People are more connected than ever. A million television channels, Youtube and internet stream instantly to your mobile device.
By instantly, I mean lightening speed. (Unless you are in a hurry!)
Add into that everyday life. Things happen that divide your attention.
With all this going on, it can be hard to maintain focus.
Yet focus is what you must have when going onstage.
Especially in our art of ventriloquism.
You need to focus on:
- Lip Control
- Vocal Changes
- Puppet Manipulation
- Acting
- Script/Lines
- Audience Reactions
and that is just the tip of our iceberg.
And it doesn’t matter how good you are. Or how long you have been performing.
Or even if you know your act like the back of your hand.
You still need to focus.
I did a show recently where that concept struck home.
It was my second show of the day. I had been doing a version of this act for years. I knew my stuff.
Up until the moment I went onstage I was talking with someone.
Then I stepped up in front of the mic cold.
I had no idea what I was doing.
I did it anyway. Reflexes kicked in. But I felt off.
Lines went out of order, still making sense. But I wasn’t building the routine properly for the strongest laughs.
The audience loved it.
I felt off.
That is when I decided it can’t happen again.
From now on, before I walk on stage, I will force myself to focus.
I only need a few minutes to visualize the show in my head. But that will warm me up so I am “on” the second I walk in front of the audience.
We are all different. You may need a different amount of focus than I do.
When you allow yourself the chance to focus on your work before you start, you will find your work becomes stronger!
