A Body in Motion - How I Tell the Story

Today, I'm going to talk about the importance of modifying one's physicality while telling stories.

Presenting the Story
It is very important not just to read the story, but to present the story. Much of this has to do with body positioning. Basically, my philosophy is that one should let the words and emotions of the story dictate how one presents the work. I read stories out loud as if there were a person sitting in front of me who was ready and eager to listen, and, in that case, my posture, facial animation, and hand gestures all have to be considered as if I had not only my voice at my disposal to present my stories, but also a wealth of body language. This kind of reading has distinct advantages. One of my choir instructors relayed the idea to our ensemble one day that the way one stands to sing reflects how he or she feels about the music. For example, if you stand with your feet crossed, it hints at indifference. The contrast, proper posture, indicates that a person is assertive and ready to do justice to the music.

How Physical Changes Inform the Story
The same goes for reading. Everything about me has to fit physically with the character. For example, when I read the voice of the "old physicist" in "Entrance and Exit," I leaned over a bit. I spread out my fingers and hands and made very excited gestures using all of my lower arm. While one could say that these physical choices are merely a reflection of the vocal intent, it is immaterial what the cause is. The reality is that choosing to make such physical changes helps me to stay focused on the story. It helps me to let my voice sound like the character whom I am trying to portray.