Why Is Voice Training Important?

This fall & winter session, we’re excited to incorporate Voice for the Actor classes and workshops into our specialized class programming. Lessac Voice practitioner Laura Resinger is leading workshops tonight and on 10/5 (don’t forget to grab your spot for this one before it sells out!), and we’ll be announcing more training opportunities in the coming weeks.

You may be asking - Why? My Meisner technique training at Green Shirt has given me the tools to be present and vulnerable in any role, and I am not a singer.

Laura Resinger recently talked about this very subject during an Instagram Live interview! She discussed how she came from a movement/dance background, and had no interest in persuing voice training. Over the course of her career watching plays and movies and performing, she came to a much different conclusion.

In her words: “The difference between a good actor and a great actor is voice.” From there, she wondered how to make her voice part of her self and use it to express the aspects of humanity that are necessary as an actor. She says, “Voice training is acting training is movement training is body training; it’s one and the same, you really can’t separate them out.”

Looking back at all the memorable performances I’ve seen over the years, I can’t help but agree with Laura.

The way I see it, the voice is one of our best tools for directing our energy out to an audience. A performer can be doing some incredible acting, but if it gets blocked by a tense throat, unsupported breathing, or even just a lack of confidence, the acting gets trapped and loses its impact.

As humans, our voices are a vehicle for emotion. An open voice doesn’t have to sound good; an open voice can safely cry, scream, laugh, and provide an outlet for our actor impulses.

In collegiate programs, Acting 101 classes are almost always paired with introductory Voice for the Actor and Movement for the Actor classes. I like to think of these 3 prongs of acting training as the fork, knife, and spoon. You may only need 1 to start eating, but you need all 3 to experience the full range of foods that are out there.