Voice Coaching is not just for actors.

Actors wanting to create more memorable characters
Teachers whose voices are tired at the end of each day
Doctors wanting to improve “bedside manner”
Politicians having a hard time connecting to voters

anyone

wanting to speak up at staff meetings, give a compelling presentation, share their expertise, or overcome the anxiety of public speaking:
I want to help you say what needs to be said, and say it well.

Saying what needs to be said isn’t always easy, but this skill can absolutely be taught. Not with  tricks, shortcuts, or “hacks,” but with practical, embodied exercises that harness the power of your own body and breath to allow you to consistently  speak with clarity, compassion, and connection. 


My teaching is based in the methods of Patsy Rodenburg, OBE, who is widely considered the foremost authority on voice in the English language. This approach puts the human being first, asking us to identify and release tensions that are restricting our ability to fully meet the words.

Freeing breath and the body allows us to actively meet the text we are delivering:

It really comes down to being present to the words, in the world, and with each other.

Patsy Rodenburg has taught voice everywhere from the Royal Shakespeare Company to women’s prisons, and worked with everyone from elementary school teachers to Olympic athletes to Prime Ministers. She has written numerous books on voice including The Right to Speak, Speaking Shakespeare, The Second Circle, and most recently The Woman’s Voice.

I have been a storyteller for as long as I can remember.

Teaching
has always been
the root
of this passion. 

My ultimate desire is to guide people on an imaginative journey that shakes them alive, breaks something new open, or reminds them of something once forgotten. Sometimes I can do that as an actor. Sometimes as a producer. But always, I’ve learned, as a teacher.

My acting and teaching has been profoundly influenced by Patsy Rodenburg, whose approach to speaking and interacting in the world makes sense in a way that no other “method” ever has. Her work has allowed me to see the value of the different ways I’ve been taught across my career, even while building a stronger foundation to support all of them.

I undertook the challenging and rewarding endeavor of studying with Patsy alongside a group for several months to become a Patsy Rodenburg Associate.

Work With Me

Be heard clearly, land that presentation, communicate your ideas, win people to your cause, put folks at ease.

Together, we’ll grow confidence, compassion, and clarity in your voice.

Classes include:

Introduction to the work of Patsy Rodenburg

The Three Circles of Energy (™)

Shakespeare Out Loud

Ensemble: What It Really Means, And Why We Really Need It

  • Are you often asked to speak up, or do people tend to tune you out after a few minutes? Do you dread making presentations; or do you enjoy them, but feel like no one takes your ideas seriously?

    Willie offers one-on-one coaching for anyone who wants to improve in these areas and more.

  • One of the greatest assets in a group format is that you get to interact with other people who are serious about the work, just like you are.

    You will work on exercises on your own but also with your classmates. You get to observe them and their process, just as they will observe yours.

    In most classes, I will work with each student individually as well, and through this invaluable combination of the individual and group work, you will discover what the next step forward is for you personally, and we will work on getting there together.