New Mexico's Premier Coach and Teacher for Public Speaking and Acting
In-person Coaching at Larry's Santa Fe, NM La Casita Studio.
In New Mexico: Santa Fe/Albuquerque/Los Alamos/Taos by personal appointment and/or online via FaceTime, Skype or ZOOM.
Former and new NYC area clients: online via FaceTime, Skype or ZOOM.
Nationally and Internationally: online via FaceTime, Skype or ZOOM.
Main Page Public Speaking (PS)
PS Home Office/La Casita Studio
PS Testimonials 
PS Pecha-Kucha
PS Fear
PS Relaxation and Awareness
PS College and Prep School Interview Coaching
PS Teens/Young Adults
PS How To Book Time with LarryMobile Devices: Rotate your screen sideways to Landscape mode.
Other links:
Larry Gleason Acting Coach
Larry Gleason Actor Profile
"There are two types of speakers: those that are nervous and those that are liars."
—Mark Twain
Why The Fear?
Welcome to the Human Race!
Everyone who gets up in front of an audience experiences Fear. And if someone tells you they can cure you of it, walk away. No, --run! and hide your wallet. Hypnosis? Give me a break. Meditation tapes? Save your money. There are no magic pills, no magic wands, just hard-focused work that will change the way you approach getting in front of people and delivering your message.
"Why do I have stage fright? What the hell is that about?"
Fear is something everyone deals with because it is primal. Instinctual. Your body releases chemicals in a fear/fight or flight situation. It is a survival thing for humans. And if you are human you will experience Fear. And you will be in good company! Take a look at the Famous Nerves to the right.
Now, you have two choices on what to do about Fear--get psychiatric help (seriously) or learn how to manage your Fear. If you want to do the latter and are ready to work at it, Larry will give you the tools to do so. Larry doesn't teach you what NOT to do. Larry teaches you what TO DO. And there is a HUGE difference. Larry has been up in front of people almost all his life. He, too, has human fears.
AND YET--a lifetime of experience allows him not only to manage fear but use fear to an advantage. Larry will teach you to take the focus off yourself and put it on your message. You will use the tools he gives you over and over and you will never go back to doing it any other way.
And remember:
"A surfeit of effort overcomes a deficit of confidence."
Sonia Sotomayor,
U. S. Supreme Court Justice
PROVIDENCE
William Hutchison Murray said this:
“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans:
That the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favour all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way.
I have learned a deep respect for one of Goethe's couplets:
Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it.
Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it!”
I stumbled on this when I was just starting out. I put it up on my wall to remind myself that when I have a FEAR of doing anything, the best thing is to trust in Providence. And Begin.
Famous Nerves
(you're in good company)
A victim of severe stage nerves, Holiday preferred to sing in a tight spotlight so she couldn’t even see the audience.
AND YET--Billie Holiday was an American jazz singer and songwriter. Nicknamed "Lady Day", Holiday had a seminal influence on jazz and pop singing. Her vocal style, strongly inspired by jazz instrumentalists, pioneered a new way of manipulating
phrasing and tempo.
Edward R. Murrow
“And there is no substitute for the doing of it. This sounds overdramatic, but it is literally a game of survival every time you step out there. It’s frightening no matter how long you do it. It’s just a matter of becoming more comfortable with the fear.” (NYTimes 5/25/14)
AND YET--Jim Parsons played Sheldon Cooper, CBS’ "The Big Bang Theory". He's won three Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe Award. On Broadway he was in "The Normal Heart."
Elvis Presley
His bouts of panic and vertigo attacks on Broadway became manageable once he understood how empowering it was to take the focus off himself and put it into his job as an actor--to tell the story.
AND YET-- Jason Alexander went on to play George Costanza on "Seinfeld," appearing from 1989 to 1998. On Broadway in "Jerome Robbins' Broadway", he won the Tony Award.
You're in Good Company
Winston Churchill, Barbara Walters, Johnny Carson, Megan Fox, Thomas Jefferson, Amanda Seyfried, Fiona Apple, Laurence Olivier, Adele, Ian Holm, Brian Wilson, Carly Simon, JFK, Cher, Margaret Thatcher, Barbara Streisand. AND Bono, of U2, gets nervous the morning of every show and…
Professed to be nervous every time she recited a poem. She said, however, her readings were made better by the nerves.
AND YET-- Maya Angelou was a poet of the highest international acclaim and stature most famous for the recitation of her poem On the Pulse of Morning at President Bill Clinton's inauguration.
Larry Gleason ©2024 Contact Me