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Once I had requested a well-known broadcaster to be part of our Katha Kathan performance. But he refused it by saying that he is not comfortable with stage performance. I really got surprised as it was not an anchoring job. Therefore he was not even expected to say anything on his own. He was just supposed to read a story in a dramatic manner.
Similarly once I was browsing through a CD shop and came across CD of a well-known Marathi stage performer. I just bought the CD without any hesitation about how it will be and whether I should really buy it or not etc. I went home and played it with excitement. But!!! It was a complete frustrating experience when I found that she is not even 50% of what she is as a stage performer. What holds her back? Then I realized that some of the stage performers get ultra-energy just by looking at the audience. It results in a fantabulous and energetic performance. These people are so much used to getting live response that they really do not enjoy the closed door performance in a studio.
Stage performance and and studio recording both are equally challenging if we think of their difficulty level. But I always felt that studio recording is comfortable. It allows to take retakes, improve and perform better. Here you can listen to your recorded voice and make necessary changes. Besides you also have professionals around you to help. But a stage performer never gets a second chance. Stage performance is a matter of confidence, understanding of the audience and complete hold on the subject. Ofcourse we are fortunate if we get a good sound system support too. But in studio sound itself plays a crucial role and understanding of microphones and studio techniques is of more importance. In the field of voice over, there are many artists who have started their career with anchoring, later story or poetry rendition and thus they get to be known locally. Slowly they get into various forms of voice over. Very few stage performers creatively begin the ideataion of new programs on their own… and they really rock on for years. These artists seldom enjoy studio recording. They go beyond voicing and are ready to perform many roles right from writer to a performer.
Switching from studio to stage is more critical than switching from stage to studio. May be for a passionate performer both are equally good playgrounds to perform.
Madhavi Ganpule