Acting in an Accent - General American

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Ages 18+

Course Dates & Times

Monday 8 – Friday 12 July 2024
10am–5pm

About Acting in an Accent - General American 

This five-day course will introduce you to the foundations and principles of working in an accent other than your own.

Using practical exercises led by a professional dialect coach, you will learn the foundations of accent analysis and application, with a focus on a contemporary General American (Mid-Western) sound. You will also be coached to apply these new skills to texts drawn from contemporary American plays.

Who is the course for?

• Anyone aged 18 and over interested in learning about, and working on, accents with a specific focus on General American.
• There is no upper age limit on this course. We encourage and welcome participants from all ages 18 and over.

What can I expect?

The course will explore varied approaches to accent learning, the challenges of working in a second sound and applying them to monologues and scene study. You will be provided with a professional dialect breakdown sheet, sample recordings and appropriate texts.

By the end of the course you will have:

• A comprehensive understanding of the principles of accent learning
• Practical experience in the significant changes from your accent to the General American accent.
• Transferable skills that can be applied to any other accent.

Do I need anything for the course?

• Clothes comfortable to move in
• Participants must have sufficient English language skills to cope with course demands. We would recommend all participants have at least C1 proficiency, or IELTS level 7 and above
• An audio recording device (most smart phones have a voice recorder app such as Voice Record Pro – available on both Apple and Android platforms).

Course Fee

£625

This course has now ended. Join our mailing list to hear about future dates and new courses.

Eligibility

• For everyone aged 18+. There is no upper age limit on this course. We encourage and welcome participants from all ages 18 and over.
• Participants must have sufficient English language skills to cope with course demands. We would recommend all participants have at least C1 proficiency, or IELTS level 7 and above.

About the Course Tutor

This course is taught by Kat Hicks.

Kat Hicks is a voice and dialect specialist with an MA in Voice Studies from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. In over a decade of practice, she has taught on the BA Acting Courses at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Arts Educational School (Arts Ed) and Fordham University.  Her professional credits include productions for Out of Joint, Tourette’s Hero, Nottingham Playhouse, Clwyd Theatr Cymru, and Salisbury Playhouse in addition to teaching a weekly class at The Royal National Theatre for deaf, disabled, and neurodivergent actors. She also works privately with actors and non-actors, taking a playful and person-centred approach to all things voice and dialect.