Colin Bernhardt

 So to Speak previous next   Ekstasis Editions

This long overdue text is a welcome reminder of how essential good speech and deportment are, not just to my profession but to the quality of life in general. Written with care, authority and devotion, Colin Bernhardt’s excellent book belongs on all our shelves. Certainly no young actor should be without it.

Christopher Plummer

Every single day we depend upon our voice to communicate with others. For the actor, singer or writer the development of voice is an essential aspect of training, but others also recognize the need to speak effectively in their work or creative life. In So To Speak: A Personal Approach to Voice actor/director and acclaimed speech educator Colin Bernhardt shares a remarkable exploration of voice development. Engagingly written and elegantly illustrated, So To Speak contains a series of clearly-explained exercises taken from Bernhardt’s inspiring work with actors, singers and writers. Drawing upon far-reaching sources and techniques, from voice pioneer Kristin Linklater to philosopher Rudolph Steiner and visionary Jean Houston, So To Speak leads the reader on a guided journey to the source of speech – the inner self and its need to communicate. In the process the reader gains self-awareness and the ability to perform with confidence on stage or in life. So To Speak is destined to be a classic reference for every drama, performing arts or creative writing school or faculty and a cherished volume for all who seek to communicate effectively.

Actor, director and teacher, Colin Bernhardt has been an inspiring guide in the development of the natural voice for thousands of participants in classes and workshops in Canada and internationally. He has worked with Stratford Festival Shakespeareans, Metropolitan Opera singers, theatre and film artists as well as writers, teachers, and communicators in myriad disciplines. He is a theatre director, co-founder of the Atlantic Theatre Festival in Wolfville, Nova Scotia as well as Associate Professor of English at Acadia University and a member of the Writing faculty of the Banff Centre School of Fine Arts. So to Speak is his first book. Colin Bernhardt lives in Wolfville, Nova Scotia.

ISBN 1-896860-76-1
Non-fiction/theatre
144 Pages
$19.95
6 x 9 format
Now available