Dialect
Hone Dialects for Stage & Screen with Expert Coaching
Kirsten works with actors to develop authentic, powerful dialects for both stage and screen. She tailors her approach to fit each actor's style, offering:
Rules-Based Method: Perfect for auditions or building a repertoire of accents, this approach focuses on sound changes using phonetics or actor-specific spelling.
Auditory & Sensory Learning: Ideal for role preparation, this method uses recordings of real people to capture the structure, sounds, and musicality of an accent, helping actors find their ‘accent and voice donor.’
Trained by Louis Colaianni, creator of the Phonetic Pillow, Kirsten integrates the body into dialect work, helping actors connect physically, emotionally, and intellectually to the sounds they create.
PROPRIOCEPTION
or the difference that helps you succeed at making new sounds
Enhance Your Accent with Proprioception Training
Proprioception is the body’s ability to sense its position in space. While our feet are naturally proprioceptive, the tongue—essential for shaping sound—can also be trained to become more aware.
Kirsten works with actors to develop the ability to feel and understand the shaping of sounds. She guides you to connect with the sensations of new sounds, helping you learn and replicate the accents you need.
By training your tongue’s proprioception, you create new neural pathways that allow you to hear and repeat unfamiliar sounds, making accent work more intuitive and accurate.
AUDITION SESSION
or what happens in an hour when I need an accent for sides
Nail Your Accent for Auditions with Expert Coaching
Need an accent for an upcoming audition? Kirsten will guide you through the essential sound changes and help you master the lilt (musicality, rhythm, and resonance) in your first session. You’ll also work on your first few pages of text to bring the accent to life.
For audition sides, a one-hour session is perfect to learn the key sound changes, lilt, and mark up 3 pages of your script. You’ll receive practice sounds and files to reinforce your accent, ensuring you’re ready for the audition.
WHAT THEY SAY
feedback on working with Kirsten for an audition
"I always adore every time I work with Kirsten. She is not only very educated on the material and mechanics required to manipulate our vocal sounds, she is also wonderfully encouraging and patient. When I received an important audition notice requiring an accent I had never worked with before, Kirsten welcomed me into our meeting with a plethora of notes and video recordings. I feel very confident that I have the materials and training necessary to tackle this accent and audition. Much love to Kirsten!"
Sarah Queralt, actor
PREPARING A ROLE
or what happens when I need to prepare an accent for a filmed role
Perfect Your Accent for the Role with Expert Coaching
Once you've booked the job, Kirsten will help you find the perfect accent donor. She’ll provide recordings of the individual or use archived materials, highlighting the key sound changes that define their accent.
Kirsten will guide you in analyzing the subtle tensions and the shaping of the breath, mouth, and tongue that create this unique voice. Together, you'll dive deep into the entire script, exploring the nuances of the voice and how it enhances your character development.
Kirsten is available to support you in preproduction, during production, or throughout the ADR process upon request.
Book a session today and bring a fully realized, authentic accent to your role!
COACHING THE CAST
or how Kirsten can coach the dialects for your stage play
Achieve Authentic, Unified Accents for Your Cast with Expert Coaching
Kirsten has extensive experience coaching entire casts to achieve a uniform accent or prevent conflicting accents on stage. Her work creates a nuanced, accurate sound that remains easily understandable for the audience. While she’s committed to authenticity—rooted in the sounds of the play’s setting—she ensures the audience can follow the story seamlessly.
Kirsten’s notable credits include coaching accents for the West Coast Premiere of To Kill a Mockingbird (Aaron Sorkin), using archival recordings from the Library of Congress and local interviews from Monroeville, Alabama. She also coached eight distinct accents for Murder on the Orient Express, including Standard British, Brooklyn, Scottish, Russian, French, Belgian, Swedish, and Transatlantic 30s.
She’s worked on countless productions, including Kindertransport, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Playing for Time, and Lend Me a Tenor, ensuring each dialect is spot-on for the role.