(See sample speech here)
Introduction
In addition to using humor, an entertaining speaker needs to develop a sense of the dramatic, both as a means of delighting the audience and of holding their attention. Drama can be made part of any speech through what you say, how you say it and what you do while saying it.
Dramatic speaking is different from acting. An actor pretends to be someone else. A dramatic speaker does not. Instead, a dramatic speaker interprets material, allowing listeners to recreate the character and situation in their own minds.
Executive Summary
Dramatic stories are another way to entertain an audience. Through drama you create images in listeners’ minds, which enhance and add interest to your message. Vocal variety is critical in a dramatic talk. Vary the volume, pitch and rate of your words. Also convey drama through your body language and facial expressions. Make you’re your voice and body language reinforce, not dominate, your verbal message.
Objectives
- Develop an entertaining dramatic talk about an experience or incident.
- Include vivid imagery, characters and dialogue.
- Deliver the talk in an entertaining manner.
Your Assignment
For this project, prepare, rehearse and deliver a five- to seven-minute dramatic speech, including narration, as you set the scene and describe what is taking place, and dialogue between characters. Use your own experience or imagination. Your speech purpose is to entertain.
As you develop the story, keep these points in mind:
- Describe the setting (time, place, circumstances) quickly and concisely, omitting unnecessary details
- Make clear the nature of the conflict or difficulty that had to be overcome
- Personalize the story to attract and maintain listeners' interest
- Build realistic images and characters through imagery
- Establish a mood of excitement and drama from the beginning
- Keep the story moving and building
- End with a powerful climax.
The Entertaining Speaker Manual
