Voice, Body and Soul

2:00-3:30 pm -- Annex Room
Improve Your Acting Skills to Get Cast More Often! This interactive workshop is taught by three master teachers Howard Fine (Acting), David Coury (Voice) and Jean-Louis Rodrigue (Alexander Technique).

The workshop is open to participants and observers. Those who wish to be considered for participation should bring a headshot, resume and two copies of their material. Short scenes with a partner (no longer than three minutes) or monologues (no longer than two minutes) should be prepared for presentation. The moderator will select a variety of material for the instructors to work with.

Actors will experience the power of this interdisciplinary approach as all three teachers work with each of the participants to cause powerful and lasting transformations.

Speakers

-- David Coury, Teacher
-- Jean-Louis Rodrigue, Teacher
-- Howard Fine, Teacher

SPEAKER BIOS

David Coury
David Coury is an international voice expert and teacher who has customized his method of "peak performance through voice-work" for a new generation of actors, including Ariel Winter, Carlos Pena, Emily Hahn, and Nolan Sotillo, as well as established artists such as Carla Gugino, Roger Bart, Ashley Tisdale, Billy Bush, Billy Ray Cyrus, Mariette Hartley, and Leona Lewis. Coury is the voice director of the Howard Fine Acting Studio, where he teaches his renowned "Singing for Actors" series.

"SFA" is a vocal-empowerment program based in the mastery of Coury's singing, speech, communication, and personalization techniques and their direct application to acting. The upper levels feature an extraordinary "experiential" open master class in which actors working live with Coury are witnessed by the industry and general public.

An industry thought leader, Coury has served as a voice analyst on Fox News Channel, "Access Hollywood," "Court TV," and K-Earth 101. He is an adviser to major corporations and professional services firms, including Deloitte, Avery Dennison, Trial Partners, and Orrick.

Coury was recently named a "Mover & Shaker" by leading self-help and transformational publisher Hay House, and his unique combining of the physical voice with the metaphysical voice—and its application to one's life—is helping many make a greater impact in the world. Of his many TV appearances, he cites the episode on ABC's original "Extreme Makeover" that featured his staggering transformation of a young rapper with a severe cleft palate.

"Everyone wants to make a difference, feel confident, and be heard," says Coury. "The voice ultimately can and will reflect who you really are. And for actors, because every character is and must be you, voice work is the foundation for bringing every character to life."

Jean-Louis Rodrigue
Jean-Louis Rodrigue is an internationally recognized teacher of the Alexander Technique and a pioneer in its application to the performing arts, somatic education, and health.

Rodrigue's client list includes Leonardo DiCaprio, Juliette Binoche, Hilary Swank, Josh Brolin, Helena Bonham Carter, Jonathan Pryce, and Chris Pine. He has worked for most of the major Hollywood film studios, Broadway, Royal Shakespeare Company, Cirque du Soleil, Verbier Festival, Los Angeles Philharmonic Institute, and the Berlinale Talent Campus.

Since 1988, he has been a member of the faculty at the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television. He has also been part of the continuing medical education faculty at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, and his work has been showcased through the UCLA Collaborative Centers for Integrative Medicine and its affiliated UCLArts and Healing program.

Howard Fine
Howard Fine is recognized as one of the premier acting teachers and most sought-after coaches in the entertainment industry. He is the author of "Fine on Acting: A Vision of the Craft."

His career as a renowned acting educator and specialist is rooted in New York, primarily at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy, where he also headed the acting department. His passion for coaching the best and brightest professional actors led in 1985 to his relocating to Hollywood, where his prominent reputation emerged.

His talent roster includes and has included Brad Pitt, Jennifer Connelly, Chris Pine, Justin Timberlake, Michelle Williams, Simon Baker, Gerard Butler, Michael Chiklis, Salma Hayek, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Bradley Cooper, Carla Gugino, James Belushi, Diana Ross, and many others.

Fine was voted best acting teacher of 2006 by Back Stage West readers. Besides his career as a distinguished coach, teacher, and acting adviser, Fine is also a celebrated theater director. Fine made his Broadway directorial debut staging Michael Chiklis in "Defending the Caveman."