Page to Stage: The Art of Reading Aloud

Does giving a public reading send you into a panic? 

Do you enjoy sharing your work but feel uncertain about how to best voice your words? 

Would you like to feel more powerful and honest on stage? 

We often assume that because we’ve written the words, we should automatically know how to read them aloud. We can judge ourselves harshly for feeling nervous or inauthentic. 

In truth, writing and performing are different skill sets. No matter how much time you’ve devoted to your word-craft, it’s natural to feel underprepared or uncertain if you haven’t yet had the opportunity to develop your stage-craft. 

In this 6-week workshop:

You’ll work on translating words from the page to the stage through the vehicle of your voice and body. You’ll develop your ability to read/perform with confidence. 

We will play, we will plan, we will practice, we will prepare.

These will be our areas of focus: 

• Self-Awareness and Somatics

Sharing our creativity publicly is inherently vulnerable. You’ll take stock of what beliefs you hold about how you show up on stage, what past experiences may color your current thoughts, and what sensations arise in your body when you prepare to take the stage. You’ll practice simple vocal warm-ups and quick stretches that can help ready both your body and mind for a reading.  

• Tactics, Tools, and Techniques

How a piece is read has just as much impact as what is being said. Elements such as your tone, speed, volume, and posture, all affect the way your work is received. You’ll learn activities to consciously build a full palette of vocal effects and emotional possibilities. Like actors, you’ll practice making purposeful choices about the delivery of your lines. 

• Practice, Practice, Practice

Having an audience to practice in front of is absolutely essential for growing as a performer. 

You’ll be a compassionate, supportive audience for each other over the first five weeks, building towards a final class in which you invite family and friends to join us for a private reading. You’ll practice both with and without a microphone, as you may encounter both scenarios in a reading.

We will be working with a text:

How to Read for an Audience: A Writer’s Guide, by James Navé and Allegra Huston, is a short, power-packed little book full of great advice. The price of the book is included in the price of the class, and the text will be yours to keep. There will be light reading homework in between classes.

Who this class is for:

This class is primarily designed for writers and wordsmiths (of all genres: poetry, prose, fiction, non-fiction) who give public readings. It’s also open to arts administrators, lecturers, and other teachers or creatives who feel it will benefit them in their public speaking roles. 

All experience levels are welcome; each participant will have individual stage time to be supported in their personal growth trajectory. 

This is an adult class, and mature teens are warmly welcomed.

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Questions about the class?

You are welcome to contact the instructor at jorah@wordcraftersineugene.org