“Diane has been my voice and dialect coach on two productions. Her approach to dialects is delightful and specific to each individual; she makes time to meet with actors privately, and discovers how sounds and regionalisms inform character.” 

~Kyra Baker, actress

• Lose an accent so that you are not worried that people have difficulty understanding you

• Acquire a believable and understandable stage dialect for a role

• Become aware of your own vocal habits 

• Recognize regional vocal patterns and feel the vocal placement of a particular accent/dialect, so you can choose whether you want to use them or not

• Explore the regional use of vowels, consonants, rhythm, resonance, and inflection. Feel confident that your audience is paying attention to what you are saying as opposed to being distracted by how you are saying it

• Expand your vocal repertoire to include pronunciations, syllabic stresses, and inflections that were previously unfamiliar to you 

• Enhance your vocal enjoyment and confidence

 

 

 

 

Acting/ Audition Coaching/Presentation Preparation

 

"Her classes… helped my voice and body open up in ways that changed my acting forever."

~Corey Sorenson, actor

 

"After training with Diane, I was accepted to five amazing Performing Arts programs and I am now pursuing my Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting The Performing Arts College audition process is nerve-racking and requires a lot of preparation. Diane Gaary gave incredible support, guidance, and thought-provoking exercises that helped finely tune my audition material and prepare me for this process. I felt confident walking into any audition room whether it be for an acting or musical theater program. After training with Diane, I was accepted to five amazing Performing Arts programs and I am now pursuing my Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting at the University of Michigan."  

~Brooks Inciardi, actor

 

"Her work reminded me to live graciously in the moment. It was also great prep for auditions.  On my 50thbirthday, I relocated from Cali to NYC to have another go at my acting career.  The stress level was astronomical!  Diane’s… work reminded me to live graciously in the moment.  It was also great prep for auditions.  Diane’s gentle voice always urged me within and I still hear her today…  Thanks, Diane."

~Kristine Waters, actress 

 

 

 

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• Portray emotionally vital and honest characters

• Create roles that are unique, honest, and exciting to both you and the audience

• Feel confident at auditions, performances, presentations, and recitals

• Eliminate Performance Anxiety and harness it’s energy to create dynamic performances

•  Perform expressively while maintaining the vocal and physical requirements of your role 

• Competently work with the challenges, demands, and possibilities of differing performance styles

• Understand and relate to the circumstances of the character and the world of the play or opera

• Comfortably manage technical demands such as microphones, projections, and challenging props

• Increase your Concentration and Stage Presence

• Keep your audience’s attention and get your message across

• Enjoy your time both in the practice room and in front of an audience 

 

 

 

 

Vocal Coaching

 

“I was…losing my voice in rehearsals for a vocally demanding show, and Diane came in and gave me some tangible tools to open my throat and protect my vocal cords when shouting for the role.”  

~Amanda Holston, Actress, Alignment Educator & YogAlign Instructor

 

 “I was suffering from vocal loss due to a cold, and (Diane) provided me with emergency voice coaching prior to a performance. Because of (Diane’s) coaching, I was able to fully support my voice and maintain my vocal health throughout the length of the run.”

~Kyra Baker, actress

 

Diane has served as a superb voice, speech, and dialect coach… I am exceedingly grateful to her for our work together,

~Doug Wager,

Artistic Director for Temple Theaters/former Artistic Director of the Arena Stage in Washington, DC

 

 

 

 

 

• Experience Voice Design, as the overall vocal sound of a production, is orchestrated to suit the time period, place, textual demands, style, and unique characteristics of the production.

• Be emotionally inspired by the language 

• Acquire skills in script and character interpretation 

• Increase volume, resonance, and intelligibility

• Maintain vocal health

• Get assistance during vocal emergencies (laryngitis, hoarseness, and vocal discomfort)

• Prepare for auditions

• Address the challenges of a particular role, style, or performance space

• Develop believable and intelligible stage dialects

• Healthily adopt varying character voices

• Effectively work with stylized language and comic timing

• Learn verbatim theatre and audio immersion techniques to build compelling characters based on recordings of real people

 

 

2 Types of Vocal Coaching

 

The cast of a play 

A play’s vocal coach designs the vocal expression of an entire production.   The vocal coach is responsible for the cast’s vocal health, volume, intelligibility, language usage, the creation of character voices, and any technical vocal adjustments that the performance space and style of the play required.  The production may also require the vocal coach to design dialects that are understandable but believable while reflecting the character, style, and time period of the play.  In certain circumstances, the vocal coach is asked to design methods of creating character and style through vocal use.

 

 

Individual Vocal Coaching

Vocal coaching on the individual level covers the same issues as group coaching but with individual attention and focus on one performer. Individual vocal coaching prepares you for auditions, roles, and specific challenging vocal issues.

 

 

A Note to Singers

Click on the following for Information pertaining to Singers:

• Alexander Technique

• Estill Voice Training™

• Feldenkrais Method®

• Lessac System of Voice and Body Training

• Benefits-Performers

 

 

Vocal and Dialect Coaching, Representative Shows:

As You Like It, Arcadia, Bengal Tiger in the Bagdad Zoo, Blithe Spirit, Bonjour la Bonjour, Caucasian Chalk Circle, The Children’s Hour, Crimes of the Heart, Dancing at Lughnasa, Darker Face of the Earth, Glass Menagerie, Harvey, House of Blue Leaves, In Conflict, Julius Caesar, Puddin’ Head Wilson, The Matchmaker, The Merchant of Venice, Metamorphoses, Midsummer Night’s Dream, Odd Girl Out, Shout – the musical, Time of Your Life, Top Girls, Vanities, Winnie the Pooh, The Wizard of OZ