SPEAKING OF...

Conversations on Voice, Speech, and Identity with Ryan O'Shea

Speaking Of… is a show about how we use our voices in performance and in everyday life. Through conversations with performers, teachers, and anyone who has a voice, voice and speech coach Ryan O'Shea explores questions about how our voices and the ways we speak help shape and express our identity. Can someone's voice tell you whether or not they're a good person? Is there any way to change how you sound without feeling inauthentic? We'll examine these questions and many more in the course of the show by combining practical exercises and conceptual discussions about what it means to utilize your voice.

To learn more about Ryan O'Shea, or the techniques she teaches, go here.

Click the icons below to listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Ep. 18: “Is there such a thing as a ‘natural’ accent?”

“There are so many different ways that that transition into a new color of your accent can happen. It can be learned, or it can be someth...

Ep. 17: “How do I manipulate the volume of my voice?”

“‘I usually default to—and I totally own this—a very powerful, loud, in-your-face type of voice. And not all scenarios call for that, esp...

Ep. 16: “What are your thoughts on the [So-Called] African-American Vernacular of English?”

“‘African-American Vernacular of English’ has certain implications just because of the title—because of the fact that it has ‘African-Ame...

Ep. 15: “Why do we make assumptions about individual’s race based on how they sound?”

“My teachers encouraged me to own my “Blackness,” whatever that meant, and to own my “gayness,” whatever that meant…Feeling empowered to ...

Ep. 14: Mailbag: Listener Questions! —with Speech Therapist/Voice Expert, Joanna Cazden

“If you don’t take care of your vocal cords, the world will not help you.” – Joanna Cazden On this episode of Speaking Of… I’m joined by ...

Ep. 13: What is “The Actor’s Practice”?—with Helena Walsh

“I want artists and actors to have rich, complex human experience open in their lives, as well as in their art form, and not just feel, ‘...

Ep. 12: How can I help myself be more present when I’m feeling overwhelmed?

“With any sort of performance I had, if I couldn’t emotionally get there, then I’d think it wasn’t good. So when I start a performance, a...

Ep. 11: What is a “Shakespeare voice”?

“If you’re in the place of ‘everything feels good and easy,’ that’s probably not a good orientation in terms of these words and this lang...

Ep. 10: How do I release my voice when I’m under stress?

“When I get into that fight-or-flight response, one of the first things to go is my voice.” – Vivi Devereaux On this episode of Speaking ...

Ep. 9: Mailbag—Listener Questions!

On this episode of Speaking Of… I’m answering listener questions! My boyfriend, Cam, co-hosted with me, serving as the reader of question...

Ep. 8: What is a "woman's voice"?

“Because I don’t feel like I’m seen fully as a human…I feel like I need to push.” – Lisa Ermel On this episode of Speaking Of… I’m joined...

Ep. 7: How can I express myself without vocal fry? What warm-up should I do before going on set?

“I realized coming to Los Angeles that there’s not a strong emphasis on voice—or at least I didn’t notice that. I felt that I had lost so...

Ep 6: Why do I sometimes drop off my words in performance? And how do I project my voice on stage?

“I’m mostly used to camera-work and being mic-ed up, so that I can talk and if I get quiet people can hear me. But this is my first time ...

Ep. 5: Why do I feel fine having conversations in meetings, but feel nervous giving presentations?

“I feel really comfortable when I’m just discussing whatever the topic at hand is. But it could be the same topic and if it’s presented a...

Ep. 4: How does our posture affect our breath?

“I have to tell myself to breathe, but even when I do, I don’t feel like I’m getting a full breath.” –Arianne Villareal On this episode o...

Ep. 3: What makes a voice masculine or feminine? What does it mean to have a “gay” voice?

“Maybe the voice is the root of vulnerability for a human, and we just don’t really realize it.” – Kevin Whitmire On this episode of Spea...

Ep. 2: How does our ancestors’ experience of their voice affect ours?

“I have a lot of fun playing with accents in Spanish, and I wish I wasn’t so shy and so closed off to trying to do it in English. But ult...

Ep. 1: Can the sound of someone’s voice tell you whether they’re a good or bad person?

“Her voice was like a pinch.” – Daniel Jaar For the very first episode of Speaking Of… I’m joined by my friend and singer Daniel Jaar. Da...

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