Rebecca Root
Voice and Speech Teacher
29 Linden Mansions, Hornsey Lane, London, N6 5LF, U.K.
Email:
Telephone: home: +44 (0)20 8340 9930 | mobile/cell (UK): +44 (0)75958 248783
Personal Statement
“Voice work is for everybody” (Patsy Rodenburg, “The Right to Speak”)
Having trained and worked as an actor for close to two decades my practical philosophy is informed by the fundamental need to connect breath, text and emotion fluidly so that the speaker may put across his or her thoughts in a clear, resonant and engaging manner.
Education and Training
2007-2008 Central School of Speech and Drama (“CSSD”), University of London
MA Voice Studies (Distinction) (terminal degree level)
1987-1990 Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, London
Diploma in Acting (BA level equivalent)
1981-1987 Bartholomew School, Eynsham, Oxfordshire
“A” Levels: English, History, French
“O” Levels: 10, including English, French, German, Latin, Maths, History
Experience and Professional Background
Principal Employment
January 2009-present MA Voice Studies, CSSD, University of London Research Methods and Outputs (RMO).
Workshop lecture on essay writing, academic research processes and dissemination of findings; Personal Academic Tutor advising on presentations at the multi-disciplinary CSSD Post-Graduate Conference; one-to-one tutorials for Independent Practical Projects and final portfolio scheme of work.
Dec 2008-present King Street College, London
Accent Softening and vocal health awareness, working with foreign nationals to strengthen their RP. Most clients are learning English as a second language and are seeking to improve their diction, clarity and precision of the RP accent.
Sept 2008-present National Diploma for Professional Dance (Musical Theatre), Performers College, Corringham, Essex
Voice and speech for dancers and musical theatre students; Introductory level IPA, Accent softening and RP development/strengthening; vocal anatomy; principles of breathing, resonance and articulation; textual analysis and vocal interpretation including poetry, Restoration and Shakespeare.
Additional experience
June 2009 NHS Speech Therapists’ National Gender Dysphoria Special Interest Group “Vocal Adaptation and Audio-Visual Acceptance for the Transgendered client” All-day workshop, Drill Hall, London.
Comprehensive workshop aimed for SLTs whose clients are transgendered. The workshop embraced disciplines including breath, resonance, articulation and physical embodiment of the transgendered voice.
March 2009 Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts Presentation of MA in Voice Studies thesis, “There and Back Again: Adventures in Genderland”. Guest speaker for the internationally renowned ACLA 2009 conference.
November 2008 San Francisco LGBT Center, San Francisco, California
Devised and ran the inaugural Transgender Vocal Development workshop at the SF LGBT Center, aimed at both Female to male and Male to female transgendered people. Focus included breathing, support, and empowering the voice; understanding how resonance and articulation affects the gendered voice; modification of pitch and intonation towards a more gender-appropriate tone; raising confidence to use the voice naturally and without self-consciousness.
June 2008 MA Applied Theatre, CSSD, University of London in collaboration with Fringe Benefits, Los Angeles (work undertaken as teaching practice during training).
Company voice work including warm-ups and rehearsal support; individual RP coaching; transgender voice development (female to male).
Jan-March 2008 MA Poetic Practice, Royal Holloway, University of London (work undertaken as teaching practice during training).
Performance skills for poets: power and projection, articulation, resonance, textual interpretation.
Publications:
Voice and Speech Review, 2009: “There and Back Again: Adventures in Genderland”. Edited by Rena Cook, published by University Readers/Voice and Speech Trainers Association (Cincinnati, Ohio).
Workshops Attended:
Marina Tyndall & Helen Ashton – General American Thanksgiving Intensive; Frankie Armstrong – Voice Song; Jan Haydn Rowles Edda Sharpe – How To Do Accents; Kristin Linklater – Two-Day Voice Sonnets; Cicely Berry – Shakespeare; Patsy Rodenburg – Breath & Voice.
Professional Memberships:
Voice and Speech Trainers Association (VASTA); British Voice Association; British Actor’s Equity
Acting credits include:
Midsomer Murders (Bentley Productions/ITV); Casualty (BBC Television); Keeping Up Appearances (BBC Television); The Detectives (Celador/BBC Television); Tartuffe (Traffic of the Stage/Pentameters); The Lady's Not For Burning (UK tour); Hamlet (Athens International Festival and Gielgud Theatre, London); voiceover and presenting for corporate training films.
References:
Katerina Moraitis, Course Leader: MA Voice Studies
Central School of Speech and Drama, 64 Eton Avenue, London, NW3 3HY, U.K.
email:
Michael Gyngell, Co-ordinator: Acting Department
Performers College, Southend Road, Corringham, Essex, SS17 8JT, U.K.
email: