Links to Books, Blogs, and other Resources
Below are some links to books, blogs, and other handy resources that I find myself constantly referring people to. Although many of these links are for resources that you can purchase, many of them can also be found through your local library or via interlibrary loan.
Speech and Voicework
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YouTube clip of Patsy Rodenburg explaining her Second Circle theory (10 minutes).
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If You Don't Have Anything Nice to Say, SAY IT IN ALL CAPS - episode 545 of the radio show/podcast This American Life discusses vocal fry in Act II.
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Speaking with Skill by Dudley Knight, ISBN 9781408156896
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The Fitzmaurice Institute website has links to a lot of great texts related to Fitzmaurice Voicework, as well as information on where to find certified teachers and workshops. I've personally worked with Vivian Majkowski, Rockford Sansom, and Gregory Lush; they're all fantastic instructors with vastly different teaching styles.
Rhetoric and Text Analysis
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Rex Barks by Phyllis Davenport and Lisa Vandamme, ISBN 9781889439358
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Speaking Shakespeare by Patsy Rodenburg, ISBN 9781403965400
General Acting Texts
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Actions: The Actor's Thesaurus by Marina Calderone & Maggie Williams, ISBN 9780896762527
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The Actor's Art and Craft: William Esper Teaches the Meisner Technique by William Esper and Damon DiMarco, ISBN 9780307279262
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Upright Citizens Brigade Comedy Improvisation Manual by Matt Walsh, ISBN 9780989387804
Movement/Physicality
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The Anatomy Coloring Book by Wynn Kapit & Lawrence M. Elson, ISBN 9781889439358
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The Viewpoints Book: A Practical Guide to Viewpoints and Composition by Anne Bogart & Tina Landau, ISBN 9781559362412
Shakespeare
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YouTube video by the Open University of David and Ben Crystal explaining Original Pronunciation
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Playing Shakespeare - a 1982 BBC 9-part television series hosted by John Barton of the Royal Shakespeare Company. The entire series is currently available on YouTube. You can also find the DVD set on Amazon.
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Playing Shakespeare: An Actor's Guide by John Barton, ISBN 9780385720854
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Speaking Shakespeare by Patsy Rodenburg, ISBN 9781403965400
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Shakespeare's Words: A Glossary and Language Companion by Ben and David Crystal, ISBN 9780140291179
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Shakespeare-Lexicon: Volume One A-L: A Complete Dictionary of All the English Words, Phrases and Constructions in the Works of the Poet by Alexander Schmidt, ISBN 9781684220533
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Shakespeare-Lexicon: Volume Two M-Z etc. by Alexander Schmidt, ISBN 9781684220540
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Shakespeare & Co.: Christopher Marlowe, Thomas Dekker, Ben Jonson, Thomas Middleton, John Fletcher and the Other Players in His Story by Stanley Wells, ISBN 9780375424946
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The Oxford Dictionary of Original Shakespearean Pronunciation by David Crystal, ISBN 9780199668427
Directing and Teaching
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Ensemble Theatre Making: A Practical Guide by Rose Bonczek & David Storck, ISBN 9780415530095
Audiobook Narration and Voiceover
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Volunteering for Librivox is a great way to get some experience under your belt for audiobook narration. Librivox has a wonderful online community that is supportive of newcomers.
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Marc Preston's Voiceover Cabana series on his Youtube channel is a great place to find some basic info about the voice over industry.
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The VO Atlanta Voiceover Conference is an excellent place to meet other voiceover performers of all skill levels and learn new skills.
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Most professional VO artists these days rely heavily on a home studio. There are many articles, videos, and blogs out there on this topic. This piece from voices.com is a great place to start!
Monologue Tips
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Always, always, always read the entire play (for film, you should be familiar with the storyline but take care not to copy the actors in the film).
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Never use a piece from the show you're auditioning for.
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Select from a full text, not a monologue book. Not only do you need to read the entire play, but I guarantee the auditor will have heard most of those monologues in 101 Monologues for Young Actors before.
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Choose active pieces, not passive ones. You want your character to be engaging with someone, not telling a story.
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For fresh pieces, try searching for new works festivals online. Find a couple of pieces that catch your eye. Have they been published yet? Buy a copy. Is the festival going on near you? Go see some of the shows! Support local playwrights, support new voices.