that resonates truthfully, both personally and theatrically.
Voice training may also cover technical skills like accent work, text analysis, singing, or context-appropriate style. Still, its foundation is built on the cultivation of an available, responsive, and unique actor’s instrument with an expansive expressive potential.