Voice and Speech | The Shakespeare Theatre Company

Voice and Text

Voice

Voice training at the ACA aims at developing actors capable of speaking Shakespeare's language with clarity, ease, and nuance, with the breath support and capacity to fill large and complex thoughts, and with the richness and agility to unleash the power of the poetry.

Because no one vocal technique provides all answers for all people, ACA voice teachers employ a variety of approaches to developing the actor's voice. Breath work is most heavily influenced by Catherine Fitzmaurice, whose destructing work is used to free the breath of non-productive habits and deepen the actor's access to breath and emotion. The work of Catherine Fitzmaurice is a combination of spontaneity and technique. The basis of her approach is in yoga and bioenergetics, creating tremors and vibrations in the body which result in a whole-body release. Fitzmaurice re-structuring is used in conjunction with techniques of Cicely Berry, Patsy Rodenburg, Michael McCallion, Kristin Linklater, Arthur Lessac and others to develop vocal support, resonance, capacity, range and flexibility.