Continuing with the foundation laid in Speech 1 you will develop and deepen your working knowledge of the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) as an essential and practical actor’s tool in service to the clarity of communication. Expanding upon this knowledge, this course will offer you the skills necessary to acquire a North American Accent as well as the skill sets needed to acquire other accents. You must complete one full term (10 weeks) of Speech 1 before taking this course. 

• Learn more about the instructor.
• Recommended reading: Speaking with Skill: An Introduction to Knight-Thompson Speechwork by Dudley Knight
• Prerequisite: Prior completion of one full term (10 weeks) of Speech 1

This 5-session workshop focuses on some of the most commonly used dialects in the actor’s toolbox, British Received Pronunciation (“Standard British”) and Cockney. In this workshop, you will explore the signature sounds and intonation patterns of these two accents. Topics explored include research and rehearsal techniques, finding freedom and flexibility, and the challenge of accessing emotional life while speaking in an unfamiliar way. All actors will work on a monologue of their choosing, as well as very short scenes. Texts will be drawn from the works of playwrights including Oscar Wilde, Joe Orton, Nick Payne and Kwame Kwei-Armah. Essential for every actor, skills underlying British accents can be applied to characters and plays from around the world, reaching far beyond the UK. Due to the expanse of the colonial British empire, Standard British exerted large influence on African, Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian accents. Therefore, even today, non-native speakers of English are exposed to and learn English not with an American accent, but with a Standard British accent — meaning, a solid foundation in Standard British will equip you with skills for performing dialects from many cultures and nationalities across the globe.

• Learn more about the instructor.
• Registration Prerequisite: Open to all.