What happens when professional acting meets conference interpreting? Actress-turned-interpreter Frances Kushner explains how stage craft—voice, presence, embodiment, timing—can transform delivery in the booth and even make weak speakers sound clearer. We cover vocal warm-ups, diction, projection (both louder and softer), remote vs on-site performance, teamwork under pressure, and why expressive, intelligible voice work is how humans outclass monotone AI.

You’ll learn

• How to “embody” a speaker without drifting from accuracy

• Practical vocal warm-ups to prevent mumbling and fatigue

• Diction and pace for numbers, dates, and technical content

• Projection control for booths and whispered interpreting

• Shift strategy for high-intensity speeches

• Teamwork protocols when things go wrong

Guest: Frances Kushner — conference interpreter (EN-FR-ES) and former professional actress (theatre/film/voice).

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Frances Kushner

00:52 The Link Between Acting and Interpretation

02:25 Frances's Journey into Acting

06:17 Transitioning from Acting to Interpretation

11:53 Discovering the World of Voice Work

14:06 The Spark of Interest in Interpretation

20:08 Training and Development as an Interpreter

23:50 Embodying the Speaker in Interpretation

26:46 The Evolution of Interpretation in the Digital Age

29:35 Embodiment and Voice in Interpretation

31:14 Voice Training and Projection Techniques

37:01 Adapting Acting Skills to Interpretation

41:31 Navigating Challenges in Interpretation

45:20 Bridging the Gap: Actors and Interpreters

47:36 Conclusion and Future Perspectives

Keywords: conference interpreting, acting techniques, voice training, diction, projection, Jacques Lecoq, ACTRA, remote interpreting, AI vs human delivery, booth teamwork

Hashtags: #ConferenceInterpreting #ActingSkills #VoiceTraining #Diction #BoothLife #InterpreterTips #PublicSpeaking #RemoteInterpreting #AIandLanguage #FoundInInterpretation