Auditions: Judging Beyond the Story

Listening to the stories at auditions energize me . . .until it comes to judging them. Certain elements are obvious to note such as the story launch, voice, body language, word choice, and story closure.

The story performance, though important, is only part of the storytelling audition process.

The teller on and off the stage inspire other elements to consider such as:

1. Audience Connection
2. Stage Presence
3. Respect the Committee

Audience Connection

While I am often on the judging side of storytelling, at times I am the one being judged. Several contests and auditions abound in my state.

During one particular contest, the judging committee announced my scores for the different categories. I had scored high, though my Audience Connection number was average. I was not surprised. It happened to be a story that I wrote, which then could lead me to sound frozen.

The story probably would have sounded the same with that audience than if there was no one else in the area.

From that experience, the following questions come to mind about Audience Connection:

• Rather than a staged performance, does the teller give the feeling of talking with the audience? This does not mean direct audience participation, though this technique may be used.
• Even if the piece is memorized, does the teller still seem to have a rapport with the audience?
• Is the teller willing to be flexible depending on the audience feedback?

At some contests or auditions, as much as 20 points out of 100 may be for Audience Connection. All other elements, by comparison, have 5-10 points.

Every ballot differs. Some ballots ignore Audience Connection as a category.

Stage Presence

Every time I perform, butterflies abound in my stomach. The trick with Stage Presence is to look as if no insects are having a party with the nerves.

When I first competed in storytelling as a sophomore in high school, sometimes the butterflies wanted to fly out. . .along with my lunch.

During one of the breaks at the Wisconsin finals with about 100 tellers, I slipped away to find an unused classroom with a wastebasket with my name on it. Thankfully, my composure has improved.

A storyteller could improve stage presence simply by breathing deep before getting out of the car or entering the building of the auditions.

Perhaps a pre-recorded motivational CD with your mix of favorite songs or quotes will boost the confidence.

If I need to be energized, I listen to “Dancing Queen”. For a more serene composure, I play “Daydream Believer”. As for a moving quote, I learned this from Don Doyle: “Behind you infinite power. Before you limitless possibilities. Why should you fear?”

Carol Esterreicher taught me the “Circle of Excellence”, a neuro-linguistic technique of picturing an imaginary circle wherein you perform the perfect performance in the perfect setting with the perfect audience. Then you transfer these images upon the actual performance.

Keep in mind that the audition starts as soon as the storyteller enters the room. The audition continues as the judging committee calls the storyteller to the stage. Each footstep, arm swing, and shoulder erectness communicates either fear or confidence.

When judging, I watch to see if the storyteller accepts the applause. Too many rush off or fail to soak in the appreciation from the audience. A professional is poised from beginning to end.

Respect the Committee

This may seem like a strange category. Unfortunately, I added this category for the rare individuals who. . .come off the wrong way.

Before Audition: There are times when storytellers have felt entitled to be part of an event. Performing is a privilege. Sometimes a polished teller is not invited to give a chance to less experienced tellers who need a stage to grow. Consider your words in speech, telephone, or email. Are you too confident in being chosen?

During Audition: Did you arrive on time if a time slot was reserved? Are you pleasant when you turn in your application? Does your tone sound flustered, impatient, or annoyed? If you are a walk-in, do you understand that you might need to wait a while based on the number who came to audition?

After Audition: If chosen to be part of the event, do you continue to have good manners towards any and all people involved with the event? If not chosen, do you keep your anger in check? I like to write a personal letter to each person not chosen to tell. I share the positive as well as what could be improved to possibly be chosen the next year. Much time and thought go into these letters.

The good news is that most people receive full points for the Respect the Committee category.

So be outstanding at the next audition. You could be a star.

Until we tell again,

Rachel Hedman

Professional Storyteller

Tel: (801) 870-5799
Email: info@rachelhedman.com

URL: http://www.rachelhedman.com/

How-To Blog: http://storytellingadventures.blogspot.com/

Family Famine Series Site: http://www.familyfamine.com/

Year of the Family Book: http://www.yearofthefamily.com
Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/rachelfans
Other places to find me: Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Professional Storyteller

Storyteller Spirit: 3 Signs When You Have It. . . And When You Don’t

Storytellers are cheerleaders of the stories they tell.

You can feel the difference of a cheerleader who shouts out to the audience with more than 100% effort versus the cheerleader who barely moves the pom-poms with a barely heard “rah”.

Yet, the quiet cheerleader who does not have the heart into the cheers could still perfectly execute the words and the timing. All that would make the change would be an extra “umph!” or snap to cause the crowd to stand and cheer or even start the wave.

As storytellers, we may not expect the audience to give standing ovations; though there is a wish we share that something about the program would move the audience.

True, the audience takes from the program what they wish to take from it, but the thought that a story could inspire action or a new way of thinking often motivates storytellers to keep gracing that stage.

Some Signs Of When You Have It:

• Satisfaction After Telling Story
• Happy Buzz Sounds From Audience
• Audience Members Approach You And Sometimes Share Stories

Satisfaction After Telling Story

National storyteller Bill Harley coined the term “sense presence”. He said that “sense presence” was when the right teller tells the right story with the right audience. There is a feeling of “ahhh”. Harley mentioned that this feeling does not happen every time that one tells, though it is the endeavor for each performance. We may have levels of satisfaction and a performance does not have to be perfect to feel good about it.

Happy Buzz Sounds From Audience

The last story’s mood could determine the “buzz” besides the storyteller spirit. A session rarely ends on a grim or hopeless state. Though, the passion radiating from the teller could be contagious and spread as people rise from their seats to return home. Enjoy the sounds and add to your celebration.

Audience Members Approach You And Sometimes Share Stories

I told stories for a family audience at an elementary school. There was a ten-year-old boy on the front row who usually looked down at his hands while I was telling. Though I made sure to share my energy with the rest of the audience, this boy intrigued me. I made an increased effort to send more positive vibes his way. I wondered if the storytelling had any affect on him. Then, while mingling with the audience as they left for the night, this same boy bounded to me and shared story after story of turtle stories. I told him that he had quite the repertoire and I expected to see him on stage one day.

Some Signs Of When You Don’t:

• Monotone
• Little Or No Facial Expressions
• Attitude of Indifference Or Grumpiness

Monotone

The flatness of voice could occur when the teller is tired in one way or another. It could be a physical tiredness with possible connections to stress levels at the moment. A teller takes whoever they are on stage—the worries, the sadness, and the anger. When life is more balanced, then the positive emotions emerge. Suddenly, the storyteller spirit is recaptured. Keep in mind that a teller may be tired of the story itself. It may be a story forced upon them by a friend, parent, or even themselves so that it fit the theme in a certain way.

Little Or No Facial Expressions

Gestures with hands may be in use, though sometimes the gestures do not match what is happening with the face. An activity to equal facial expressions with gestures would be to place your hands behind your back while telling the same story. Have a friend watch your face to look for improvement. Otherwise, a video camera could work.

Attitude Of Indifference Or Grumpiness

Having the storyteller spirit does not have to mean that you are constantly smiling. However, it is expected that there is a certain positive intensity that can be felt by the audience members. If the feelings exuded are of a neutral or negative nature, then no matter the strength of the story, the audience will walk away wondering what happened. They may not have a name for what was lacking. The teller has then transferred their attitude to the audience. So think positive and send a feeling home with the audience that will be worth to cherish.

Here is a “Rah! Rah! Rah!” to you that you will always have the energy that you wish others to have as they hear your tales.

Until we tell again,

Rachel Hedman

Professional Storyteller

Tel: (801) 870-5799
Email: info@rachelhedman.com

URL: http://www.rachelhedman.com/

How-To Blog: http://storytellingadventures.blogspot.com/

Family Famine Series Site: http://www.familyfamine.com/

Year of the Family Book: http://www.yearofthefamily.com
Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/rachelfans
Other places to find me: Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Professional Storyteller

Body Language: Storytelling without Saying Words

Ten seconds could set the atmosphere for a storyteller and an audience through body language. When audience members see the storyteller’s face and stance, then the stories can have more depth and meaning. Kent and Nancy Potter from The Bennion Group presented a workshop “Reading Body Language” as part of the Brigham Young University Storytelling Club meeting on March 22, 2007. With their permission, I have adapted my experiences with their remarks.

Disclaimer: Though certain facial expressions or gestures tend to mean certain things, everyone has what is called a “baseline” or normal behavior. The better you know someone, then the easier to tell if there are shifting styles. Interpretations are usually more accurate when focusing on these shifting/changing behaviors.

The Potters prefer to conduct the “Vertical Scan” that consists of looking from top of the head to the feet. This quick examination can provide hints to moods and manners through body position, clothes and colors chosen, eyes, head/face, voice tone, arms/hands, and legs/feet.

The Potters mentioned that when you say “feels like” or “seems to be like”, then you are most likely describing your impressions from someone else’s body language.

One of the most revealing areas for body language is found in the eyes. Kent claimed that the eyes are the only living tissues seen from the outside. Skin, fingernails, and hair are considered “dead”. A workshop participant smiled and said that she knew another living organ sometimes seen while telling stories: the tongue. Kent laughed and replied that usually seeing the tongue is a form of rudeness—or silliness.

Some people feel uncomfortable when someone wears sunglasses. Perhaps hiding “living tissue” is part of this discomfort. Rarely, does a storyteller wear sunglasses unless it is an outdoors venue and the direct sunlight is blinding the storyteller’s eyes. An audience should feel welcomed by the teller.

Often, a storyteller introduces one or more characters when telling the story. To help the audience distinguish one character from another, the storyteller could use certain glances. The Potters shared the following eye movements:

• Frequent Glancing Away = discomfort/deception
• Darting Directly to the Side = something is going on
• Closing Eyes After Another Speaks = difficult response will follow for possible defensiveness, embarrassment, or dishonesty
• Sharp Blink Increase = guilt, remorse (as eyes dry out)

A storyteller could also get an idea of what audience members are thinking by watching eye movements. Body language is always a two-way road.

Dilated pupils can reveal excitement while contracted pupils can show anger. A storyteller could portray dilating or contracting pupils for characters in the story for the same results.

Whether the storyteller or the audience, our eyes tend to shift directions depending on what words we hear. The right side of the storyteller/speaker is the creating side. Kent revealed that creating stories and lying use the same function and side of the brain. The left side of the storyteller/speaker is the remembering side as can be revealed when someone says, “I can remember when…”. If someone makes up what is “remembered”, then notice how that changes where the eyes go.

You can test these eye movements by conducting a normal conversation with someone or while watching a storyteller.

Perhaps this is a way to determine if a storyteller is making up parts of a story or whether a storyteller is remembering parts of a story. Please note that a storyteller may know these eye tricks, especially when telling a tall tale.

Many emotions can be communicated beyond use of the eyes. Enjoy some of these common gestures that the Potters shared at the workshop:

• Fake Smile = mouth stretches in smile but the cheeks and crinkles around the eyes stay stationary
• Tongue Stuck Out = unconscious disagreement, distaste
• Clenched or Pursed Lips = extensive disagreement, malevolence
• Raising One Side of Mouth/Lips = disdain, mockery
• Curled Bottom Lip = extreme anger
• Covering Mouth = attempt to hide what is on the mind, possible deception, embarrassment
• Finger/Pen/Glasses/Object in Front of Mouth = evaluative, pensive, not ready to talk yet
• Chin Jut = defiance
• Chin Tucked In = defensive
• Stroking Chin = evaluative or neutral
• Nose Rub = dislike, discomfort, or disagreement caused by what you’re hearing

Storytelling often is more alive without planned gestures and looks. However, it may be a good idea for a storyteller to videotape the performance and watch to see what gestures and expressions come naturally for characters.

When the audience uses eye or facial expressions, then the storyteller may be able to understand general moods of the audience. Dilated pupils of the audience members could mean that they are excited to hear the next part of the story. A thought-provoking story may encourage more stroking chins or fingers in front of the mouth.

If you are curious as to more possible meanings behind body positions, clothes and colors chosen, voice tone, arms/hands, and legs/feet, then contact Kent and Nancy Potter. You may email at kent@benniongroup.com or at nancy@benniongroup.com to schedule a workshop with them today.

Until we tell again,

Rachel Hedman
Professional Storyteller
Co-Chair of Youth, Educators, and Storytellers Alliance
(801) 870-5799
rachel@storytellingadventures.com
http://www.rachelhedman.com/
http://www.yesalliance.com/