Dialects for Actors - French Accent

I am currently rehearsing for a play that requires a French dialect. I have never been one to pick up dialects easily by ear. In fact, there are only 2 dialects (other than my native Californian) that I consider myself convincing in: Standard British and Southern. So when faced with French I had a bit of a panic attack. I envisioned Lumiere in Beauty and the Beast. How on earth was I going to be THAT French?! Upon further reflection I realized that there are variations and subtleties to the dialect. We don't always have to be a caricature on stage, unless it is desired for some type of effect. As actors we need to foremost be understood. The question then became, where do I begin?

Step 1: Listen to Native French Speakers

If you have a friend, family member, or acquaintance that belongs to the country you are trying to imitate, have them pronounce some words or sentences for you. For example, I have a friend from London that assists me with my English dialect all the time. We often Skype and compare pronunciations and read scripts to each other. Just be careful to put your own spin on things. Don't get stuck in a repetition, reading the same line over and over again the same way. Be creative!

If the above suggestion is not an option, try a Youtube search or watch movies with your favorite French characters. You may make some discoveries there.

I began my exploration by listening to native French speakers on the International Dialect of English Archive.

Step 2: Find the Place of Resonance

For the French dialect, the resonance is located in the back of the mouth and at the bottom of the uvula (the fleshy extension at the back of the soft palate that hangs above the throat). Vowels that are near "m," "n," and "ng" become very nasal. Visualize the point of resonance and adding vibration to the nasal cavity will do wonders for your French dialect.

I had great success finding the place of residence by listening to the vocal coaching and instructional exercises by David Alan Stern, ph.D. You can purchase Acting with an Accent (French) at Samuel French or visit Dialect Accent Specialists, Inc.

I also find that it helps to anchor your tongue behind your bottom teeth. This is how the French are taught to speak. You may be surprised how authentic your accent sounds simply by following these guidelines!

Step 3: Be Aware of Sound Changes - Vowel and Consonant Substitutions

Making adjustments to the vowel sounds in a dialect can be monumental. For example, in the French dialect the short "i" (as in "finish") becomes a long "ee" (as in "feet").

There are also consonant substitutions that make all the difference. For instance, the voiced "th" sound (as in "this" and "that") becomes a "z" or "dz" sound, while the unvoiced "th" (as in "thin") becomes an "s" sound.

I found the following website very helpful with great FREE examples, complete with audio files! Click Here!

Step 4: Rhythm, Pitch, and Stresses 

French is a musical language and typically gives the stress to the last syllable in multi-syllable words. Ivan Borodin has a very good Youtube video on this topic (see below). You may also want to check out his other accent tutorials.



Step 5: Practice, Practice, Practice!

Stay away from your script for a little while. Don't practice the same lines over and over again until you have a good handle on the accent. I recommend reading aloud and improving dialog until it becomes second nature. Then apply your new found skills to your script! I even wrote out all of my lines phonetically per the dialect's sound changes and wrote accent marks above the words or syllables I wanted to highlight. The more work you put in, the better your accent will get. Now get out there and have fun!

Americana Closing!

Tonight we closed Americana at STAGEStheatre. I feel so blessed to have had such a great run with such a talented director and cast. The staff and crew at Stage had been like family. It is not often that original pieces are given such support and attention. I am grateful for the many packed houses and publicity this show has provided. More importantly, this show has reaffirmed my love of comedy. It is good to have the laughing juices run through my veins again. I can't wait to have another go at tickling your funny bone with my next project. More information coming soon. Stay tuned!

Jason Sutton & Jamie Sowers in "No Salesman Will Call" (Americana)

Shakespeare Institute Players' As You Like It mentioned alongside the RSC!

I just stumbled across this review of As you Like It - Sandra Holt, of The Stratford Herald, recently praised the Shakespeare Institute Players in her latest review of the RSC’s As You Like It. It seems the Institute’s production of As You Like It turned some heads in Stratford-upon-Avon. In her mention she praised our production as “beautifully performed” and named this year’s RSC production as a “runner-up in the Stratford staging stakes”. Of course I am not delusional enough to believe that the greater theatrical community found our production more intriguing than that of the Royal Shakespeare Company (Pippa Nixon is my all-time favorite RSC actress afterall), but I am certainly glad that we made an impression and are still being talked about nearly a year later. I feel so blessed and honored to have played Rosalind with the Shakespeare Institute Players and I am so proud of everyone involved.

Romeo and Juliet Opening / Closing!

It is not often that I blog about the opening and closing of a show simultaneously, but with only two performances of Santa Fe Springs Playhouse’s production of Romeo & Juliet it seems necessary. I am grateful for the opportunity to bring Shakespeare to the community of Santa Fe Springs and perform the beautiful venue of Heritage Park. I dedicated a lot of time and effort into playing Mercutio, yet it feels as though I hardly know him. This production has provided an incredible learning experience for me, challenging my skills and bringing me out of my comfort zone. Who knew that the straight-laced, feminine, little ol’ me would play a pot-smoking version of one of Shakespeare’s greatest homoerotic male characters? It was a challenge I was willing to face. I hope that during this process I achieved the openness and relaxed portrayal of wit, courage, loyalty, and intrigue that I see in Mercutio. With such a short run, it is hard to say that I reached my full potential in this coveted role, but I can say I had a great time playing with my cast-mates. Love and Peace.

Romeo and Juliet Casting!

I am proud to announce that I will be reuniting with director Kaitlyn Tice for another Shakespeare classic. Get ready for more bawdy jokes! This little lady is putting her man pants back on to play Mercutio in Romeo & Juliet at the Santa Fe Springs Playhouse. There will be 2 performances only, with an option to relocate the production to the La Habra Depot for additional performances.

The first read-through is tonight. I am looking forward to beginning this journey. Let's get Queen Mab's chariot on the road! Zounds the Montague and Capulet groupies! - It's TEAM MERCUTIO all the way!

Mmmm...Hmmm... Mr. Marmalade!

Noah Haidle's Mr. Marmalade, directed by Olivia Trevino for the Garage Theatre evokes laughter, pain and a greater sense of imagination. What begins as innocent make-believe transforms into a dark horrific exploration of adult relationships.

Cali Dunaway plays Lucy, a 4-year-old with a vivid adult imagination. The audience follows this bold and fearless young actress into a twisted version of childhood pretend. Her imaginary friend, Mr. Marmalade presents himself as a self-indulgent scoundrel, generally destroying Lucy’s perfect world with his cocaine habits, porno, abuse and alcoholism. Angel Correa attacks the role of Mr. Marmalade with vigor and humor in his over-the-top performance.

Performances are 8pm, Thur. - Sat. The show runs until May 21. Tickets are $15-20. The Theatre is located at 251 E. Seventh Street, Long Beach. For more info call (866) 811-4111 or visit http://www.thegaragetheatre.org/

A+ to CSULB Theatrefest

The 10th Annual CSULB Theatrefest proved to be quite an experience. I listened to about 20 comedic monologues over the course of 3 hours. Thank goodness the students brought some energy and light into the dimly lit, dreary classroom setting. There were probably as many successes as there were failures yesterday. However, the valuable learning experience provided to these high school students is immeasurable. There is nothing more relevant to an actor then to see their peers perform, and to get feedback early on in their craft. My only experience of this type in high school was competing at the Chapman Shakespeare Festival, which inspired me to attend the university for my undergraduate work. My favorite performance of the day was a young man who performed Cyrano De Bergerac (and no I didn't favor him just because I love the play). It was amazing to me that he would take on such a challenging piece of theatre and hit the nail on the head, especially at the tender age of sixteen. Most importantly I admire the bravery of the students I saw this weekend. It is one thing to perform safely in your classroom, and another to perform in front of strangers in unfamiliar territory. I think there is great hope in the upcoming generation of actors.

10th Annual CSULB Theatrefest

I have been asked to serve as a judge for my second consecutive year at 10th Annual CSULB Theatrefest, on April 16th and 17th. Last year I served on the judging panel for the classical scene semi-finalists. This year they have changed the program, so I will be involved in judging the comedic scenes semi-finals, which will include classical and contemporary selections. I am excited at the prospect to provide feedback to the young actors in attendance and perhaps even learn a few things from them as well.

What is "Art"?

I am in Chicago! What a beautiful city! Oh, just a heads up for out-of-towners, your GPS will not work between skyscrapers. However, if you have to get lost, Chicago is the place to be. Between visits to the Billy Goat Tavern, Sears Tower, John Hancock Observatory, Navy Pier, Buckingham Fountain, Field Museum, Millennium Park and the Shedd Aquarium, I was able to visit the Steppenwolf for their production of Art. (fshew! I am exhausted.) When I walked into Chicago’s Steppenwolf to see Art by Yasmina Reza, translated by Christopher Hampton, I thought I would see a play about art, as the title suggests. What I found was a play about the power of friendship. This was my first visit to Chicago and I have to say that the theatre scene there is astounding. I enjoyed the intimacy of the theatre. I found the play to be thought provoking and tragically comical. The story begins when Serge purchases a piece of abstract “art” featuring a white on white canvas with hints of white for purchased for 200,000 francs. His choice to spend a fortune on such a controversial piece causes friction between him and his best friend Marc. Their mutual friend Yvan, finds something tranquil in what he sees, but Marc only sees Serge as caring more for a piece of blank canvas than their friendship. The three not only clash over the painting, but over their private lives, and their treatment of each other. They test each other’s limits through hilarious anecdotes, which left me rolling with laughter. In the end there are revelations made by all parties, and Serge makes a shocking gesture to prove his commitment to their friendship. It makes me question: What is art? What makes art valuable? What makes a friendship valuable? What does it take to be a good friend?