A dialogic approach to actor voice training : applying findings from Conversation Analysis to the work of voice coaches

Szczepek Reed, Beatrice and Whitaker, Anne (2025) A dialogic approach to actor voice training : applying findings from Conversation Analysis to the work of voice coaches. Applied Linguistics, 46 (5). pp. 758-773. ISSN 0142-6001

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Abstract

This contribution explores the opportunities afforded by research on the prosody of naturally-occurring talk for the work of actor voice coaches. An analysis of actor voice textbooks shows that current actor education conceptualizes speech as a product of the individual speaker, with a focus on learning lines and soliloquies. However, some actor educators have called for ‘a dynamic and spontaneous responsiveness to create real communication’ (Gutekunst and Gillett 2014: 9). This aligns with research in the field of Conversation Analysis, which shows that prosody is a dialogic rather than a monologic domain of language. In natural conversation, speakers align prosodically with other speakers, thereby building a non-verbal bridge irrespective of the content of their talk. These insights have not yet been applied to actor voice education, where they have the potential to transform dialogue coaching. The paper provides an overview of conversation analytic work on prosody and juxtaposes this with a thematic analysis of how current actor voice training conceptualizes voice. Subsequently, it outlines areas for cross-fertilization with benefits for both fields.