Lots of fun:


http://www.openculture.com/2013/09/what-shakespeare-sounded-like-to-shakespeare.html

Lecoq

Jacques Lecoq is regarded as one of the twentieth century's most influential teachers of the physical art of acting. He was born 15 December in Paris, France and participated and trained in various sports as a child and as a young man. During World War II he began exploring gymnastics, mime, movement and dance with a group who used performance to express their opposition to the German occupation of France. After the war, Lecoq then studied mime with Jean Daste, (a former pupil of the acclaimed teacher of mime, Jacques Copeau) who introduced him to masked performance and Japanese Noh theatre. He left Grenoble and spent six months teaching mask work in Germany, before accepting another teaching position at the University of Padua in Italy. He spent eight years in Italy teaching and working as a creative practitioner and discovered the traditional and popular Italian theatre style of commedia dell'arte as well as the tradition of masked chorus work developed in Ancient Greek tragedy. He returned to Paris in 1956 and opened his own school, the Ecole Internationale de Mime et de Theatre which has had many homes in Paris over the years but has continued to attract large numbers of students from all over the world. Lecoq also toured with demonstrations of his physical art of the actor and periodically conducted classes in Britain that had an enormous impact on the development of British theatre. He was awarded the prestigious Legion d'Honneur in 1982 and continued to take classes at his school right up to the day before his death on January 19, 1999.

Lecoq's work and research has mainly been disseminated through the training he has conducted with the many students who have attended his classes and demonstrations overseas or his classes at his school in Paris. This may be why a myth is often circulated that suggests his methods were somehow secretive or reserved only for his students. However, he has published numerous articles and interviews, edited a text in French entitled Le Theatre du Geste (1987) and his book, The Moving Body (Translated and published in English posthumously in 2000) outlines a number of his philosophies and approaches. The texts he has produced also indicate why it is so difficult for students to pass on his teachings. They explain that the training is very practical and very specific for each student because every actor's body and mind has accumulated different tensions and conditioned responses. Lecoq's training methods therefore focus on releasing preconditioned views of acting and bringing an actor's attention back to ‘playing.' In his last publication he explained that: “There is a huge difference between actors who express their own lives, and those who can truly be described as players…They have learned not to play themselves but to play using themselves. In this lies all the ambiguity of the actor's work.” (61) The strong emphasis on improvisational activity at the school reinforces the central significance of play and students are introduced to physical exercises, masks and popular theatre that reinforce the distinction between playing and being. Lecoq and those who now direct training at the school work on the premise that: “A true understanding and knowledge of theatre inevitably requires a profound experience of play” (97).

Like Konstantin Stanislavsky, Jerzy Grotowski and Eugenio Barba, Lecoq created a place to study and teach what he believed were important principles of acting. Lecoq, like these other figures, described his research into the human body and its movement as his ‘passion' and he pursued this work throughout his life. He saw his teaching as ‘a path to his own greater knowledge and understanding of movement' and said that his work with students helped him to discover that ‘the body knows things about which the mind is ignorant' (9). Masked work had a powerful influence on Lecoq's approach to performing and he was intrigued with the simple and direct way masks could amplify the physical aspects of a performer and be used to communicate with all kinds of audiences. His research and analysis of masks, movement, body language and gesture has had a huge impact on the development of contemporary theatre and his work has popularised genres such as the clown, bouffons, commedia dell'arte, tragedy, and melodrama.

LOOK/STEP/REACH/GRAB

Here's the sequence for Movement I students to practice:
look
step
reach
grab
look to it
step to it
throw it away
look back
let it go
(repeat on the other side)

vocalarts workbook and dvd

Here's a link to find good used copies (around $17) of the book we used in Voice II this week, if it interests you.  I recommend it.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0713688246/ref=tmm_pap_used_olp_sr?ie=UTF8&condition=used&sr=1-1&qid=1377267216

Voice II Syllabus

THEA 2903/TH *303* – Special Topics: Voice and Diction II

Tuesday and Thursday 2:00-3:20/UNG Rehearsal Hall/Fall 2013

 

Instructor:                   Elisa Carlson   

Office:                         GSC CE/Performing Arts Building 103
Phone:                         678-717-3579
Email:                         ecarlson@gsc.edu
Office Hours:              Tuesday/Thursday TBA
                                 

A.          COURSE DESCRIPTION AND OUTCOMES:

This course furthers voice and speech work for the actor begun in Voice I.  Students will continue to practice exercises for centering the breath and body, locating and releasing vocal tension, exploring pitch, tone and range, working towards a free and well-placed voice.  Students will review the International Phonetic Alphabet and practice the sounds of expressive American speech for the stage.  Students will practice the points of good speech for classic plays.  Use of text will begin with Shakespeare, leading to work with Modern and Contemporary scripts.

REQUIREMENTS AND ENVIRONMENT:

Please arrive on time, properly dressed in clothing that allows for freedom of movement (no jeans, or any pants or sweats that drag the floor).  We will often work in bare feet or socks, or any kind of soft-soled, flexible shoe (individually approved by me).  No street/dress shoes, boots, sandals or flip-flops.  Please remove jewelry and pull your hair away from your face.  I will post handouts and comments about our class work on this blog:  http://gtavoicemovementclassesblog.blogspot.com/

Please inform me of any physical concerns and restrictions you may have so that I may adapt exercises for your safety throughout the semester.  You should expect to be on your feet for part of each class period, working closely with classmates and your instructor.  If you are uncomfortable with the traditional hands-on approach of a voice instructor, please let me know.  I may use my hands to guide your alignment and check your ribcage for breath release from time to time. 

B.        GRADE SCALE
100-90             A                    
80 – 89            B
70 – 79            C
60 – 69            D
00 – 59            F

 

C.        EVALUATION PROCEDURE (subject to change)

             Classroom Participation/Progress in Exercises:                  35%

            Quizzes/Homework Assignments                                          15%
            Classical Scene Presentation/Transcript:                             25%
            Modern Scene Presentation/Transcript:                              25%

D.        EVALUATION POLICY

Full classroom participation leading to significant individual progress is your main assignment for grading in this class. Everyone will come into class at a different point in their growth as actors.  Class is not competitive, and students are expected to accept and support each other’s personal artistic journey throughout the group exercises and during individual presentations.  That being said, a high standard will be set for all written and performance work.

E.        ATTENDANCE POLICY

 Attendance Policy:  Attendance and full classroom participation is mandatory.  All students will be accounted for on a daily basis via a role.  Each missed class after two unexcused absences will result in the lowering of the final grade by one letter grade for each missed class.  Two tardies will equal one unexcused absence.  If you miss class, or are late, you will fall behind immediately.  It is up to you to contact your classmates and cover any missed material.  No matter how strong your Quiz, Homework and Final grades may be, you will be marked down significantly if you have missed class frequently or are frequently late.  DON’T MISS CLASS AND DON’T BE LATE.  Consider timeliness and attendance good practice for the profession of acting. 

Excused Absences:

It is best to let your instructor know ahead of time if you will be absent.  If this is not possible, be prepared to present verifiable documentation to back up your claim.

(Examples)

Medical Emergency (Doctors Note)

            Automotive Mishap (Report or Citation)

F.         NOTE: Changes may be made to this syllabus and daily schedule during the

  semester, with prior notice to the student when possible.

In addition, all Brenau, ung and GTA policies apply to this class, where appropriate. Please see your student handbooks and college websites for more information.  Supplemental Course Information located at http://ung.edu/academic-affairs/policies-and-guidelines/supplemental-syllabus.php. Topics include inclement weather, students with disabilities, academic dishonesty, email policy, smoking policy, plagiarism, copyright, course withdrawal, administrative office hours, and campus telephone numbers.

WEEK ONE 8/20-8/22

Tues:  Warm-ups and Introductions

Thurs: Alignment and Breath

WEEK TWO 8/27-8/29

Tues:   Alignment, Breath, Placement, Articulation

Thurs:  Alignment, Breath, Placement, Articulation

         
WEEK THREE 9/3-9/5

Tues:   Alignment, Breath, Placement, Articulation

Thus:    Alignment, Breath, Placement, Articulation

WEEK FOUR 9/10-9/12

Tues:    Classic Text

Thurs:   Classic Text

WEEK FIVE 9/17-9/19

Tues:    Classic Text/scenework

Thurs:   Classic Text/scenework

WEEK SIX 9/24-9/26

Tues:    Classic Text/scenework

Thurs:   Classic Text/scenework

WEEK SEVEN 10/1-10/3

Tues:    Classic Text/scenes presented

Thurs:   Classic Text/scenes presented for grading

WEEK EIGHT 10/8-10/10

Tues:    Modern Text

Thurs:   Modern Text

WEEK NINE 10/15-10/17

Tues:    Modern Text

Thurs:   Modern Text

WEEK TEN 10/22-10/24

Tues:    Modern Text/scenes assigned

Thurs:   Modern Text/scenework

WEEK ELEVEN 10/29-10/31

Tues:    Modern Text/scenework

Thurs:   Modern Text/scenework

         
WEEK TWELVE 11/5-11/7

Tues:    Modern Text/scenework

         
Thurs:   Modern Text/scenework

WEEK THIRTEEN 11/12-11/14

Tues:    Modern Text/scenework

Thurs:   Modern Text/scenework

WEEK FOURTEEN 11/19-11/21

Tues:    Last Day of Class: Modern Scene presentations for grading

Thurs:   No Class: Elisa in Freshman Conferences

WEEK FIFTEEN 11/26-11/28

Thanksgiving Break

WEEK SIXTEEN  12/3-12/5

Brenau Finals Week TBA. 

If we are able to complete our work by 11/19 we will not use our final exam time.  If we have fallen behind for any reason, we may use the time.

 

 

Movement 1 Syllabus

THEA 2300  –  MOVEMENT FOR THE STAGE

Tuesday & Thursday 9:30-10:50, 11:00-12:20/UNG Rehearsal Hall/Fall 2013

Instructor:                  Elisa Carlson  
Office:                         CE/PA 103
Phone:                         678-717-3579
Email:                         elisa.carlson@ung.edu
Office Hours:             Tu/Thur by Appointment
                          
A.         COURSE DESCRIPTION AND OUTCOMES:

This course is an introduction to movement techniques for the actor.  Focus will be on exploring a wide range of fundamental processes to provide the student with a freer, more expressive and dynamic physical life on stage. This is not a dance class or circus class, but rather an exploration of the actor’s physical instrument in order to free artistic expression and begin to build complex characters.

 

            REQUIREMENTS AND ENVIRONMENT:

No text books are required for this class.  I will provide hand-outs and make recommendations for further reading.  Here are three books that will particularly inspire me in our work together: The Art of Stillness: The Theatre Practice of Tadashi Suzuki by Paul Allain, To the Actor by Michael Chekhov and Movement for Actors by Nicole Potter.

Please arrive on time, properly dressed in clothing that allows for freedom of movement (no jeans, or any pants or sweats that drag the floor).  We will often work in bare feet or socks, or any kind of soft-soled, flexible shoe (individually approved by me).  No street/dress shoes, boots, sandals or flip-flops.  Please remove jewelry and pull your hair away from your face.  I may ask you to bring in heels, skirts or suit jackets for character work during the semester.  I will post handouts and comments about our class work on this blog:  http://gtavoicemovementclassesblog.blogspot.com/

Please inform me of any physical concerns and restrictions you may have so that I may adapt exercises for your safety throughout the semester.  You should expect to be on your feet for the entire class period, working closely with classmates and your instructor.  If you are uncomfortable with the traditional hands-on approach of a movement instructor, please let me know.  I may use my hands to guide your alignment and check your ribcage for breath release from time to time. 

B.        GRADE SCALE

100-90             A                    

80 – 89            B
70 – 79            C
60 – 69            D
00 – 59            F

C.        EVALUATION PROCEDURE (subject to change)

            Classroom Participation and Progress in Exercises:          50%

            Centering Demonstration:                                                    25%
            Suzuki Demonstration:                                                         25%

D.        EVALUATION POLICY

Full classroom participation leading to significant individual progress is your main assignment for grading in this class. Everyone will come into class at a different point in their growth as actors.  Class is not competitive, and students are expected to accept and support each other’s personal artistic journey.  That being said, I’ll know when you aren’t giving 100% of your energy and focus to our time together. 

E.        ATTENDANCE POLICY

Attendance Policy:  Attendance and participation is mandatory.  All students will be

accounted for on a daily basis via a role.  Each missed class after two unexcused absences will result in the lowering of the final grade by one letter grade for each missed class.  Two tardies will equal one unexcused absence. If you miss class, or are late, you will fall behind immediately.  It is up to you to contact your classmates and cover any missed material.

Excused Absences: It is best to let your instructor know ahead of time if you will be absent.  If this is not possible, be prepared to present verifiable documentation to back up your claim.

(Examples) Medical Emergency (Doctors Note)
Automotive Mishap (Report or Citation)

F.         NOTE: Changes may be made to this syllabus and daily schedule during the

semester with prior notice to the student.

In addition, all Brenau, UNG and GTA policies apply to this class, where appropriate. Please see your student handbooks and college websites for more information on policies regarding inclement weather, students with disabilities, academic dishonesty, email, smoking, plagiarism, copyright, course withdrawal, administrative office hours, and campus telephone numbers.

http://ung.edu/academic-affairs/policies-and-guidelines/supplemental-syllabus.php

WEEK ONE 8/20-8/22

Tues:  Warm-ups and Introductions

Thurs: Work with Guest Artist Derrick Ledbetter:  Lecoq

WEEK TWO 8/27-8/29

Tues:   Work with Guest Artist Derrick Ledbetter:  Lecoq

Thurs:  Work with Guest Artist Derrick Ledbetter:  Lecoq

         
WEEK THREE 9/3-9/5

Tues:    Alignment, Breath, Centering and Freeing Work, Balances, Ancient Movement

Thurs:  Alignment, Breath, Centering and Freeing Work, Balances, Ancient Movement

WEEK FOUR 9/10-9/12

Tues:    Alignment, Breath, Centering and Freeing Work, Balances, Ancient Movement

Thurs:  Alignment, Breath, Centering and Freeing Work, Balances, Ancient Movement

WEEK FIVE 9/17-9/19

Tues:    Understanding the Space:  Ed Cabell Theatre

             Space, Centering and Characterization

 Thurs:  Understanding the Space: Hosch Proscenium Theatre (Brenau campus)

            Space, Centering and Characterization

WEEK SIX 9/24-9/26

Tues:    Alignment, Breath, Space, Centering and Freeing Work, Balances, Chekhov Technique

Thurs:  Alignment, Breath, Space, Centering and Freeing Work, Balances, Chekhov Technique

WEEK SEVEN 10/1-10/3

Tues:    Space, Centering and Characterization

             Character Assignment Made

Thurs:  Space, Centering and Characterization

            (students involved with Alice In Wonderland excused)

WEEK EIGHT 10/8-10/10

Tues:    Space, Centering and Characterization

Thurs:  Space, Centering and Characterization

           (students involved in Alice In Wonderland excused)

WEEK NINE 10/15-10/17

Tues:    Space, Centering and Characterization

Thurs:  Brenau Fall Break (no class)

WEEK TEN 10/22-10/24

Tues:    Characterization Pieces Presented for grading

Thurs:  Suzuki Introduction

WEEK ELEVEN 10/29-10/31

Tues:    Suzuki Work

Thurs:  Suzuki Work: Trojan Women Scene Assigned

WEEK TWELVE 11/5-11/7

Tues:    Suzuki Work

 
Thurs:  Suzuki Work

Note:  Instructor will be speaking in Ann Demling’s Intro to Theatre class at 9:30 on the 7^th, so there will be no 9:30 movement section.  Students in the 9:30 section are invited to join the 11:00 session on the 7^th.

WEEK THIRTEEN 11/12-11/14

Tues:    Suzuki Work

Thurs:  Suzuki Work

WEEK FOURTEEN 11/19-11/21

Tues:    Last Day of Class: Suzuki Scene and Oberservation

Thurs:  No Class: Elisa in Freshman Conferences

WEEK FIFTEEN 11/26-11/28
Thanksgiving Break

WEEK SIXTEEN  12/3-12/5

Brenau Finals Week TBA.  

If we are able to complete our work by 11/19 we will not use our final exam time.  If we have fallen behind for any reason, we may use the time.

NOTE:  If you need to make up class time, you may attend the other movement class section.  For instance, if you’ve missed your 9:30 movement class you may attend the 11:00 class, and vice-versa, at any time during the semester.

Points of Good Speech for Modern/Contemporary Plays

Points of Good Speech for Contemporary and Modern Plays
Questions to Explore by Elisa Carlson

How does the playwright use punctuation? What does this tell us about the rhythm and musicality of the play?

Example: In a Shaw play, try lifting your pitch after a semi-colon. Then reverse. Or, in an Arthur Miller play, try diminishing energy at a dash, then try accelerating energy.

What are the dialects used? What does that say about placement, articulation and musicality of the characters?

Example: Frequently the character of Tom in Glass Menagerie is performed without a southern dialect. What is gained? What is lost?

How are alliteration and internal rhyming used?

Example: What feelings do the repeated vowel sounds of the nonsense words in Caryl Churchill’s play The Skriker evoke?

How is length of vowel and diphthong sounds used?

Example: In August Wilson’s plays, characters may speak for some time before a period is used. Notice how long sounds help the speeches to take shape.

Are all caps, or italics used? How do they work?

Example: In an Albee play, do all caps mean more volume or do they mean that the words go faster?

Is the play written completely in prose, or are there poetic sections? How does the verse work? Is there use of poetic metaphor? How does that work?

Example: What happens when you use the verse line endings in a Charless Mee play, vs. when you run the lines together to make them prose.

Are the sentences long, short – anything in particular? How do they work?

Example: In Naomi Wallace’s play The Trestle at Pope Lick Creek, the sentences are often very short. When the periods are used (rather than run through) see if you can hear the repressive rhythm of the small town the characters inhabit.

Are there pauses written into the script? How do they work?

Example: What is the difference between a Pinter “silence” and. a Pinter “pause?” Is a pause shorter or longer than a silence? Does a pause imply movement or stillness?
Does the playwright repeat words and phrases? What is the effect of the repetitions?

Example: When Mamet characters repeat phrases, what happens when the same inflection is used each time? What happens when you vary inflection?

Has the playwright written instructions on how speech/voice/text is to be used? Is it helpful? Is it complete?

What have other artists and reviewers written or said about the playwright’s writing style, or ‘voice’? Is it helpful, useful?

How does the writing style of this play compare to other of the playwright’s plays? Are there similarities, differences?

Trojan Women scene for Suzuki work
Menelaus
O, splendor of sunburst breaking forth this day
Whereon I lay my hands once more on Helen, my wife.
And yet it is not so much as men think
For the woman’s sake I came to Troy,
But against that guest, proved treacherous,
Who, like a robber, carried the woman from my house.

Go to the house my followers and take her out,
No, drag her out,
Lay hands upon that hair so stained with men’s destruction.
When the winds blow fair astern, we will take ship again
And bring her back to Hellas.

Hecuba
O power who mount the world!
Wheel where the world rides!
O mystery of man’s knowledge, whosever you be:
Zeus named, nature’s necessity or mortal mind,
I call upon you!
For you walk the path that none hears,
Yet bring all human action back to right at last.

Menelaus
What can this mean?
How strange a way to call on gods!

Hecuba
Kill your wife, Menelaus! And I will bless your name.
But keep your eyes away from her. Desire will win.
She looks enchantment, and where she looks
Homes are set fire. She captures cities
As she captures the eyes of men.
We have had experience, you and I,
We know the truth!

Suzuki Work

Check out these sites:

from Suzuki's recent production of the Greek tragic play Electra, which looks to be set in an insane asylum. Prepare yourself for quite a trip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtiNJF0dO7A&feature=related

photo stills from productions:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISO1Y6obkBs&feature=related
note that the music in this one is the music for the slow tem teke tem walking -- the big swell in the music is where the turns occur

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhHWHNBwH9Q&feature=watch_response
demonstration of the exercises with one professor's ideas about context and purpose

Voice II/Shakespeare Monologue Suggestions

Twelfth Night: Olivia, Viola, Maria, Sebastian
As You Like It: Orlando, Rosalind, Phoebe, Silvius
Two Gentlemen of Verona: Julia,Sylvia,Proteus
Much Ado About Nothing: Benedick
Measure for Measure: Isabella, Claudio
King Lear: Edgar, Edmund, Goneril
Romeo and Juliet: Romeo, Juliet, Mercutio, Benvolio
Titus Andronicus: Tamara, Aaron
Othello: Desdemona, Emilia, Cassio
Julius Caesar: Portia, Brutus, Antony
Antony and Cleopatra: Cleopatra
Henry IV: Lady Percy, Hotspur, Hal
Henry V: Henry
Comedy of Errors: Adriana, Luciana, Antipholus
The Winters Tale: Hermione, Paulina
Richard III: Anne, Elizabeth
Merchant of Venice: Portia
Two Noble Kinsmen: Jailer’s Daughter
The Tempest: Ferdinand, Ariel
Love’s Labors Lost: Berowne
A Midsummer Night's Dream: Helena, Hermia, Oberon, Titania,Puck

Voice II article...

"The power of the spoken word is something that goes back to the Greeks and Romans in an age before technology. The most powerful thing is the spoken word. So my work is about going back and looking at the real visceral energy of language and what its prime purpose is. And that requires a fair amount of dexterity and physical technique because we’re much less engaged with language now. Speech is less engaged. We don’t speak with the same muscularity, energy or dynamic like people did before there was a visual back up for communication."

http://shakespeare.about.com/od/interviews/a/language.htm

Points of Good Speech for Classic Plays

Elisa’s Points of Good Speech for Classic Plays… A Place to Start

Work with Edith Skinner’s Speak With Distinction handbook/cd for empowered and expressive “regional-dialect-free” sounds of American English, suitable for ancient Greek and Roman Plays, Shakespeare and his contemporaries, Shaw and Restoration Comedy (when not performed in British RP), also Calderone, Lorca, Chekhov, Ibsen, Strindberg, Beckett and other classic and modern classic plays, especially those in translation that should not be performed in an American Regional dialect.

Keep in mind: Vowels/Diphthongs are how humans express emotion and Consonant sounds are how we express intention, how we get what we want. Mark Rylance puts it more beautifully when he says: “Vowels express the Soul, Consonants express the Will.” If you don’t embrace the sounds of English fully, you miss the opportunity to connect with the text on an important, primary level. The audience does, too.

Based on Edith’s work, these sounds particularly elevate and illumine the text as well as establish class and education:

‘wh’ : whether, which, why, when, anywhere, whistle, whipped

‘liquid u’ following t, d, n: Duke = dyook, news, tune, reduce, opportunity

Use the front vowel sound ‘i’ as in ‘bit’ in prefixes: reduce = rih-‘dyoos rather
than ruh-‘dyoos or ree-‘dyoos, deduct, between, beneath, receive, review, before.

Articulation of ‘t’ and ‘d’ when followed by ‘y’: did you not ‘did jew’, can’t you not ‘can’t chew’.

Recognize and distinguish the back vowel sounds, particularly the short ‘o’ as in honest, pop, horrible, Florence, common, and the lengthenable ‘aw’ in cause, law, drawing, daub, saw.

Articulate final voiced consonants: seize = seez (not seese), judge, find, livings, rouge, deserve.

Articulate medial ‘t’ sounds: meter = ‘me-ter (not ‘me-der), waited, entertainment, elementary.

Moderate ‘r’ coloring. There is no need to go to a non-rhotic British sound in a word like “heard” (“huhd”) but neither should it have a hard ‘r’ burr as in many American regional dialects (“hurrrd”).

Recognize and use lengthenable sounds, identified by Skinner in her book: vowels: ee, er, oo, aw, ah diphthongs: aye, eye,oy,oh,ow. In order for a vowel to be lengthened, it must be in the primary stressed syllable of the word and followed by a voiced consonant. Diphthongs follow the same rules, but must be in the final (or only) syllable of the word. Vowel examples: ee is long in seize, short in street/er is long in deserve, short in hurt/oo is long in snoozing, short in snoot/aw is long in cause, short in caught/ah is long in calm, short in papa. Diphthong examples: aye is long in wade, short in wading/eye is long in time, short in timely/oy is long in boys, short in noisy/oh is long in own, short in ownership/ow is long in frown, short in brownie.

Breath: If Rylance is right and Vowels are Soul/Consonants are Will, perhaps we can say that Breath is Inspiration. We breathe in rhythm with our thoughts. In complicated classic texts it can be necessary to plan your breath phrasing so that you get the breath you need. I also recommend that actors think about/feel how their character specifically breathes, how he/she needs to breathe to survive in the world of the play. Without breath-life, your voice will stop at the footlights, your soul and will cannot be expressed.

Vocal Placement: Start with your most balanced, supported, resonant sound. From there you can move the voice around to wherever it needs to be (depending on character choices and the space you are playing in) without losing strong support and resonance. Don’t let instinct replace thought in rehearsal when it comes to placement until you’ve been practicing this for many years: where we instinctively place our voice in our day to day life, or our gut reaction to character and stakes, is often strident and limited onstage.

Musicality: Our musicality on stage is far wider than that of our day to day life. Musicality on stage reflects relationship and stakes, and is crucial to story-telling and communicating complex thoughts. Do a full warm up through your range before every rehearsal and performance. Two concepts to consider: “New Thought = New Pitch” and “Pitch for Emphasis”. Listen for how clarity is improved when you change pitch as you move into a new thought, or how a single word gets special emphasis and more specific point of view when you lift or drop it in pitch.
Text: If the play is in verse, use the verse form. Honor line endings rather than running verses together into prose. Study scansion to aid you in clarity and using the natural rhythm of the verse. Use of musicality, long sounds, identifying operatives (see below) and exploring punctuation will help you find and release into the structure of prose.

Identify operative words (you may also hear these referred to as ‘story-telling’ words or ‘target’ words). These are the few words per verse line or sentence that take primary stress and help the audience to follow the story. They are usually verbs and nouns; rarely will they be negatives, pronouns or modifiers.
Explore alliteration (repetition of consonants) and internal rhyming (repetition of vowels). Often the will or the emotion of your character will be revealed in the sounds they choose to repeat.

A Note on “Rustic” speech: There are many characters in these plays that are poor and uneducated. Their speech will naturally be a little rougher. You can get there without pasting on an American Regional dialect (like Southern, for instance, which is unfortunately often used) by exploring these adjustments: harder ‘r’ coloring / no ‘liquid u’ or prefix of ‘i’ or ‘wh’ or medial ‘t’ / did jew, can’t chew / wider range of musicality / extreme use of long and short sounds / vocal placement in just one primary resonance / and etc. In terms of story-telling, however, stay on those operatives. Don’t see Rustics as any less clearly spoken than Royals (unless it’s in the writing) or your audience will get lost, and so will you.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111904787404576534690533590346.html (copy and paste) Here's the link to an article about Cicely Berry, the greatest living Shakespeare voice & text teacher and coach. She taught Patsy Rodenburg, Andrew Wade and many other great coaches, and has been coaching at the Royal Shakespeare Company for many years.

Dialect and Accent Resources

FREE

The International Dialects of English Archive (IDEA)
Samples from around the world to download and listen to on your computer.
http://web.ku.edu/~idea/

National Public Radio
Do a search on this site for stories involving the region with the accent/dialect you are using. Many will feature interviews with native speakers.
www.npr.org

The BBC
Do a search on this site for stories involving the region with the accent/dialect you are using. Many will feature recorded interviews with native speakers and special programs on the language and culture of that region.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/

Radio Stations
Look for radio stations broadcasting in English and streaming online from the region or country you need, and listen to newscasters, interviews and commercials. I’ve found many useful samples this way, from countries including Trinidad, Ireland, Nigeria and South Africa.

Chamber of Commerce
For a small-town dialect in America, try calling the Chamber of Commerce, or Mayor’s Office. Interview a local resident over the phone, and take notes. You probably won’t have to go much further than the receptionist to get what you need.

Google
Enter the name of the country you need on a search engine and see what turns up – often you’ll find pages that feature recordings of native speakers or have information about the language and culture. Pages on slang from various dialects are especially popular and can be helpful.

The Library
Many libraries carry documentary films that may be useful to you. Listen for interviews and antique recordings. You may also find dramatic films there that feature accents that are helpful. They may also carry books and cds on dialects and accents.

Community Organizations
Find out if there is a community from the region/country you need living in your city. Places of worship and restaurants are two good places to start. Bring a digital recorder and record interviews, if they give you permission.

YouTube
Enter the name of the dialect or accent you are interested in and see what pops up.

TO RENT OR BUY

You can rent or stream online many documentaries and dramatic films featuring interviews with native speakers or actors from the country depicted. Netflix seems to be the best source for streaming, although there are others that are competitive. When you watch a dramatic film, do some research so that you can focus your listening on those actors who are true native speakers.

CLASSIC DIALECT AND ACCENT MANUALS

Jerry Blunt:
Stage Dialects and More Stage Dialects, books and cds
Some terrific basic descriptions and samples here, with more diversity in the second book. Highly recommended.

Lewis Herman:
Foreign Dialects and American Dialects
First published many years ago, very old-fashioned descriptions of dialects and accents you may find useful, especially for plays written before 1960.

Dr. David Alan Stern
Acting with an Accent series, booklets and cds.
www.dialectaccentspecialists.com


NEWER DIALECT AND ACCENT SOURCE MATERIALS

Gillian Lane-Plescia
Accents for Actors series, booklets and cds.
http://www.dialectresource.com/
The widest variety of authentic sources available from a leading theatrical dialect coach. These are the ones I use most often.

Robert Blumenfeld
Accents: A Manual for Actors
A helpful manual with many accents and dialects discussed, with brief samples. Good to have on the shelf.

ALSO:
Edda Sharpe: How to do Accents
Paul Meier: Accents and Dialects for Stage and Screen (from the editor of IDEA)
Evangeline Machlin: Dialects for the Stage
Ginny Kopf: Dialect Handbook

Looking for a dialect scene...

Australian playwrights listed here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&search=australian+playwrights

Nigerian playwrights:
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&search=nigerian+playwrights

Scottish playwrights:
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&search=scottish+playwrights

Jamaican playwrights:
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&search=jamaican+playwrights

Irish playwrights:
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&search=irish+playwrights

(Just enter a search for the country you are interested in followed by the word "playwrights" and a site will come up with a list.)

Voice II, Please Watch

Hi Voice II students, please watch this excellent video interview with the great director Michael Langham. He recently passed away. Langham was a preeminent director of Shakespeare in Canada at the Stratford Festival and in the U.S. at the Guthrie, and ran the Juilliard drama school for many years.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5fNsLBWJIQ

This is part six of the series -- I recommend you watch all of the segments when you have time.

Suzuki clips online

Movement class, check these out:


Scenes from Suzuki's recent production of the Greek tragic play Electra, which looks to be set in an insane asylum. Prepare yourself for quite a trip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtiNJF0dO7A&feature=related

photo stills from productions:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISO1Y6obkBs&feature=related
note that the music in this one is the music for the slow tem teke tem walking -- the big swell in the music is where the turns occur

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhHWHNBwH9Q&feature=watch_response
demonstration of the exercises with one professor's ideas about context and purpose

Suzuki Verses

O, splendor of sunburst breaking forth this day
Whereon I lay my hands once more on Helen, my wife.
And yet it is not so much as men think
For the woman’s sake I came to Troy,
But against that guest proved treacherous
Who, like a robber, carried the woman from my house.


TO SIT IN SOLMEMN SILENCE IN A DULL DARK DOCK
IN A PESTILENTIAL PRISON WITH A LIFE LONG LOCK,
AWAITING THE SENSATION OF A SHORT SHARP SHOCK
FROM A CHEAP AND CHIPPY CHOPPER ON A BIG BLACK BLOCK.

Edward Albee article

voice students please read:


"Sometimes when I’m writing a scene from a play I think I’m writing a string quartet.
If you’re directing a play of mine,” he continues, “you could conduct it [waving his arms] because the rhythms and the punctuation and everything that’s used is exactly the way a composer does it. Note duration, note intensity ... A play is a heard experience."

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/9d442662-b6e9-11df-b3dd-00144feabdc0.html

Notes from Movement class by Casey

Hi everyone, here are notes that Casey took from our work in Movement class this week. Feel free to add your thoughts, too, and many thanks to Casey. Note the homework reminder:

Movement for the Stage class for September 7th and 9th…

Props should ground you. Sometimes, however, having to interact with them causes us to become “lost” and break character when onstage with them because handling them is so foreign to us. Send props presence. Sending them presence helps allow our movements to be fluid and confidently portray a character’s relationship with the object.

Center work:
Changing your center changes the personality and worldview of the character being portrayed. It also changes what you communicate to the audience about the emotions of the character. Additionally, it actually influences the emotions you feel when you move the center. So, this can be helpful in that when preparing/researching for a scene, you can become inspired (and learn more about the character) by the different way you carry yourself and the gestures you make as a result of having moved your center to different places.

Even though your audience really wants you to do a good job, they won’t always send you (or have, many times) that positive energy that comes from eager anticipation. Therefore, you’ll have to bring it with you by creating and taking your presence on stage. In order to do this, you’ll have to cope with anxiety and develop your awareness which, in turn, will allow you to create presence beforehand – instead of mustering it up after you’re onstage.

The visualizing-light-through-your-fingers, etc-while-pushing-boulders-and-swinging-axes exercises train the mind to focus on emitting presence (energy) while doing something that requires concentration, like acting.

Homework: Observe people’s centers and pick one to show/discuss with the class on Tuesday.

Movie Suggestion: Watch George Clooney's movement in "The American" (now playing). Also, on the Netflix website (if you are a member) you can watch a series of Daniel Day Lewis movies -- he is extraordinary at creating character through physicality. The 'tying his shoes' moment comes about 2/3 of the way in to "A Room With A View" but his movement choices throughout the whole film are terrific.