Acting I Topeka West High School Mr. McCoy – Fall 2008

 Remember that acting is a creative art that can be improved through the practice of three major skills.  Vocal  Physical  Mental

1. Physical Tools 2. Relaxation 3. Breathing

ARTICULATORS  Hard Palate  Lips  Teeth  Tongue  Soft Palate  Jaw RESONATORS  Sinuses  Nose  Mouth  Throat Voice is produced by the air from the lungs passing over the vocal folds in the larynx. Articulators and resonators manipulate voice into the desired or undesired sound.

 Physical relaxation is one factor that determines the quality of an actor’s voice. Attention should be paid by all actors to “loosen their voice” before any performance.  Tightness will lead to damage, hoarseness, and poor projection.  Activity ▪ Stretching (Reach) ▪ Jaw (Head rolls, jaw rub) ▪ Throat (Yawn, breathe, “I can talk as if I were going to yawn.”) ▪ Lips (oo  ah  oo, me-mo-me) ▪ Tongue (fud-dud-dud-dud-dah, da-da-da-da-la-la-la-la)

 Breath control determines the power and loudness of speech. It also increases one’s voice stamina.  Normally, one inhales and exhales in periods of equal length.  Speakers/Actors inhale quickly and exhale over a prolonged period of time. Therefore, inhale through the mouth.  Activity ▪ Diaphragmatic Breathing (sniff) ▪ Inhale-(hiss, count, hong-kong,)

1. Quality 2. Pitch 3. Volume 4. Tempo/Rate 5. Diction – Articulation/Pronunciation

 Quality – individual sound of your particular voice  Resonance – tone produced when sound waves strike the chambers of the throat, head, nose, and mouth. (Vowels)  Nasality – tone produced from the nasal cavity rather than the other cavities. Only m, n, and ng sounds should be nasal tones.  Characterization – quality should be considered during character choices. Old? Sweet? Angry? Weak?  Activity ▪ Relaxed jaw, throat hum ▪ Pg. 71 – Book ▪ Pg. 73 – Handout

 Pitch – how high or low one’s voice is  Inflection – gliding from one pitch to another in a single syllable  Monotone – one tone, continuous speaking on one tone  Monotone can usually be overcome with energy and practice  Activity ▪ 10 Count ▪ Oh – ▪ That hurtsWell, perhaps ▪ How lovelyLook out ▪ So whatDon’t be so rude

 Volume – how loud or soft one is; relative strenght, force, or intensity with which sound is made  Activity ▪ Ha  one, two ▪ “You don’t think I ate the cake, do you?”

 Rate/Tempo/Pace – the speed at which words are spoken. Rate is influenced by pause and duration.  Pause – break before or after a spoken word  Duration – length a vowel sound is held, short or long ▪ Activity ▪ They climbed slowly, wearily to the summit. ▪ What an exquisite formal you are wearing. ▪ This shrimp pizza is delicious. ▪ Hurry up, we’re late ▪ I’m so tired, I can hardly move. ▪ Don’t tell me we’ve got to listen to that again.

 Diction – selection and pronunciation of words and their combinations in speech  Articulation – the utterance of words (said well)  Pronunciation – production of speech sounds into syllables, accent, and stress (correct words)

1.Get - bet 2.For - ore 3.Again - pen 4.Just - must 5.Because - pause 6.Any - penny 7.Assume - fume 8.New - mew 9.Poor - sewer 10.Your - sewer 11.Sure - sewer 12.Roof - proof 13.Suite - sweet 14.What - dot 15.Worst - first