Touro Communication Club #16
BREAKING NEWS: The 2/26 and 2/21 debates between Senators Clinton and Obama and the 1/31 speech of Michelle Obama (we saw the entire speech at our 2/13 Debate meeting) are available by clicking on the links provided below:
- Read as you Watch the Feb. 26 Democratic Debate of Cleveland, Ohio (the interactive video link is found on the left-hand side of the page that opens when you click here.)
- Watch the New York Times interactive video from the Feb. 21 Democratic Debate and Analyze the transcript here.
Our two-week schedule:
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2008 – THE DEBATE TEAM WILL MEET AT 12:30 PM IN ROOM 610 @ 50 WEST 23RD STREET
Hopefully, we can apply some of the delivery strategies of Michelle Obama to our affirmative and negative debate briefs on gun control. Continue your research on gun control in New York State. We will phrase a proposition and start lining up evidence on both sides. We will also being practice cross-examining each other. Both Richard Green and David Nussbaum will serve as task masters for the questioning.
WEDNESDAY, March 5, 2008 – THE CLUB WILL MEET AT 1 PM IN ROOM 610 @ 50 WEST 23rd AVENUE
This should be an interesting session. Richard Green will be leading the group on “Storytelling:” We all have personal and family stories. Since the days of the caveman, stories were the original way people learned about the experience of others and the larger world. The stories of the Bible were passed along from one storyteller to another well before they were written down. Then in the Middle Ages, balladeers set stories to music and went around the countryside singing what have become “folk songs.” Stories have a particular fascination for everyone because the structure that begins “Once upon a time...” captures the imagination of everyone from children to senior citizens.. A good story has a beginning, middle and end with lots of delicious digressions. Bring your stories to share.
WHAT HAPPENED AT THE CLUB MEETING ON THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2008?
Our second session on “Reading Aloud” was very intense, despite our being bumped from our regular room because of a Graduate School workshop. Newcomer Gabriel Amar, only a month in this country from Morocco, joined our regulars, Drani Gabu, James Millner, Kazi Fathath, David Nussbaum, Richard Green and Hal Wicke.
Hal reviewed the several Paralinguistic aspects of the voice which when they are adjusted will change the meaning of the text. Then Richard provided a difficult text from William Carlos Williams, an American poet and pediatrician, which we studied the first 4 lines. We read it over several times to decide on its general meaning. Then we discussed who the speaker was and what was his attitude toward the subject. Next we decided on an emotion that would best embody the message of the poet. Then everybody performed the 4 lines with the intention each felt the poetry communicated. Next, Hal asked each person whether he heard what the reader intended. The audience reactions were honest enough to say they did not hear what the reader intended.
Along the way, David gave some Voice and Diction instructions to each reader to help focus the practice. Each responded willingly to the instruction.
This was really hard work. Everyone was trying to make the muscles of the voice execute the directions sent by the mind. It was amazing to watch the concentration in the faces. Drani was most expressive in shaping his facial muscles to make the voice follow his brain’s messages. But Kazi made the most extraordinary change in his vocal quality as he shaped his rich bass-baritone voice into the clearest articulation he has ever done. It was so striking he reminded me of the brother of Darth Vader (the actor James Earl Jones). Everybody applauded themselves for their effort.
James and Drani came up to me after the 2-hour session and asked if actors go through this kind of intense work. Hal said, “This and 1000% more!” What we did is very elementary and mechanical for experienced actors. With much vocal and physical practice and analysis, actors take the words off the page and make them come to life in the mouth of the character. The more believable the character is, you forget the actor. If the audience notices any technical aspects of the performance, then the actor has not worked hard enough to make the technique disappear.
We felt that two sessions on “Reading Aloud” were enough. It was time to turn to something else. Hal gave out a laundry list of possible topics. Richard suggested that we focus on “Storytelling.” Everyone agreed. Storytelling is the oldest communication tool. Before the printing press, everyone told stories.. Richard passed out copies of an article about storytelling in a business setting, published by Costco. A recent management book is called, “Management by Storying Around,” a motivational strategy to excite employees in an organization.
See you next time. Bring a friend!
Hal Wicke
1 comment:
After browsing through the website, I'm really curious to attend one of the meetings. I beleive it is a great idea that this club was founded and hopefully we will all learn positively and creatively.
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