The Performance Lab is a structured, small-group session where you bring material into active use and receive focused coaching and feedback. With only four participants per session, each person has time to participate, observe, and apply feedback.
🔄 What Happens in a Lab
Each Performance Lab is a guided, small-group session where you bring material you’re actively developing and work through it within the group setting. You’ll perform or present, receive real-time coaching, and observe others working through similar challenges.
Watching others work is part of the learning. Hearing the feedback others receive and noticing how adjustments unfold in the moment informs your own practice.
✨ Why My Performance Lab Works
The Performance Lab brings material in progress into a structured working session where adjustments are explored, coached, and reinforced through active particiation.
Preparation has its limits. Skills strengthen through use, not isolation. The Performance Lab is a structured environment where material is tested, feedback is integrated, and control develops through continued application.
🌎 Real World Examples
For singers
Singing the full piece without stopping to fix a missed note.
Continuing after a crack or slip instead of restarting.
You start a song in the wrong key and self-correct as you go without stopping.
For speakers
Speaking without scripting every sentence in advance.
Recovering smoothly after losing your train of thought.
You’re asked to speak unexpectedly and have to find your voice on the spot.
⚙️ How it Works
The Performance Lab runs as an in-person, small-group workshop with a consistent structure, so you can focus on your work rather than adjusting to something new each time.
Each session is 90 minutes long and balances performing, coaching, and group learning. The format is designed for ongoing participation, so familiarity replaces tension and control strengthens through use.
There’s no curriculum to complete and no milestones to “pass.” Progress happens by showing up, applying the work, and letting repetition do its job.
🗓 Booking & Scheduling
The Performance Lab runs monthly on a steady, predictable schedule and takes place in person at my home studio in East York. Sessions are held in the evening, last 90 minutes, and run in a small-group setting.
For 2026, the Performance Lab runs on the third Tuesday of each month from 7:00–8:30pm EST.
Sessions are booked through my online scheduler. Booking reserves a spot in a specific Lab date.
With just one session, not only have my speech skills improved but my perspective has also shifted as I look toward elevating my public speaking career. Carolyn creates a safe, encouraging, and courageous space to develop your voice. It was a fun, informative, and impactful session! Will definitely continue to work with her!
If you had told me my vocal ability would improve after just one session, I might not have believed you – but that is exactly what I experienced!!!! Carolyn is truly a vocal sensei, a master at her craft who helps us move past the limits we place on ourselves! Thank you Carolyn!
Carolyn IS a Sensei! Truly a Master at her craft. I felt right at home and comfortable working with her right out of the gate… so much so, she nearly fell out of her chair when I told her in our 1st session “I TRUST YOU”.
I’ve been singing for awhile, but I’ve known of Carolyn’s work for years and I always knew I would call upon her when I needed help. I’m sure glad I did!
Carolyn IS a Sensei! Truly a Master at her craft. I felt right at home and comfortable working with her right out of the gate… so much so, she nearly fell out of her chair when I told her in our 1st session “I TRUST YOU”.
I’ve been singing for awhile, but I’ve known of Carolyn’s work for years and I always knew I would call upon her when I needed help. I’m sure glad I did!
Carolyn has been coaching my 8 year old and I see a vast improvement in her confidence and vocal development. I sometimes can't believe my ears when I hear her singing. She's also learning a variety of music styles to the point of asking me to spin some ole skool music for her. I like that the program is goal driven and progress is measured. Credit to Carolyn for really taking her under her wings.
Carolyn is a great public speaking teacher! I am really excited for our sessions together as I am learning a lot of great skills I have been able to use in my speaking engagements!
Carolyn Thompson is a TEDx speaker, a singer and vocal performance coach. She also happens to rent office space at The Workaround. I’ve heard Carolyn with her students, so as I struggled this week to get the tone and pacing of my talk right, I asked to hire her for an hour. I figured even though I don’t need formal acting lessons to give a presentation, simply running through my talk with a pro would be a good use of time.
WELL. Here is a story of me going in with not many expectations and being totally blown away by talent. It’s a wonder why Carolyn isn’t booked up for months. In just 45 minutes not only did she give me tools for memorization that actually stuck in my brain, but she taught me skills I had never heard of before. And I give talks A LOT. I thought I knew what I was doing. But I was WRONG.
I have a better understanding of how to not jumble my words, to punch consonants and breathe correctly. I understand what it means to present confidence and really feel your words. Carolyn did that for me. I repeat, IN ONE SESSION. I had to hire her again this week so I could get even better at perfecting my delivery.
If you are preparing for a talk, even virtually, I HIGHLY recommend a virtual hour with Carolyn. She brought my talk to the next level. I am more confident for filming than I ever was, and this is saying a lot given I’ve been in lockdown with two sick kids and solo parenting and trying to manage a business from home. I was sure I’d be screwing this whole thing up. But Carolyn truly helped me, beyond what I thought, and I was reminded to ditch the whole "I'm an expert and have got this" ego. I went into a learning session willing, but not expecting, to be molded, and I was TRANSFORMED. Do it. Hire Carolyn. The end <3
Carolyn is wonderful. I enrolled my 9 year old daughter to for her singing class. She truly enjoys every moment. Great energy. Thanks for a start to a wonderful vocal experience.
