I Speak Theatre

Bekah Medford
Engl 1101
Mrs.Hughes
Week 1


Being a theatre geek since...let’s just say diapers (I don’t count my kicking in my mother’s belly as dancing), I have been surrounded by many different forms of language. Each different type of language found in theatre whether it be different because of the dialect of the character, or the contrasting body language one uses to convey an emotion on stage has become important to who I am.
Though “the languages of theatre” may sound unfamiliar to the average American, they do in fact derive from the English language along with many other well known languages. Each different language has its affect on the many languages found on a stage. Being a native English speaker the words that I speak during a show are English. Yet still this English language I use can be broken down further by each dialect. From the thick slow country twang of a Southern woman in a trailer park, to the New Jersey accent of Frenchy, a dreamy teenager in Grease, each character I portrayed could not be brought to life without their own person language. Language also affects the setting of a story. The grammar I had to use for instance with Juliet has to use the grammar found in the Elizabethan English. Without the correct grammar and word usage the placement of the story would not have been clear, plus how dreamy is a guy playing Romeo if he just speaks normal present day English?
Because of constantly trying out new types of language for each show, it now has become a fun little past time of mine to imitate different types of languages or dialects. I love finding the different ways to place your tongue or hold your jaw to make a different sound. I have mastered a few, but will admit to still struggling with Irish. Another interesting fact, or rather sad I may add, is that I cannot roll my “r”s. Spanish was never one of my strong subjects even after taking three years of it in high school.
No one in my family is as fluent in theatre speak as I am but both my parents do speak a little Spanish. My sisters is quite a little language wonder herself, learning both Spanish and German this year in school. Though all three can speak a different language their southern accents are still clearly heard, making listening to them quite entertaining. I love my family’s slight southern accents. It connects us all to our background. Though I love it, being on stage I cannot let a southern accent shine through if it is not called for. This is something I must constantly be aware of when performing.
Theatre speak is definitely my favorite. Being involved in theatre, I have been affected by so many different types of languages and the dialects that come along with each one. I only hope that as I grow as a performer that I will also gain even more languages to add to my theatre collection!