Voice 1

Voice I is the first Voice and Speech Class of four, 12-week semesters dedicated to the voice and speech development necessary for any serious actor, and is based on the brilliant vocal training created by the world’s foremost voice teacher Kristin Linklater.

We are all born with a two to three octave speaking voice that freely expresses the full gamut of human emotion. As we go through life, we acquire habitual vocal patterns molded by family, peers, and social influences that can shape the things we express and our pattern of expression. The socialized voice is perfectly serviceable for day-to-day transactions. It will get you your coffee in the morning, it will allow you to talk about sports, and it can even share information about what you are feeling, given the “appropriate” time and place.

The actor however, has greater expressive demands, which require a voice that is capable of fulfilling a deeper desire to communicate with freedom, clarity, and ease. The actor cannot afford to have a voice that is limited by habit, conditioned by cultural norms, or trapped by fear. Else he or she risks playing characters whom are similarly held hostage by those same blocks.

Work in this class follows the Linklater approach to voice, wherein the actor nurtures an ongoing curiosity about their vocal instrument, which is inseparable from the person behind it. The work begins with identifying and releasing physical tension that can inhibit a spontaneous connection to the voice. Through physical release, the breath moves deeper into the body. When this happens, the voice follows, and with it a deeper personal connection.

Voice and Speech Class Maggie Flanigan Studio – Voice Class 1

Special attention in Voice I is paid to common areas of tension that can act as censors to authentic communication: the tongue, the jaw, the soft palate, and the throat. This allows the student to isolate resonating chambers in the body, which strengthens the corresponding parts of the speaking voice. By the end of the course, students will have a full physical/vocal warm-up to use in preparation for rehearsals, auditions, and performance, invaluable for working actors who know how important it is to keep their instrument in excellent shape.