A two-day speech and acting workshop for individuals 50 and older is being offered by The Performing Arts Studio June 23 and 24.

The workshop is scheduled for 1-4 p.m. both days at PAS’s home in the historic Santa Fe Depot, 200 S. Jones Ave. It will be led by prominent vocal coach and teacher Rena Cook, an associate professor at the University of Oklahoma. Cook holds the Irene and Julian J. Rothbaum Presidential Professorship of Excellence in the Arts at OU.

PAS’s Second Stage Players, which performs various types of readers’ theatre throughout the Norman and surrounding communities, will serve as hosts for the workshop. Second Stage Players recently performed two live scripts at various Pioneer Library System locations as part of The Big Read 2010.

The first day of the workshop, “Voice in Action,” will focus on breath and voice work and integrating the two into acting.

“A step beyond traditional actor voice training, my voice workshops use toys and props to illuminate the essential aspects of voice – breath support, resonance, open vocal tract, optimum pitch, articulation - leading to grounded, authentic vocal usage, expanding range, and broadening physical expression and connections,” Cook explained. “The day will end with monologue work where the principles taught will be taken to the stage.”

The second day, “Dialects in Action,” will consist of a comprehensive vocal warm up, followed by work with a process for learning dialects. Participants will then choose several dialects to study and apply to real acting situations.

Cook has vocal coached such shows as Great Expectations, Dancing at Lughnasa, and Anna in the Tropics.  She is co-author and editor of Breath in Action: The Art of Breath in Vocal and Holistic Practice and has presented workshops throughout the United States and United Kingdom. 

Tuition for the workshop is $40 per person and enrollment is limited to 30. Space permitting, registration will continue until June 23. To register or for more information, contact PAS at (405)307-9320 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .