Accents and Dialects for Stage and Screen

This easy-to-follow yet incredibly detailed 370-page book is the industry standard on accents and dialects of the English language. Paul Meier is a leading dialect coach for theatre and film, and contained in this impressive publication is his repertoire of 24 of the most valuable accents and dialects for actors: Afrikaans (South Africa), American Deep South, American Southern (Mid-South), Australian, Cockney, Downeast New England, French, General American, German, Hampshire, Indian, Irish, Italian, Liverpool, New York, Northern Ireland, Russian, Scottish, South Boston, Spanish (Castilian & Colonial), Standard British English (Received Pronunciation), Welsh, Yiddish, and Yorkshire. Coaching famous actors (Tobey Maguire, Tom Wilkinson, Mark Ruffalo, etc.), Meier has also taught dialects at RADA, LAMDA, Webber-Douglas, the North Carolina School of the Arts, and other famous institutions in Britain and the United States. In addition to his user-friendly practice material, for each dialect Paul coaches you in two monologues (one male and one female) from a well-known play or film, and links you to the hundreds of online recordings of native speakers on his International Dialects of English Archive (IDEA). Further enhancing the book’s value are interactive IPA phonetics charts, plus information on his show-specific recordings for hundreds of plays and musicals, Shakespeare instruction, accent reduction, and coaching services. Easy enough for the beginner, rigorous enough for the experienced professional.