February 24, 2016
Do Acting Skills Have a Place in Storytelling in Business?
People often get confused when I talk about using acting skills in storytelling. To clarify, in the context of you and I sharing our personal stories, acting is “replicating a past reality at a future time and place” In other words, when I act out a scene from a moment in the past, I am not doing something false. I am actually trying to recall and replicate the actions, reactions and conversations from that moment in the past. I am seeking to bring that moment into the present with as much honesty and vulnerability as possible. I don’t want to talk about a tender moment, I want to recreate it and let my audience experience it with me. There is nothing phony or manipulative about it. Quite the opposite. It is the most congruent and honest thing I can do. And the effect it has on my audience is to take them out of their head and bring them into their heart so they can feel what I felt. Then, when I come to the end of my story and make my point, they are truly with me. They didn’t check out along the way. It wasn’t just my story, it became our shared story and my lesson becomes our lesson. This process is what I call, The Story Theater Method.
Doug Stevenson, CSP, works with individuals and organizations to help them identify and tell inspiring stories that make a point, teach a lesson or sell a product or service. He is the president of Story Theater International, a Tucson, Arizona based consultancy. He is the creator of The Story Theater Method and the author of the book, Doug Stevenson’s Story Theater Method and the Next Level Video eLearning Series.
His has delivered keynote speeches, workshops and training courses on storytelling and story selling for clients in 16 countries including Aetna, Abbott Labs, Amgen, Caterpillar, Con Agra Foods, Deloitte, Google, Genentech, Hewlett Packard, Lockheed Martin, Microsoft, Oracle, Volkswagen, Verizon, The Nickelodeon Channel, The Department of Defense, The National Education Association and many more.
To inquire about Doug’s availability email: deborah@dougstevenson.com
Doug can be reached at 1-719-310-8586. Learn more about how Doug can help you tell your story, attend a Story Theater Retreat, purchase the book, eBook or Story Theater audio six pack, and sign-up for the free Story Theater newsletter at: www.storytelling-in-business.com.
