“An extraordinary class! I grew so much. I am a better actress and a far better listener. I have an incredible system now to create a three-dimensional character very quickly - even a real life one! I feel freer. I feel fuller. I trust myself more. I’m breathing better. And I feel reinvigorated by curiosity for craft and humanity and restored in my faith of the same.” -- Sarah Corey

This month long acting and voice class offers the actor an unique opportunity to delve deeply into character transformation, to expand our empathic connection to the stories we tell, to lend our voice to the people who populate our communities and to listen at a time when listening is of vital importance.

Inspired by the interview-based work of Anna Deavere Smith, Tectonic Theater Project, Evan Yionoulis and Beth McGuire of Yale School of Drama and others, a primary component of the class involves each actor conducting an interview with a person from outside of the class. Using an audio recording of the interview, a verbatim transcription will become the actor’s text and the person interviewed, their character.

Co-taught by Yale School of Drama faculty member, Louis Colaianni and actor and acting instructor, Brian McManamon, this class highlights the actor’s responsibility to authentically embody the characters we play and the centrality of storytelling to our work as theater artists.

We recognize that Black and Indigenous people are the most vulnerable among us. We acknowledge the racism and white supremacy of our culture, including the theater industrial complex, and that we have benefited from these systems. We are committed to creating an anti-racist, inclusive classroom which promotes a safe and equitable place for students of racial, ethnic, gender, cultural, class, and other differences.

July 12th - August 2nd
Mondays & Fridays
12pm-5pm EST (with 1 hour lunch break)
$970

The class will take place via Zoom and is limited to 12 participants.

To be considered for the class, please fill out the form below.

STUDENT TESTIMONIALS

"By interviewing another human being and then embodying and 'giving voice' to them, this class is a crash course in radical empathy and creating character with nuance, dignity and truth. Brian and Louis are wonderful guides and create a space where being brave and creating sensitive work feels truly possible - a profound and gratifying experience!" -- Jennifer Taher

"This class has transformed my purpose of why I act. I was able to use my voice and body to give life and uplift another person’s story. The class is a safe place to explore and discover, and no matter where you are on your journey, Brian and Louis are there to guide and support you. Also, I was wary about the Zoom platform but it did not take away from the experience at all! If you have any hesitation, don’t! You’ll gain so much as a person and artist!" —Lolade Agunbiade

"I can't recommend this class enough. This class has made me a more dedicated and focused actor and a more connected version of myself. We were given space to simply breathe -- to voice our own truths -- and to gift our voice to another. Brian and Louis conduct each class, with humor, humility and honesty. Acting is personal and private, public and freeing. Brian and Louis give you the space to practice that brave turn with a community of like-minded artists wishing to do the same." --Christopher Ellis

"Giving Voice is so much more than a speech and interview acting class. It turned the tiny Zoom boxes into portals to different worlds and reminded us that we are not alone. The class improved my ability as an actor to soften my self-judging habits and move to a loving balance of self and character acceptance. Please register for this class, Brian and Louis are the best team to lead you through this wonderful journey." -- Zhiyi Han

"Overflowing with empathy, trust, and togetherness, Louis and Brian guide the class in techniques and exercises that ask us to bring our fullest selves to our characters, creating a space for artistry and bravery that is free from pressure and expectations. In this time of isolation, this Zoom class has been a true gift -- providing connection, generosity, honesty, and play. I cannot recommend this class (and the Louis-and-Brian duo!) enough!" -- Lida Benson

"This class gave me tangible action steps towards becoming closer with a character; from there, I was able to be more confident and specific with my choices as well as develop a tremendous amount of empathy for a character. I was able to leave the class not only with a step-by-step process to take with me as I approach future characters, but with a stronger skill of listening and a deeper understanding that we all as humans want and need to be seen. I highly recommend this class." --Sarah Joyce

"Brian and Louis are extremely knowledgeable and responsible with their students. They provided a safe but also challenging environment that gives students the time and place to explore. This class has to do with connection and relating. The unique circumstances of having this class virtually made the class even more powerful." --Titus Van Hook

"Brian and Louis are the kindest, most patient, knowledgeable, and passionate acting coaches. Their approach to creating character through breath and interviews, with deep, thought provoking questions is inspiring. The use of breath to connect to yourself and others provides a powerful understanding of how breath can be used in acting. Even while on Zoom, the opportunity to connect with everyone in class was profound. I highly recommend it!" -- Nathan Grubbs

"This class changed my relationship to what we do as actors. Brian and Louis have a real talent for creating a space free from expectation and pressure that allows for the development of a technique that brings joy and ease into the performance process. The Zoom format never feels like an obstacle and rather allows the actors the ability to find comfort in their own space. If you've ever felt like your performances were the result of intense internal and external pressure, I highly recommend this workshop to help you explore a way of working that is light, easy and free." -- Reilly Willson

"This intensive--simply put--exceeded my expectations. A class I signed up for during the Covid lockdown proved to take me beyond the Zoom screen. It was truly hard for us to part at the end of class due to the enriching environment that kept us all connected throughout. I highly recommend this class. Gift this process to yourself. You won't be disappointed. Louis and Brian are a dynamic duo." -- Stutii Guptaa

LOUIS COLAIANNI is an acting, voice, speech and dialect coach in the professional theatre.

He is currently on the acting faculties of Syracuse University and Yale School of Drama.

He was adjunct associate professor at Pace University’s Actors Studio Drama School, and Vassar College, and has also taught at Columbia University, NYU Tisch School of the Arts, Trinity Repertory Theatre and Conservatory, Ohio University, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Dartmouth College, University of Pittsburgh, University of South Carolina, ACT, O’Neill Theatre Center. He has a teacher certification program for his method of Phonetics, Speech and Dialects, which is taught at North Carolina School of the Arts, Boston University, Folkwang Universitat der Kunste, Cork Institute of Technology-School Of Music, Edith Cowan University, Perth Australia, University of Southern California, University of New Mexico-Albuquerque, Azusa Pacific University, Philadelphia University of the Arts, the Terry Knickerbocker Studio, and other actor training programs.

He recently coached productions at Westport Country Playhouse, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Alabama Shakespeare Festival and Santa Fe Opera. For feature film he has coached Bill Murray for French Dispatch, Hyde Park On Hudson and St Vincent; Don Cheadle for Miles Ahead; America Ferrera for Cesar Chavez; Anna Gunn for Little Red Wagon, for three seasons, he coached the Amazon Prime series Red Oaks, and is currently coaching Trudie Styler for the recurring character of Eileen Ford for the FX series Pose. On Broadway he coached Madeleine Martin for August Osage County, and Will Ferrell for You’re Welcome America (also HBO). Off-Broadway he coached Even Ensler’s Emotional Creature and The LABirynth Theater’s The Little Flower Of East Orange. In regional theatre he served three seasons as Voice and Text Director at Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and has coached at Utah Shakespearean Festival, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, Shakespeare & Company, Shakespeare Festival of St Louis, Westport Country Playhouse, McCarter Theatre, Arizona Theatre Company, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Kansas City Rep, Trinity Rep, Seattle Rep, Milwaukee Rep.

He is the author of The Joy Of Phonetics and Accents, Bringing Speech To Life, How To Speak Shakespeare, and Shakespeare’s Names: a new pronouncing dictionary. He has given workshops in Shakespeare performance, voice, speech, phonetics and dialects in Europe, Australia and throughout the US.

BRIAN McMANAMON is an actor, acting instructor, director and acting coach in New York City.

He currently serves on the acting faculties of Syracuse University's Tepper Semester in New York City and the National Theater Institute (NTI) at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center.

He has taught and/or directed at the Juilliard School, Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, New York University/Tisch School of the Arts, the MFA program at Columbia University, NYSF/Public Theater, Manhattanville College, Vassar College’s Powerhouse Apprentice Training Program in association with New York Stage and Film, CAP21 and Yale University’s Dwight-Edgewood Project. Brian served as Artistic Director of the Shakespeare Academy at Stratford from 2015-2018.

Brian has studied with some of the most respected teachers of acting in America and abroad including Ron Van Lieu, Evan Yionoulis, Mark Wing-Davey, Austin Pendleton, Andrew Wade and the late John Barton. He has an MFA in acting from the Yale School of Drama and a BFA in acting from the School for Theater at Boston University. Brian is a proud member of the Actors Center Workshop Company and the National Alliance of Acting Teachers.

As an acting coach, Brian works with beginning and established clients for film, television and theater. He specializes in preparing actors for graduate school auditions. Each year his clients go on to attend the top graduate acting schools in the country.