VO-BB - 19 YEARS OLD!

[Patricia Shanks]

Talk about not being understood, feeling like a social outcast, a misfit ...

My first career path was opera singer. My mother didn't want to say, didn't *have* to day, "That's irresponsible." I don't think my father knew what I was doing. Half of me was working toward being a good little receptionist. The other half knew what she was doing, and was screaming to be freed. At least I listened to the part that said, "Be a mommy? Eeeeooo. Ick. Puh, puh, puh." Not for me.

So, while I was doing all of those wretched temp jobs with people who assumed I had the pea-sized brain of a good little girl receptionist, my nugget remained under wraps - except when I worked for the soap company with a raging AMERICAN (Salute when you hear that.) sales manager for whom I was asked to sing the Nat'l Anthem and a couple of other patriotic tunes. And the gold was allowed to glimmer a couple of other rare times, too.

Anyway, being a classical musician was like living in another dimension, in the little world from which I emerged. Being a VO talent is waaaaaaayyyyyy more logical, understood (in part) by the masses and closer to reality (whatever that is not).

Travis and I have discussed, at length, the duality of responses from people when they learn that we are [actors, voiceover talents, singers ...]. When I was younger, I didn't understand the mixed responses. It's like they are impressed and ticked off at the same time. They think we're cool. And they're angry that they aren't doing what we're doing. And it's like they *get it*, but they don't get it. They want to appear informed, but they don't have a good grasp on the whole concept, so they are afraid they'll appear stupid. They want to hang with us, because we're actor-types. But they don't want to be seen with us, because we're actor-types. And it continues.

We simply come from another world. That's why these forums are important for us. We need to have places to *be* with other beings of our ilk. I think that's also why, so often, we come off as "It's all about us." And very often our postings are very self-contained and require (and receive) little response. And sometimes we don't put ourselves out there for responses, because our lives have taught us that our world is in another part of the universe.

Number one response to being an opera singer.

Ooooo. Sing something for me.

Number one response to being a VO talent.

People have always said I have a good voice. How do you - or, how can I - get into voiceover?

Whaddya gonna do?! If you were a doctor, you'd have people asking why their duodenum is acting up.
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Patricia Shanks

(949) 723-4473
patricia@patriciashanks.com
patriciashanks.com
shanksfortalking.com

[Deirdre]

[bobsouer]

[Bruce]

I think following your dreams, when at all practical, is so important, now that I've seen some close-up examples of those who did and didn't. My mother's mother did quite a few movies in the Silent Era including a couple with Rudolph Valentino, but her family gave her a load of grief for being involved in such a frivolous endeavor. She finally listened and gave it up, and while she found contentment doing other things, she really lit up whenever she told stories of her acting days.

My father had desired and trained to be an opera singer, and right out of college was going to head for the New York Met to audition, but his father (domineering ass that he was) convinced him to abandon those dreams and come to work in the family water treatment business. My Dad did his "duty" for 40 years, but I could tell he was miserable deep down inside all those years. He sang with glee clubs and in church choirs, but it was never the same.

He took the long and sad road down into dementia and eventually Parkinson's starting at age 60 (I couldn't swear to you that there's a relationship between abandoned dreams and dimentia, however...). One day, about a year before he passed, I visited him at the nursing home, and he had a gleam in his eye I hadn't seen in years. "Good news!" he said. I've been hired by the Met! Now, I'm just a back-up singer, but get to I fill in when other people can't perform, and I've been on three times now!" In the few months he could still communicate I made sure to get an update on his new opera career.

I think their experiences led my family to be so yielding and understanding when I wanted to be a disc jockey and an actor, and I thank them all the time.

B
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VO-BB Member #31 Enlisted June, 2005

I'm not a Zoo, but over the years I've played one on radio/TV. .

[Patricia Shanks]

It's amazing how many people wanted to be opera singers. Maybe that's why John Q. People have such odd emotional responses to people who actually DO become opera singers. Deep inside they are thinking, what would have happened if I had gone that direction in my life.

And, back in the day, the opera singing was sooooo much better than the stuff that is branded and marketed as opera these days. Listening to opera into the first half of the 20th Century was a cathartic experience. Singing it, being emersed in its midst, is an experience beyond belief, as Bob undoubtedly knows.

Bruce, your story brought me to tears.
_________________
Patricia Shanks

(949) 723-4473
patricia@patriciashanks.com
patriciashanks.com
shanksfortalking.com