foEr loquence
By DAN THURMON, CSP
Can you find the room but don’t own
the stage? Learn to act like a pro by
improving your platform mechanics
It’s show time. You wait off stage, simultaneously anxious and
excited. You take a breath, relaxing with the knowledge that you
are ready. You’ve researched the client, honed your expertise
and crafted a message that connects vital content to the needs of
your audience. Following your introduction, you take the stage and
unleash your dynamite opening. Everything is perfect, except . . .
your microphone isn’t on.
After several distracted moments you realize the mute button on
your wireless lavaliere was turned on. But by then, you are in full
recovery mode, scrambling to regain your composure. Meanwhile, the sound man, in an effort to help, has turned up your volume to full blast. So, the instant you unmute your mike, a deafening
squeal of feedback blasts through the speakers and into your audiences’ ears.
So much for first impressions. So much for eloquence.
Set the Environment Control
If you don’t control your environment, your environment controls you,
and it becomes increasingly difficult to achieve amazing results. Platform mechanics is a vital part of the eloquence competency, and
includes audio, video, staging, lighting and other theatrical essentials. Using these elements deftly distinguishes you as a pro.
Since the age 12, I’ve been a professional entertainer. I’ve played
thousands of venues of every description—from exquisite theaters
to makeshift stages, from prestigious conventions to the front lines in
Iraq and Afghanistan. Over the past 26 years, I’ve developed both
a knack and a love for the art of owning the stage.
