Speaking Of... Conversations on Voice, Speech, and Identity with Ryan O'Shea

Mailbag: Listener Questions! —with Speech Therapist/Voice Expert, Joanna Cazden

On this episode of Speaking Of… I’m joined by my colleague, Joanna Cazden. Joanna is a speech pathologist, with a specialty in vocal health. She’s also a singer and a certified teacher of Fitzmaurice Voicework, so she has a well-rounded approach of marrying health and technique in performance. In this episode, I ask Joanna questions from YOU, our listeners. We cover everything from which type of tea is best for your voice to what vocal nodules are to what tongue tension could be telling us. You can find complete show notes and links to everything we’ve mentioned in the episode on https://www.voiceandspeechwithryan.com/podcast.

BONUS: The Breath and Voice For Actors (Ryan O'Shea on "The Modern Actor" Podcast)

In this bonus episode, I'm a guest on The Modern Actor Podcast talking about the importance of actor training for breath and voice.For more on The Modern Actor Podcast: https://www.the-modern-actor.com/podcastFor more on Speaking Of...Conversations on Voice, Speech, and Identity with Ryan O'Shea: https://www.voiceandspeechwithryan.com/podcast

What is “The Actor’s Practice”?—with Helena Walsh

In this episode of Speaking Of… I’m joined by my friend and colleague, Helena Walsh. Helena has a thriving voice studio in Dublin, Ireland, though her teaching covers so much more than voice. One of Helena’s current class offerings is called “The Actor’s Practice,” a 10 week advanced actor training practice using Fitzmaurice Voicework, Organic Intelligence and other leading voice and body methods. The class aims to “build resilience in the mind & body so that the imagination can be free to create a more energized and vibrant sense of self, character & storytelling. This resilience will make it easier to risk in life, in an audition, in the rehearsal room, on set & on stage.” Helena is a brilliant teacher and mentor, and I took the opportunity to ask Helena about how she developed her class, and what practices she recommends actors develop regardless of where they are in their career.You can find complete show notes and links to everything we’ve mentioned in the episode on https://www.voiceandspeechwithryan.com/podcast.

How can I help myself be more present when I’m feeling overwhelmed?—with Jessica Barrett Denison

On this episode of Speaking Of… I’m joined by my friend, actor-writer-photographer-editor, Jessica Barrett Denison aka Jess. Jess asked the question, “When I shut down, how do I come back?” The way I reframed Jess’ question was “How can I help myself be more present when I feel overwhelmed?” Her question is relatable to performers, especially if you ever have a feeling being “stuck” when the performance isn’t going the way you think it “should” be. And it’s also relevant for anyone with any degree of social anxiety. In the episode, we talk about some tools and concepts for helping you get present with what matters, whether you’re in performance or in conversation.You can find complete show notes and links to everything we’ve mentioned in the episode on https://www.voiceandspeechwithryan.com/podcast.

What is a "Shakespeare voice?" —with Scott Ferrara

On this episode of Speaking Of… I’m joined by my friend, voice and acting teacher, Scott Ferrara. Scott specializes in coaching voice as well as acting for classical texts. He joined me to talk about “Shakespeare voice”—the tone and accent that many actors often go to when first exploring Shakespeare in performance. We talked about why he believes this is so common, and he shared some tools and experience for how to guide actors toward their more authentic voice. (And it is far more advanced than saying “Hey, don’t do that voice.”) While the main conversation is from the context of Shakespeare in performance, the conversation is absolutely relevant for actors of all genres and mediums, and even for non-performers interested in finding their more authentic voice.You can find complete show notes and links to everything we’ve mentioned in the episode on https://www.voiceandspeechwithryan.com/podcast.