THTR 4640 Stage Dialects

Cultural overview, phonetic directions for change, and audio recordings are provided. See additional resources from Blunt below.

(CDs available through OhioLINK)

(available through OhioLINK)

(CDs available through OhioLINK)

This easy-to-follow yet incredibly detailed 350-page book is the industry standard on accents and dialects of the English language. Readers get not only a proven system of instruction instead of mere voice mimicry, but an invaluable collection of 12 CDs. Paul Meier is a leading dialect coach for theatre and film, and contained in this impressive publication is his entire standard repertoire of the 24 most valuable accents and dialects for actors: Afrikaans (South Africa), American Deep South (Mississippi/Georgia/Alabama), American Southern (Kentucky/Tennessee), Australian, Cockney, Downeast New England, French, General American, German, Hampshire, Indian, Irish, Italian, Liverpool, New York, Northern Ireland, Russian, Scottish, South Boston, Spanish (Castilian & Colonial), Standard British English (Received Pronunciation), Welsh, Yiddish, and Yorkshire.

A popular self-study series, with dialect packets beginning with resonance placement and vowel and consonant changes. (CDs available through OhioLINK)

In Understanding Global Cultures, Fourth Edition, authors Martin J. Gannon and Rajnandini Pillai present the cultural metaphor as a method for understanding the cultural mindsets of individual nations, clusters of nations, and even continents. The fully updated Fourth Edition continues to emphasize that metaphors are guidelines to help outsiders quickly understand what members of a culture consider important.

Available through OhioLINK. Professor Baker also has a copy.

Standard Speech is an anthology of essays from VASTA (the Voice and Speech Trainers Association) on a variety of topics of interest to actors, voice and speech teachers. Exploring the idea of what should be the standards for good speech this volume offers views from more than 40 top experts on the subject. Also essays on Coaching, Singing, Vocal Health, Verse and Dialect Accent studies. A must for the serious student of voice and speech.

An international organization whose mission is to advance the art, research, and visibility of the voice and speech profession.

Practical audio materials with native speaker examples - the premiere source for dialect and accent training for actors.

You can also request CDs from Gillian Lane-Plescia through OhioLINK

IDEA’s founder, director, and principal contributor is Professor Paul Meier. He established the archive in 1997 to enable actors to hear real-life models for their characters’ accents and dialects. But IDEA has since proved invaluable in many other research fields too. For example, it has become a principal tool of international business, enabling customer-service personnel to become familiar with the many accents and dialects of English spoken by their customers.

Voice: Onstage and Off is a comprehensive guide to the process of building, mastering, and fine-tuning the voice for performance. Every aspect of vocal work is covered, from the initial speech impulse and the creation of sound, right through to refining the final product in different types of performance.