Speech, Dialects + “Accent Reduction”
Learn an accent for a specific role, or simply expand your repertoire. My approach is tailored to each actor’s learning style and timeframe. Frequently requested dialects are Standard British, various US Southern, New York, South Boston, Northern and ROI Irish, Scottish, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Iranian, Puerto Rican, various West Indies, and South African. I’ve coached dialects as specific as 1915 Wichita, and as general as “non-specific-non-American.” I also have extensive experience (and passion for) researching and teaching idiolects—the idiosyncratic dialect of a particular person.
Learning a dialect is so much more than mastering phonetic changes. You need to discover who you are in your new sound. Neuroscience confirms that when we speak in another accent, we lose access to part of our identity, and there are many acting challenges that arise specifically when using a dialect.
The process varies depending on the timeline and goals, but in general, we work from native speaker audio, mastering placement, vowels, consonants, and intonation. Then, we get into the finer work of embodying the accent so you can sound (and feel) authentic.
I also work with people from all walks of life who simply want to improve their diction or overall speaking skills.
“I have been going out to meet casting directors and five out of five in the last two weeks assumed that I was American. One said that in her 15 years of casting, it was the best American accent she had heard from a foreigner.”
“I was totally confident arriving on set—people native to the area thought I was from North Carolina when they heard me. I wouldn’t hire anyone else.”
“Amanda, we had some Irish folks in the Molly Sweeney audience tonight, one of whom remarked they thought the actress was really from Donegal! Well done! And thank you!”