Adjunct Theater Faculty
Natalie (B.S. in Speech-Language Pathology from Pennsylvania State University; M.A. in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Iowa). Natalie is a licensed, certified Speech-Language Pathologist with over 25 years of experience, and a Designated Linklater Voice Teacher. She was teacher-trained and designated by Kristin Linklater after training with numerous Master Linklater Teachers in New York City, Boston, and at Boston University. She has been involved in theater all of her life, and actor trained and teacher-trained at Shakespeare & Company, in Lenox, MA. Natalie is also a Certified Forensics (Speech) Coach (National Forensics League). She coached a competitive high school Forensics team for eight years while also working as the Forensics Tournament Director for the Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland. For ten years Natalie taught Shakespeare workshops to middle school students through her company, Puck's Pals. Her current company, Professionally Speaking, LLC (www.ProfessionallySpeaking.info) teaches presentation skills workshops for professionals at conferences, universities, and businesses, and works with private clients.
Natalie teaches THR 300, Voice and Speech Fundamentals; and THR 301, Voice and Speech for the Performer.
THR 300 is an introduction to voice work for performance. It is taught each fall semester. Natalie teaches the Linklater Voice Approach, a progression of exercises designed to help develop a voice with greater freedom, flexibility, and confidence. Original and modern text is incorporated into the work , which includes work on relaxation, physical awareness, alignment of the spine, breathing, resonance, articulation, vocal health, and exploring how the voice works and why it does not work. The student will learn to create a vocal warm-up to use prior to rehearsals and performances, and enhance their current vocal skills. The course is for speaking voice, but also enhances the singing voice. This is a required course for Theater majors with a performance concentration, but can also be taken by anyone wishing to improve their vocal skills. THR 300 is a pre-requisite course for those wishing to take THR 301.
THR 301, taught each spring semester, is a continuation of the Linklater Voice Approach begun in THR 300 (which is a pre-requisite for THR 301). Vocal warm-ups are reinforced with additional work on sound and movement activities and character development using original and Shakespearean text. Work on the IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is incorporated into the sound and movement work using Louis Colaianni's Phonetic Pillows approach. This work lays the foundation for future work on dialects. Performance problems with voice and speech are also explored. This course is strongly recommended for Theater majors with a performance concentration.
Course List:
THR 300 Voice and Speech Fundamentals
THR 301 Voice and Speech for the Performer
For current syllabi and Theater course listing, click on
Academics
