Voice & Speech Program

The Voice & Speech Program offers classes for developing a strong, healthy speaking voice and articulate speech for purposes of both acting and day-to-day living. The goal at each level is to eliminate bad vocal and speech habits in order to free the voice so it may serve as a direct expression of thought and feeling and to develop clear and articulate standard speech.

Voice and Speech
term: each level - 8 weeks

The class focuses on voice for the first 45-60 minutes and focuses on speech for another hour. The voice training helps the actor to eliminate existing throat tensions and covers relaxation, breath support, sound connection, and sound release and thencontinues with the development of mask resonance, vocal ring, resonance blending, range enhancement, and articulation. The voice lessons then focus on applying the voice to speech and text. At this level, the actor will concentrate on problem consonant and vowel sounds, discover the means to handle difficult prose and poetry (phrasing, inflection, rhythm), and integrate the vocal work of the previous levels.

The speech sessions focus on the elimination of foreign accents and regional dialects by developing Standard American Speech. Using the Symbols of the International Phonetics Alphabet (IPA), the actor learns to correct habitual speech problems and prepare for future dialect study. The results include greater ease with classical and contemporary texts, as well as the ability to undertake a wide variety of theatrical roles.

Stage Combat / Movement
term: 8 weeks
Acquire the basic skills to start your journey into the amazing world of stage combat.. The first four weeks of the class will cover basic unarmed fighting techniques and the final half of the class will cover single rapier techniques. This class will give you the basic building blocks of all stage combat in a safe and fun atmosphere while improving your overall confidence in physical actions and stage movement.
 


   
The Acting Studio, Inc.       244 West 54th Street, 12th Floor New York City, NY 10019      212.580.6600