Voice and the Young Actor - A Workbook and DVD

Drama teachers, frequently ask "How can I get my students to speak up, to be clear, to articulate?"

Voice and the Young Actor is written for the school actor, is inviting in format, language and illustration and offers clear and inspiring instructions

The included DVD features 85 mins and 28 filmed voice workshop exercises with the author and two students

These students log their reflections in the book on what they have learned throughout their training and there is space for the reader to do the same

A Workbook in format, Voice and the Young Actor provides simple, interactive vocal exercises and shows young performers how to take voice work into acting

REVIEWS

"Many high school theatre teachers do not have access to intensive voice instruction. Rena's book will fill that void. It is instructive, concise, easy to understand, and most importantly for the high school student, fun. High school teachers will find the book an invaluable voice and acting resource. It would be beneficial to all high school theatre programs to have Voice and the Young Actor as a textbook"
~ Kim Moore, High School Teacher, Colorado, Texas

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"Rena Cook's voice workbook is a must have in any High School performance curriculum, whether it be theatre, speech or a musical theatre course, this book is invaluable. As an individual one could greatly benefit from this book; as a teacher it is invaluable

I know of no other resource as comprehensive as this to train young people to use their instrument effectively!

The book is perfectly laid out, user friendly and is completely solid in method and approach!

Discussion questions assist in providing for extension of activities and reflection opportunity encourages meta-cognition during the process of training one's voice; this is not just filled with great technique but also awesome pedagogy!

Teacher tips are abundant and incredible

Ms. Cook's experience as a master teacher are evident and she is generous in sharing not only her voice expertise, but also her pedagogical prowess with the reader

I cannot recommend this book and the accompanying included DVD highly enough

Every High School and Junior High Theatre & Speech class would benefit by incorporating this valuable and important guide to safe and effective use of the voice directly into the curriculum. A Must Have!
~ Jackie deMontmollin, Associate Director of Theatre Education, The University of Houston School of Theatre & Dance

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"This hugely entertaining, yet profoundly informative book by Rena Cook is destined to be a hit with the high-school drama student

In thirteen chapters, with come-hither titles like, "I hate my voice," "Why am I so tense?", and "No, I don't have marbles in my mouth," Cook's important addition to the literature is very welcome

Before becoming an internationally-known figure in the voice and speech world, Cook was, for sixteen years, a high-school drama teacher herself, so knows of which she speaks!

Without a trace of condescension, Cook includes fictional blogs from students wrestling with the vocal demands of the theatre they have so recently encountered, and she speaks directly to those concerns

She provides frequent and succinct summaries of her teaching, enjoyable and relevant exercises, and invites the user to make a journal-cum-blog of this excellent work book

Fully indexed, with a generous reading list, and wonderful photographs of "just-like-me" high-school actors at work on stage, this book will readily find a warm welcome among its intended readership"
~ Paul Meier

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"What an incredible resource and treasure this book is

Rena Cook breaks it down so simply and makes it so easy for anyone to follow. The exercises are meaningful and you see, hear and feel the results. The DVD is a great tool. You see the exercises as the students do them and Rena is so engaging in the video. I am incorporating more voice work into the classes I teach because I now feel more confident in being able to produce the desired results with the help of the book and DVD. This is a must have for any theater teacher"
~ Dusty Davidson