“Hello darkness, my old friend. I’ve come to talk with you again....within the sounds of silence.” (Simon and Garfunkel, 1964)

This month, as the August rain hits the windows, and you gather your clients, residents, students, and family members around the DVD player, take a moment to appreciate the quiet and the simplicity of that sound. Settle in for a journey back to the silent era of filmmaking ~ Hollywood of the 1920’s.

Welcome to the August 2017 Edition ~ The Silence and Sound of Singin’ in the Rain.

This film, and the silent era itself, provides a great backdrop for discussions of communication of all types: Gestural, verbal, automatic speech, (singing), speech clarity (diction), and finally, saying what you mean and meaning what you say.

Let’s begin where the film begins, with gestural, (“pantomime on the screen.”)

“As those Romantic Lovers on the Silver Screen ~ Lockwood and Lamont,” Gene Kelly and Jean Hagen, exude sophistication and refinement. (“She’s so refined I think I’ll kill myself”.)  However, in the silence of those images there is a wealth of misunderstanding:

Lina:“Donny how can you let them talk to me like that? Your fee’an’cee."

Don: “Lina, you shouldn’t believe all that banana oil that Dora Bailey and the columnists dish out. Try and get this straight there is nothing between us!”

Kathy to Don: “After all you and Miss Lamont do achieve a kind of intimacy in all your pictures.”

As you begin this month’s discussion of the relevancy of this film to all your clientele, consider the role silence plays in everyday communication.

In social communication, what is the simple pause vs the pregnant pause, vs the angry silence? How does it affect your interaction, or your perception of your communication partner's feelings?

For those who rely on other avenues to transmit their message, such as gestures, or augmentative/alternative communication (AAC), what role does silence play?

For those with an aging memory, who experience a loss of verbal communication, what role does silence play in their world? Is it frightening? Comforting?  Go into their world of silence.  Bring them out with a gentle touch, a kind word, a favorite song, (“Good Morning”, “Make ‘em Laugh”, “Singin’ in the Rain”).    Share simple moments with them.  You won’t be disappointed.

As your discussion moves from the silences in communication to the nuances of verbal communication, the silent movie era moves toward sound, with  “talking pictures”.  Lockwood and Lamont struggle with the new medium, and Kathy Seldon gets caught in the middle.

Don: “Kathy I’m trying to say something to you, but I’m such a ham, I’m not able to without the proper setting.”

Lina: “I can’t stan’ ‘em!”

Enter the diction coaches, (today’s speech pathologists), to improve speech clarity, eliminate “those dentalized t’s and d’s” and promote “round tones” with some great tongue twisters (“Moses Supposes”). While Don and Cosmo relish in the "round tones"  and playfully turn the professor's tongue twister into a fabulous dance number,  Lina proves to be an unwilling student. Therefore, to save Lockwood and Lamont, Kathy becomes Lina’s voice~ (“for just this one picture.”)

Consider discussing the effectiveness of verbal communication.  How does what you say, sometimes differ from what you mean?   What role does a change in your speech pattern,  or the clarity with which you speak, change your message, and/or how you (or it),  are perceived by others?

As Don and Kathy grow closer, (“our love will last until the stars turn cold”), simple exchanges turn to songs of love and devotion. (“You Were Meant for Me”).

In most relationships does the "love talk" last? Why?  Why not?

Lina, fearful of her star-power diminishing, and losing Don, (“Listen Lina! I love her (Kathy), I’m going to marry her!”), threatens to leave the studio, thus ruining the Lockwood-Lamont Brand.  Kathy is forced to “dub” Lina’s singing voice at a live performance, and mistakenly believes it is at Don’s insistence.

As the film comes to a close, discuss what happens when deception is practiced, or perceived in a relationship. How can communication breakdown?

Conversely, how can it be repaired when you say (or sing), what you really mean?  (“You Are My Lucky Star”).

These questions should help promote stimulating discussions on any rainy afternoon, as you, your clients, students, and family members explore the Silence and the Sound of Singin’ in the Rain!

Movies and Music and our parent company, LKY Therapies, LLC will be bringing all our friends and fans some exciting news this fall!

Keep Your Eyes on Us!

~Lori

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