Open Forum

Thinking about doing Kate Hamill's version of this show in the fall. Anyone have thoughts/ideas/advice on whether or not accents are needed? I want to be authentic to the piece, but am a tad worried about how distracting it could be for actors that do not have the strength in doing accents. 


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Sarah Aanderud Wahlen
Director of Theatre & Film
Holy Names Academy
Seattle, WA
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My take on accents is to only do what your cast can maintain consistently.  Often that means to concentrate one one or two elements of the accent so convey the "flavor" of the language.  As an audience member I have often been distracted by accents that were dropped or spotty.  I know some will disagree with me, but I feel that our primary intent is to tell the story, and distractions go counter to that intent.

Break legs on the show.

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Robert DiMartino
Theatre Teacher/Director
Slatersville RI
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I'm also doing Kate Hamill's S & S this fall.  I think the audience expects accents with Jane Austen being so popular.  British accents are pretty easy to learn and most actors have experience (or goof around) with them.  Nobody expects perfection.  We will spend time every week doing accent drills.  It's a great year to do this show with the popularity off Netflix's "Bridgerton"!

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Laura Russo
Teacher/Director of Theatre Arts
Chatham High School
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Hi Sarah, 
We seem to have the same taste in plays, I did S&S the Fall of '19-'20. 

I encourage you to work on the accents and use a recorded lesson program and have all of the cast working with it. Incorporate some of the lessons into warm-ups. I find that studying accents is a great learning tool and process for vocal training, technique, and practice. It helps them with articulaters, resonators, and placement. 

I recommend David Allen Stern. PM me for some resources. 

I loved working on Sense and Sensibility.

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David Ellis
Drama and Language Arts Teacher
Auburn Mountainview High School, Auburn, WA.
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I also use David Allen Stern :)

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Laura Russo
Teacher/Director of Theatre Arts
Chatham High School
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-14-2021 16:25
From: David Ellis
Subject: Sense & Sensibility Accents

Hi Sarah,
We seem to have the same taste in plays, I did S&S the Fall of '19-'20.

I encourage you to work on the accents and use a recorded lesson program and have all of the cast working with it. Incorporate some of the lessons into warm-ups. I find that studying accents is a great learning tool and process for vocal training, technique, and practice. It helps them with articulaters, resonators, and placement.

I recommend David Allen Stern. PM me for some resources.

I loved working on Sense and Sensibility.

------------------------------
David Ellis
Drama and Language Arts Teacher
Auburn Mountainview High School, Auburn, WA.
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