THEA 128

This course will focus on positive conditioning and heightened perception of the entire body as the actor’s vocal instrument. Students study voice production employing exercises in relaxation, breathing, and resonation designed to liberate the individual’s optimum natural voice. Exercises include projection in a variety of performance spaces and some text presentation, including voice-over work. The class takes an enlightening approach to learning the sounds of Standard American speech for clear articulation, without emphasis on “correct” speech. Students become fluent in their use of the International Phonetic Alphabet as a means of “training the ear” in preparation for dialects. Developing a clear understanding of the mechanics of strong, effective voice and speech for the stage using the international diverse methods of Catherine Fitzmaurice, Patsy Rodenburg, Kristin Linklater, Arthur Lessac, Cicely Berry, Tadashi Suzuki, and Viewpoint techniques, which will be applied to classical texts with strong emphasis on Shakespeare. Students develop an awareness of the devices of language and poetry necessary for speaking verse, followed by beginning dialect work.