Lorraine Ferro

There is an uncomfortable secret all stars know: Unless we are willing to let our audiences "idolize" us, we won't command the stage. That means how we show up counts. It also means our responsibility as artists and public speakers is to "grace the world with our presence." If you ever wanted to know how to show up in a way that commands attention for who you really are in all your unique glory, then get ready for a life defining experience!

 

CONNECTION – How to connect with your audience and yourself: 

What does it mean to connect with your audience? It’s a trickier question than it seems. Have you ever been onstage, really getting into it, the crowd loving you, and then you thought to yourself, “wow, this is really great!” only to have that moment of self realization make you forget what you were doing or what to do next? Or how about this scenario: you think connecting to the audience means looking at each of them while you speak or sing, and making everyone, including yourself uncomfortable? There are ways to connect, and ways to interfere with that connection. Sometimes we have to get out of the way of ourselves in order to have a true connection with our audience. There’s a beautiful thing that happens in the miraculous moments of real authentic connection – suddenly, everything falls away, and there you are, heart to heart with your best self, your vulnerable self, and the crowd is completely there with you. Come to this workshop if you’ve never had the experience I’m talking about, or if it’s been hit and miss in your onstage work. You deserve the joy and freedom of true connection with your audience.
 

How can you easily tell a professional from an amateur onstage? That’s right – by how they handle the mic. In singing or speaking performances, there are a lot of things to consider onstage. One of the biggest mistakes a person can make while preparing a performance or presentation is to forget to factor in the use of the microphone. The microphone can be a performer’s friend in so many ways, from projecting the voice to having something to do with your hands when you’re nervous. In this workshop, we’ll be “hands on,” exploring the many ways to be present with and use the mic and mic stand. Come join us if you’ve ever felt like you didn’t know what to do with it – when, if at all to pick it up? How high should it be to be heard? How far away should your mouth be? How can you use the mic to create a more dynamic performance? The goal here is to experience it as an extension of your voice, and to use it rather than let it use YOU!
 

FIGHTING NERVES AND STAGE FRIGHT:
I know a famous artist who was told by Frank Sinatra himself as he watched her throw up in a bucket backstage before the show, “The day you stop throwing up before the show is the day you should stop performing.”  Even the best artists have nerves. It’s what you do about them that counts. I asked my friend who told me this story if she saw Frank Sinatra heaving too. She said no. Exactly. 

If you want to know how to get past your nerves onstage or in front of an audience to have a more full and satisfying experience, please come join this workshop. I'll give you some clear tips to being the performer you want to be…and here’s a little secret: You may never get rid of those nerves…but I can teach you how to let them take a nap till you take a bow!
 

There are exercises singers do every day (ideally!), and there are exercises to warm up before a show and sometimes they aren’t the same. Some vocal exercises are tougher on your musculature than others, and could be too much for a warm up before a show. How much is too much? How much is enough? Which ones are the most helpful in opening the voice up? How soon before the show should I do them? What if I'm under the weather? Certainly, it does depend on your own vocal strengths and weaknesses, and your range and even the type of song you’re singing. Yet, there are some fundamental exercises that will work for most people, and some devices to use even when your voice isn’t up to par that day. I will give you exercises to use on that show day, when you’re already in good shape vocally, and when you’re not - and I’ll also give you exercises to do AFTER your performance, before you go to sleep so you can make sure your voice is clear and healthy the next day even after long hours of wailing “Dream On!”
 

Just because you don't sing doesn't mean you shouldn't have your voice open and warm in order to give the most dynamic presentation you can! Keep the audience or group involved by getting your voice in shape to access all of your range - you're audiences, groups, and/or students will thank you for keeping them engaged, attentive and energized!! For those of you who are afraid to sing, these exercises won't be focused on singing - they'll be focused on opening your mouth and getting your resonators, articulators, and other musculature flexible and ready to go!!
 

Have you ever had the deep desire to be seen as a truly…appropriate performer? Ho-Hum speaker? An artist who plays it safe? Daring to suck means taking risks in the spirit of fun, in order to go beyond the ordinary in your life and art and experience what it means to fly in the direction of greatness. There’s no brilliance in artistry without challenging oneself, and without making lots of mistakes, and taking some prat falls. However, scaring ourselves to the point we just stop creating is not what I’m talking about. In a safe, team oriented environment, you’ll take risks onstage, doing things you didn’t think you’d ever do, and claiming your inner rockstar! We’ll do exercises that will allow the “happy accident” of DISCOVERING yourself in front of an audience rather than already knowing what you can and cannot do. If this description scares you at all, then you are READY to BEGIN DARING TO SUCK! We’ll make the entire focus in this workshop on “sucking big time;” in other words, going for the fail. We’ll have a contest to see who can succeed in sucking the most onstage! T. S. Eliot wrote, “Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.” How far can YOU go? Expand your limits! Are you willing to feel the thrill and joy of letting go of how things have to look in order to achieve a new level of mastery in your performance and presentations? Come to this workshop and find out how!