Dear Fellow Stuttering Actors, I’ve often heard the stage nicknamed an “actor’s playground”. But really, we can conjure up a dynamic space for ourselves anywhere. My living room has been exploited as a landing pan to crash-courses (emphasis on the crash) in stage falls. And every theatre major knows the feeling of stumbling upon the …
A Stuttering Actor’s Process: Musicality Found In Speaking Read More »
I’m kind of ( haha, not kind of… I am) a lifelong Sesame Street fiend. A not so mini shrine to Mr. Snuffleupagus exists on my bookshelf, and I will wear that fact about myself with unyielding pride. But some of my most distinct childhood memories of the show actually have nothing to do with …
Stuttering Spotlight: A Look at James Earl Jones Read More »
Extra, extra! Read all about it! I’d love to see Jack Kelly from Newsies (2012.) portrayed with a stutter! A brief rundown: Jack Kelly is the unofficial leader of the newsies, a group of orphaned newsboys who find themselves staring down Goliath when they initiate a strike against Joseph Pulitzer (and his abuse of the …
Giving a Stutter to Famous Lead Roles: Jack Kelly Read More »
There are several components of camp SAY that give it the aesthetic of your ordinary, straight out of an 80s movie summer camp. The lakeside backdrop is there to give us an ideal scenic setting. A rustic mess hall acts as a hub, filled to the brim and bursting with juvenile energy as you would …
My Beautiful Stutter, Reviewed By A Stuttering Pro Read More »
Despite what can sometimes seem like one endless struggle, if you’re a stutterer who aspires to be a performer, I’d like to extend this reminder: You are fully capable of finding success. And that includes having successful auditions, too. I’ve done it my fair share of times, and I know other strong, stuttering actors who …
Ultimately, there’s no denying the amount of raw talent, musical prowess, and emotional versatility needed to pull off a powerhouse role like Evan Hansen (Pasek and Paul’s Dear Evan Hansen). Especially after the incomparable Ben Platt set such an annoyingly high bar for any predecessors. That being said, I’m not going to spend my time …
Last Christmas, my uncle, a fellow stuttering individual, thoughtfully gifted me a copy of the book Famous Stutterers by Gerald R. McDermott. To be frank, at that moment I had only heard of a handful of celebrities who dealt with speech impediments. (Enter Emily Blunt and James Earl Jones.) One might say my breadth of …