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Submitted by Pam Hurd
At our meeting in May, we were treated to a presentation by Jeremy Franklin. From the moment Jeremy stepped before us, I got the feeling that we were all pulled into a source of energy that was nothing short of inspirational at the very least! Jeremy trained to become a Spellbinder in 2006. After telling stories for two years, he continued his pursuit of his love of theater. He is currently the Director of Musical Theatre at Colorado Mesa University. He is highly qualified in training the "voice", of which we got a sampling of.
Jeremy's portrayal of Scornful Simkin by Lee Lorenz, was entertaining as well as educational. His ability to include description of characters and surroundings were made more realistic by his ability to jump from loud voice to whispers enhanced by the undulation and inflection of his voice.
We were able to benefit from the exercises that Jeremy walked us through. We learned that there are three parts in our anatomy that allow the voice to function. These are:
1. Generator - Creates energy and reproduces sound. Included are the lungs; the ribcage and the muscles below ribcage; the diaphragm; the abdomenal muscles.
2. Resonator - Amplifies vocal sound and canned be trained to create the "sustainable voice".
3. Phonator - includes the vocal chords which provides sound and pitch.
It takes all of these functions just to create sound! Once we realize the power we have within our bodies to enhance a story, the possibilities are endless! Just as in all things, though, we need to practice what we learn to get better. Jeremy taught us several breathing exercises that are beneficial in strengthening the voice. If used consistently while preparing our stories, our voices will become stronger and allow us to sustain the same energy in portraying our stories from the first class we visit to the last. It really does make a difference!
What it comes down to is to explore your own voice. Doing research by listening to children's shows or recordings helps to give ideas on the differences in voices and what children or adults pay attention to.
Thank you, Jeremy for the time you spent with us! It was time well spent!
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