Michael Chad Hoeppner

So you have to promise to interrupt me a lot in this next answer, okay? Because that's a big, juicy question, and we could do a whole separate podcast based on that question, okay? It depends on the version of stage performance. Improv, there's no script. There may be a couple like pretenses or a couple starting points, but then there's no script at all.

That's part of the delight, sort of like watching jazz musicians improvise. You get to watch... people impromptu come up with these hilarious and amazing and heartfelt real-time scripts. It's totally astonishing.

That's part of the delight, sort of like watching jazz musicians improvise. You get to watch... people impromptu come up with these hilarious and amazing and heartfelt real-time scripts. It's totally astonishing.

On the other side, you've got classical texts, Shakespeare, Chekhov, things like that, where oftentimes the script is so well-known that if you really had a line flub, some of the audience might, hey, he forgot that word. In general, stage acting is required to be a than film acting in a couple different ways.

On the other side, you've got classical texts, Shakespeare, Chekhov, things like that, where oftentimes the script is so well-known that if you really had a line flub, some of the audience might, hey, he forgot that word. In general, stage acting is required to be a than film acting in a couple different ways.

So film acting, as long as you're not having to do a bunch of takes in which lines are piggybacking 100% on each other, then you may have some freedom and the director may want to take just the best take. So an example of this is if you're watching serial drama, Law and Order, those sorts of things, there's quite a bit of latitude with the script. Other times there's not.

So film acting, as long as you're not having to do a bunch of takes in which lines are piggybacking 100% on each other, then you may have some freedom and the director may want to take just the best take. So an example of this is if you're watching serial drama, Law and Order, those sorts of things, there's quite a bit of latitude with the script. Other times there's not.

And it also depends on the playwright or the screenwriter. So there really is some nuance there. But the place I want to do a tiny deep dive, though, is actually about this idea of scripting. Stage actors, what they're striving for is the exact opposite.

And it also depends on the playwright or the screenwriter. So there really is some nuance there. But the place I want to do a tiny deep dive, though, is actually about this idea of scripting. Stage actors, what they're striving for is the exact opposite.

That it's not an activity of trying to remember and a burden of mental memory, but rather that the process of learning this language actually informs them. And so these words become irreplaceable. These words actually teach them who the character is. And if they really get behind the words, they actually teach them what the action often is. I mean, as an example, here's a piece of poetry.

That it's not an activity of trying to remember and a burden of mental memory, but rather that the process of learning this language actually informs them. And so these words become irreplaceable. These words actually teach them who the character is. And if they really get behind the words, they actually teach them what the action often is. I mean, as an example, here's a piece of poetry.

I question things and do not find one that will answer to my mind and all the world appears unkind. Now, if you listen to that, a bunch of those words have final voiced consonants. Question things. Do not find one that will answer to my mind. Final voice consonants just mean consonants that have vocal tone. De, ne, those sorts of things.

I question things and do not find one that will answer to my mind and all the world appears unkind. Now, if you listen to that, a bunch of those words have final voiced consonants. Question things. Do not find one that will answer to my mind. Final voice consonants just mean consonants that have vocal tone. De, ne, those sorts of things.

So if you really get behind that language, it begins to activate a sense of onomatopoeia, which is the word sounds like a thing that it is. And all those final voice consonants that can be drawn out actually give you some indication of what the character is doing, which is essentially, searching and trying to squeeze every possible answer because they're answerless.

So if you really get behind that language, it begins to activate a sense of onomatopoeia, which is the word sounds like a thing that it is. And all those final voice consonants that can be drawn out actually give you some indication of what the character is doing, which is essentially, searching and trying to squeeze every possible answer because they're answerless.

They cannot find the thing they're looking for. So I don't mean to get too dramatic or artsy with this whole thing, but actors often rely on the words. It's not trying to master them all and it's a burden. No, those words are their tool, their superpower in many ways. Yeah. Now, what the heck does that have to do with public speaking?

They cannot find the thing they're looking for. So I don't mean to get too dramatic or artsy with this whole thing, but actors often rely on the words. It's not trying to master them all and it's a burden. No, those words are their tool, their superpower in many ways. Yeah. Now, what the heck does that have to do with public speaking?

The same thing, which is if you have a script, first of all, you have to learn the script, learn it physically and learn it with variety. Don't rehearse the same way every time. You're memorizing vocal variety. You're not memorizing the ideas.

The same thing, which is if you have a script, first of all, you have to learn the script, learn it physically and learn it with variety. Don't rehearse the same way every time. You're memorizing vocal variety. You're not memorizing the ideas.

So move around in space, walk like an elephant, slowly big swinging arms through the room saying the words, and the next time whisper it into your phone like you're at a library trying not to get scolded by the librarian. So you're learning the ideas, but you're not memorizing vocal variety. Also, get to know the ideas in what you're sharing, not just the words in the page.