2nd Semester, 2nd Year, MFA Voice & Speech Class: Dialects
Teacher/Coach: Jan Gist
Spring, 2011: January 25 - April 7: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1:00 - 2:25
This 4th semester of your two year training program will focus on:
How to identify and analyze the ingredients of any accent/dialect
How to apply those techniques into performances expressive of:
character, class, region, era, social/ethnic identity, intention
and style of play
How to find the playwright’s clues of language in addition to accent
We will cover:
Cockney, using Harold Pinter’s plays
Estuary/Current/Working Class London, in a variety of scripts
Various American regions such as:
New York/Brooklyn area
South and Southwest
Depending on time, possibly others such as Irish, Australian, German…
Possibly: Dialect Project:
A dialect or accent of your choice, where you:
find a person or source to study
analyze, notate and record their speaking patterns
present the information to the class
perform a speech or scene in this accent/dialect
Classes will include:
Group study, analysis, drill-practice, feedback for each accent/dialect
Performance of a speech or scene in each accent/dialect
Materials for your own research project (tape? CD? Analysis?)
This semester is designed to continue developing your own personal joy, freedom, expressiveness, and power in your Voice/Acting work. It is also meant to give you practice and confidence in dialect work so that you can go off and have an Acting career of learning and enjoying the accumulation of your own dialect library and personal approach.