In the typical educational setting the SINGER/ACTOR is taught by teachers, coaches and classes in the separate disciplines of singing, acting, and movement. Through this training students learn warm-up, practice and development techniques in each specialized area. When they are going to sing and act simultaneously, (not to mention dance, all you triple threats out there!) many performers have difficulty integrating all this knowledge into a single process.

The SINGER, fearing damage to the carefully trained voice, often resists expressing strong emotions with the face and body. Many singers may indeed be willing to try, but find themselves feeling tense, and their instruments unresponsive or awkward.

The ACTOR, fearing loss of “believability” when singing, often inhibits the full flow of energy required in musical theatre. Many actors attempting to be fully expressive willingly but unnecessarily sacrifice vocal health and musicality.

When they study PERFORMING POWER, free from the “product” and time constrains of rehearsal or performance, students learn to conquer the fear and confusion associated with the singing/acting process. They come away with simple tools with which to build a solid foundation that will support limitless expression.

A founding member of the Minnesota New Music Theatre Ensemble, where PERFORMING POWER was developed and refined, I offer each student an introduction to the exercises and underlying philosophy of PERFORMING POWER, as originally developed by H. Wesley Balk, author of “THE COMPLETE SINGER/ACTOR”,” PERFORMING POWER”, and “THE RADIANT PERFORMER.”

Before his passing in 2005 “Wes” called my teaching “some of the best integrative, turned-on total performance teaching in the country.”

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