How foolish are you? How successfull do you want to be in communicating your passion? I have been seeing a large number public speaking clients lately and if there is one salient feature amongst all of them, it is the inability to embrace foolishness. The fear of  looking foolish has a great number of potential speakers stuck … [Read more...]
May
18
It is not the critic that counts
By Barbara Kite
It is not the critic that counts. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marked by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasm and great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best, knows in the end the … [Read more...]
May
17
BREATH (from Mark Westbrook's Blog)
By Barbara Kite
Breath From our first breath to our last, breathing is an instrinsic part of that each and every part of our lives. The breath is both instinctive and expressive, it is a vital part of our physical functioning as a human being, but it is also an essential part of our emotive capacity to express ourselves. There are two types of … [Read more...]
May
15
TONGUE TWISTERS for Actors (and Speakers)
By Barbara Kite
TONGUE TWISTERS FOR ACTORS (and Speakers) Good speech is an essential part of being a good actor. Exercising your mouth with difficult tongue twisters keeps your mouth fit for purpose. Here are TEN new tongue twisters to work on at home. Do each tongue twister EIGHT times, getting quicker with each recitation. Mommala … [Read more...]
May
02
Inspired by Adam Shames' You Lecture, I Leave
By Barbara Kite
Just what it says above. A fellow blogger inspired me to merge his observations with my work. As an acting coach, in every class I make sure every person gets up and works, sometimes with one other, sometimes by themselves, sometimes with the whole class, but always in front of an audience, always needing to connect with them. I … [Read more...]
May
02
FEAR REVISITED – fainting at Nordstroms
By Barbara Kite
Here’s an assignment I give to some of my actors. Choose a large department store (preferrable Nordstroms) and faint in the men’s or women’s clothing department (the opposite of your sex). It’s easy - you just slowly fold your body down to the ground. The purpose - because you’re afraid to. To … [Read more...]
Apr
25
The purpose of art and Darfur
By Barbara Kite
What is the purpose of art? BIG discussion and many different beliefs are out there. Here's mine. Art must contribute to making a real difference in the world. Mia Farrow is fasting for 21 days starting Monday April 27th. I think of this as performance art. It is time we all became more aware of what is … [Read more...]
