Testimonials

Hear what people are saying about Paul Meier:

“Paul worked for us on Ride With The Devil as dialect and dialogue coach, developing dialect tapes for all seventy speaking roles, coaching all the actors, and was invaluable in developing a cohesive vocal and dialect design for the U.S. region that was the setting for the film. We had numbers of non-American actors in the film, notably Tom Wilkinson, Simon Baker-Denny, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers (English, Australian and Irish respectively), all of whom needed Southern or Plains dialects. Under Paul’s expert coaching, they blended marvelously with the American members of the cast. This was Jewel’s first film role, and in rehearsal Paul worked with her not only on her dialect, but her whole approach to acting, particularly from the voice and speech perspective. In addition, Paul was invaluable on set during principal photography in maintaining dialect and ensuring clean, clear speech work, and in annotating each take to assist me and my editor to select the best footage from the voice point of view. He had a great feel for the language of the film, helping to support the striking style of Daniel Woodrell’s novel and James Schamus’s screenplay. Many critics praised the film for capturing the romanticism of the era through language, and Paul’s contribution through speech, voice, and dialect was crucial.”
Ang Lee
Director
[hired Paul as dialect coach on Ride With the Devil, starring Tobey Maguire, Skeet Ulrich, and Jewel Kilcher]

 

“I’ve just visited your website [IDEA] for the first time, at the prompting of a casting director, Carol Dudley. (She was told about it by Tom Wilkinson.) This is a brief note to thank you for setting up such a scholarly, thorough, and incredibly useful service. I had to find Hungarian for a BBC Patrick Leigh Fermor Book at Bedtime. It was 11 p.m., I was due in the studio in ten hours, [and] I had had some Hungarian somewhere once but had lent it out years ago and it never returned. Anyway, you came to the rescue!”
Samuel West
London, England
[wrote after consulting the International Dialects of English Archive (IDEA), which Paul founded and directs]

 

“Many teachers of speech and dialect for actors seek ways to give students a kinesthetic experience when dealing with the International Phonetic Alphabet. Paul Meier’s work with the IPA and the IDEA Website has been invaluable for teachers, coaches, students, and actors studying speech or new dialects. With the rise of technology, having the ability to quickly access resources on iPads or iPhones makes it easy to take your resources with you to rehearsal or to set. However, flash requirements make trying to play sound files on Websites almost impossible on a tablet like the iPad. Paul Meier’s app — titled “The Interactive IPA” [click here for more information] — is an easy way to take a reliable IPA resource with you everywhere. The app features all current official phonetic charts, as well as diphthong charts for standard American and British RP, which were developed by Mr. Meier.

The user-friendly interactive aspect makes the app a kinesthetic and audiovisual learning aid. The user simply touches the symbol they wish to examine more closely. A detailed description of the symbol pops up and an option to play a sound file, so you can hear, touch, and see the symbol at the same time. The app makes a wonderful addition to classroom use for students in an introduction to speech or a stage-dialects course where the IPA is used, as it can easily supplement some current popular methods such as Knight-Thompson speechwork or Colaianni pillow work. If you are an iPad or iPhone user, download the app or read some of the rave reviews other users have given it by going to your device’s app store and searching for “The Interactive IPA.” Now all we need is an app for the dialect archives!”
Joshua Moser
Associate Editor, The VASTA Voice

 

“We’ve been using your book here for years. I am buying copies for members of our AEA resident acting company to have for their own collections. Will likely buy more in the future. Love your work and thanks for putting together such an incredible resource. It’s been immensely helpful to our actors and our students.”
Richard Rose
Producing Artistic Director
Barter Theatre
Virginia, USA
[wrote after purchasing copies of Accents & Dialects for Stage and Screen for his whole company]

 

“Accents and Dialects for the Stage and Screen is a brilliant place to begin one’s dialect study. I have used it to very satisfactory results in my historical crime podcast. Paul’s one-on-one Skype sessions are also a must for anyone seeking vocal improvement. I found his approach to be patient and thoughtful, and marvelously tailored to what I needed to work on to improve my finished product as a narrator. He is simply wonderful to work with. I felt a bit intimidated at putting my narration work out for the world to listen to, but Paul’s encouragement was very steadying to my nerves. Additionally, IDEA [International Dialects of English Archive] continues to provide me with examples of more obscure English accents that I need for smaller projects, and I am also very pleased with what I am learning from Voicing Shakespeare.  If you are an actor, or someone who must rely on your voice in any professional capacity, PMDS has a product for you, probably several in fact, and any that you choose to work with will contain invaluable content to help you reach your goals. Thank you, Paul Meier.”
Charlotte Easter Earl, Podcast Hostess
Most Foully Murthered [http://charlotteeasterearl.wix.com/charlotteeasterearl]

 

“Your Accents & Dialects for Stage & Screen is a fabulous resource for anyone involved in dialect training for actors — I know of no other contemporary work to compare with its scope and depth. It’s meticulous, exhaustive, and very well organized into a clear and rational step-by-step approach. Those of us with a background in International Phonetics can be grateful that you’ve done so much of the legwork for us. This is a book that won’t gather dust on my bookshelf — I shall be consulting it often.”
Gillian Lane-Plescia
Connecticut, USA
[leading dialect coach for the theatre and founder of The Dialect Resource]

 

“I am currently an actor and writer working and residing in Los Angeles. Over the past year or so, I have made great use of your remarkable e-books and CDs, and with a deep conviction, I have implored my colleagues to do the same. Between your materials and the IDEA Website, I have developed a faculty in accents/dialects that has fooled even native speakers on occasion. … If nothing else, I wanted to extend my profound gratitude for all you have done to make me look good as an actor. Thank you so very much, Paul!”
Michael Milford
Speech Tutor by Synapse Apps, LLC

 

“I spent the last few days reading Voicing Shakespeare, becoming ever more impressed by the clarity and depth of wisdom and experience that you have distilled into those pages.  Now that I have a measure of the scope, I must start learning.  It is going to be a fascinating journey. … Owen Barfield … was a lifelong guide for me, especially in learning about words and consciousness. … The following quotation used to appear on the back cover of [one of his] books: ‘Few writers of any kind have brought to their readers what [Barfield] has: the quiet, astonishing gift of changing not only their thinking, but the way they do their thinking.’ Your Voicing Shakespeare [ebook] has your own version of ‘the quiet, astonishing gift of changing not only [your readers’] thinking, but the way they do their thinking.'”
Julian Clark
[Fencing coach, weapons historian, and expert on Shakespearean combat]

 

“Being a working actor can be a lonely business: the preparation, the hours of digging to find your character — his soul, his voice. But your comprehensive book linked to the resources on your Website and IDEA now make the job seem less isolated. Your meticulous and comprehensive study has given us an invaluable tool with which to tackle our craft. When I was presented with seven characters in Catch 22, I was initially daunted. I am a Brit, and here were seven Americans to be presented in their own country. I was lost and overwhelmed, … and then I found your book, and through your calm and clear guidance, I found their voices. Thank you, Paul.”
Richard Sheridan Willis
Toronto, Canada
[wrote after using Accents & Dialects for Stage & Screen to prepare for his roles in Catch 22, with the Aquila Theatre Company‘s national tour, and prior to its New York run]

 

“I just wanted to thank you … for all the help you gave me in creating [the character]. I got on set, things were crazy, … everything was behind, time was running out, techs and grips were running wild, cameraman and director were scrambling for shots. … Most of the time I felt like I was a cog in the technical wheel. … It was your instruction, your voice in my ear that kept me constantly grounded and focused. You gave me a fresh way of looking at my character and, through accent, gave me a home base that I could constantly refer to. … I remembered what you said about letting the character breathe. … You were a great coach. You were always a guiding voice in my ear.  If it wasn’t for your recording/our Skype session together, I don’t think [my character] would’ve been fully realized.”
Daniel Brochu
Montreal, Canada
[wrote after Paul prepared him for a Cockney film role]

 

“Thank you again for helping me get my Geordie accent for the Billy Elliot auditions back in 2009. I was in Chicago from Jan-Nov of 2010 doing the show there. We had a 7-week break and now we’re in Toronto for 6 months. It’s been a great experience. I did my ensemble track and went on several times for both Dad and George, the boxing coach, and once in an emergency for the Posh Dad. Then I took over the role of Big Davey (featured ensemble) for the last few months in Chicago and am playing that role permanently here in Toronto (along with my understudy roles). It’s been great to have a steady job in this economy. Can’t wait to work with you on the next project. You always give me the tools and the confidence to tackle whatever dialect I come to you with.”
Mitch Poulos
Toronto, Canada
[worked with Paul by Skype in preparation for his audition for Billy Elliot]

 

“In The Matter of J. Robert Oppenheimer closed yesterday, and I was so proud of the production and of my work. The response from audiences and colleagues was gratifying. Your expertise helped me land this role and helped me evolve in the role. There were Germans in the audiences that stopped me as I left the theater and were astounded that I was not German born.”
Matt Fischel
New York, USA
[worked with Paul by phone in preparation for his audition for the Keen Theatre’s production of In The Matter of J. Robert Oppenheimer; directed by Carl Forsman and dialect-coached by Amy Stoller]

 

“Accents & Dialects for Stage & Screen is not only a valuable resource for actors, coaches, and voice specialists worldwide, but is an excellent training tool as well. Our graduate and undergraduate actors use Paul’s clear and comprehensive book as a starting point for building a foundation of knowledge, and for practicing his effective, step-by-step approach to learning accents and dialects. I myself have pulled this book off the shelf many times for quick and easy reference to the accents and dialects I use the most. Thank you, Paul!”
Pamela Christian, Ph.D.
Voice and Speech for Performance
Department of Theatre and Dance
The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
[uses Paul’s textbook in her classes and serves as associate editor for Texas for the International Dialects of English Archive]

 

“Paul is always such a pleasure to work with. It seems that no matter what I ask of him, no matter how short the timeframe, he is courteous, helpful, and able to make a professional presentation with excellent back-up materials. When I have Paul on a project, I know that the actors and the director will all feel confident and supported.”
Joe R. Fox III
Vice President of Production
New Theatre Company/Theatre Production, Inc.
Overland Park, Kansas, USA
[hires Paul as dialect coach on a regular basis; productions include Camelot, Father of the Bride, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Boeing-Boeing]

 

“I just had to write. … You know how sometimes you buy something — could be anything — and you ask yourself, “What was I thinking?” because it is so completely NOT what you hoped for? … Conversely, sometimes you buy something and it is a quantum leap beyond anything you dared to dream? Accents & Dialects redefines the latter category for me. … I’ve put about three disks in my computer, and you’ve got EVERYTHING I hoped for, and MORE. … And that’s just the first three disks. … I’ve been walking around the house rubbing my hands with glee like the mad scientist in his castle during the lightning storm. … I burst out in maniacal laughter as I race from room to room practicing each new pronunciation.”
Mark Bennett
[wrote after purchasing Accents & Dialects for Stage & Screen]

 

“We opened with Dancing at Lughnasa last night, and all is going well. I received great compliments about my (Rose’s) accent (apparently the strongest in the cast), which is not bad considering I am South African and the rest of the cast local Irish! I put it all down to your excellent CD — it’s great being able to listen to Rose’s lines while working on the computer. I particularly liked the fact that your CD and book made “distance” dialect coaching a real option and certainly just as helpful as visiting a coach, and so much more user friendly — listening to my lines while doing other work (on the computer — subliminal coaching!).”
Vanessa Hyde
County Waterford
Ireland
[leased Paul’s CD for Rose’s Donegal dialect in Dancing at Lughnasa]

 

“Your dialect design for My Fair Lady has been extremely helpful. It was the best single investment we’ve made in this show. Your astute, enlightening, and actor-friendly comments have been invaluable.”
Phil Bratnober
St. Croix Valley Summer Theatre, University of Wisconsin, River Falls, Wisconsin, USA
[leased Paul’s CD set when directing My Fair Lady]

 

“I really want to thank you so much for the great assistance this CD gave to me while playing Herr Schultz in Cabaret. I was so frightened of the experience because I really felt he needed to be very true and convincing because his journey becomes so tragic. I didn’t want to think about the dialect, and I certainly didn’t want the audience to think about it either. However, the whole experience happened in less than three weeks. I had to work quickly, and your services helped immensely. I was years too young for the role (I think!) and about 15 years younger than the woman playing Fraulein Schneider. She is a respected actor in the area and I was terrified of looking out of place with her and not being able to hold a candle to her stellar performance as Schneider. In an e-mail response to a ‘best wishes on opening night’ e-mail that the actor playing Fraulein Schneider got from a mutual friend, she wrote the following: ‘I have a great part, good songs. … But lemme tell ya — James is the excellent one. … Oh, my God! He like blows me away every night. He is so convincing — Most of the time I totally forget that I’m working with James because I believe the character so much.’ That made my year. I owe much of what she said to the fact that your dialect coaching (via CD) helped me get past the text, so I could immerse myself in this fabulous human being’s story. What a wonderful journey. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.”
James Douglass
Rochester, Minnesota, USA
[leased Paul’s CD for Herr Schultz’s German-Jewish dialect in Cabaret]

 

“The results from the use of your Tevye dialect CD were phenomenal. Please note that this production was community theatre. We are located just south of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. One of our cast members’ parents thought I had been hired and flown in from New York. A college student came to see me after the show, notepad in hand, wanting to know how I had researched the part and come up with my character. The whole experience was delightful. … Thanks for offering a service like this!”
Jay Lewis
Dallas/Forth Worth, Texas, USA
[leased Paul’s CD for Tevye’s Yiddish dialect in Fiddler on the Roof]

 

“The material is excellent and just what we need. Our company is in the call-center industry, and we just won some contracts in the U.K. Although staff are all fluent in English, some of them are having problems understanding specific dialects. Your CDs plus text should be a great training aide.”
Lorraine Williams, General Manager
Telepage Limited
Malta
[purchased several of Paul’s regional British dialect booklets and CDs to train the call-center operators in her company]

 

“Well done! I am so excited by your dialect-instruction book and CDs. It is the most comprehensive dialect-training package that I have run across. It represents a huge amount of work on your part and will save me hours and hours of research and preparation. I am eager to work through it with my students. It is a major contribution to the discipline.”
Professor Rena Cook
Tulsa
University of Oklahoma, USA
[uses Paul’s Accents & Dialects for Stage & Screen as the textbook for her dialect class]

 

“I just wanted to let you know that the CD came last week, and it has been a wonderful help to me — not just from a dialect standpoint, but also in helping me to grasp the intricacies of Southern women and culture. I’ve been to New Orleans and Mississippi, and the statements you make about Southern belles were things I had forgotten, but which became clear to me once again. I deeply appreciate your understanding of and sympathy for Amanda — and your ability to offer suggestions while stressing the integrity of the actors’ choices.”
Mary Sloan
Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada
[leased Paul’s CD for Amanda’s Deep South dialect in The Glass Menagerie]

 

“I am an actress/teacher/coach in Philadelphia who specializes in dialect work. I recently ordered your Liverpool CD (other than being a Beatlemaniac as a teen, I’ve had little exposure to it) in preparation for my coaching of Willy Russell’s Stags and Hens. Having worked with a number of other tapes and manuals over the years, I want to tell you how much I like yours. I find the IPA transcriptions exceptionally clear and specific, as is your instruction on the CD.”
Lorraine Barrett
Philadelphia, USA
[purchased Paul’s booklet/CD set for the Liverpool dialect]

 

“Your dialect CD was of immense value. Our American-born Eliza very quickly achieved an authentic Cockney dialect. The upper-class British dialect was harder for her to achieve, so the use of the CD became an essential tool. The Cockney dialect CD was used by all members of the chorus. As a result I have most convincing inhabitants of Covent Garden. The pub scenes are a riot of fun, as cast members created appropriate dialogue to introduce the scenes. I am so glad that the Internet yielded your address and that you were so patient and helpful in addressing our needs.”
Patricia Brady
Penticton, British Columbia, Canada
[leased Paul’s CD for Eliza in My Fair Lady]

 

“Selkie went extremely well! It is in performance three times a week through the middle of March. The director was very happy with the dialect work. Everyone loved your tape. It was specific, thorough, entertaining — everything I could have wanted.”
Professor Claudia Anderson
The Theatre School DePaul University
Chicago, USA
[leased Paul’s CDs for the Scottish dialects in Selkie]

 

“We have been using the textbook and CDs for several months now, and some of the features have been invaluable. No other dialect text that I’m aware of demonstrates the IPA as yours does, and the John Wells demonstration is far too complex for my beginners. The instructions for each sound change are very detailed and cover both sound and physical formation, which helps both aural and kinesthetic learners. The exercises and monologues with their numbered tags help us focus on the key sounds, both in vocal drill work and transcription, and develop naturally from the introductory material. I’ve been very pleased with their progress.”
Professor Daydrie Hague
Auburn University, Alabama, USA
[uses Paul’s Accents & Dialects for Stage & Screen as the textbook for her dialect class]

 

“I just discovered your archive Website [IDEA], and I wanted to tell you what a WONDERFUL resource it is. I’m an actress working on multiple small roles in The Heidi Chronicles, and my characters come from Michigan, Tennessee, and New York. I also am a voice-over artist and always need very particular accents in my repertoire. While I own lots of good dialect tapes, none of them have such a full range of regional accents as what I’ve found on your Website. Thanks for putting together this valuable project.”
Sarah Green
[wrote after consulting the International Dialects of English Archive (IDEA), which Paul founded and directs]

 

“Your guidance was great. I had never realized that the New York accent and the Aussie accent are polar opposites: inflection, nasality, the Aussie vertical mouth and the flat, out-of-the-side-of-the-mouth New Yorker. … Nearly everything is different. To eliminate Toni’s accent [the Australian actress playing Joy], we’re playing Joy’s New York Jewish accent broader than I intended, but it works and will be delightful against the variety of lovely British accents in the rest of the cast. She has an excellent ear and has done really well to pick it up in only five days. Thank you for everything!”
Vana Nespor
Jakarta, Indonesia
[leased Paul’s CD for the New York Jewish character Joy in Shadowlands]

 

“Your help was invaluable. The play was well attended, and extremely well reviewed in the local press. Two people in the audience who were Native American specifically commented on the truthfulness of my accent, saying it lent dignity to the portrayal of the chief. I would recommend your service to anyone and will call you again when the part requires a regional dialect.”
Andrew Brownstein
Washington, D.C., USA
[leased Paul’s CD for Chief Bromden in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest produced by the Port City Playhouse, and presented at the Lee Center Stage, Alexandria, Virginia, USA]

 

“By the way, I received an A in the class and on my paper, in which your dialect tapes were a great help. I analyzed Irish, British, and American English accents for actors. When I was presenting, I tried to do some of the accents for example, and the class applauded my efforts. … This summer I used your tapes to try and reduce a Hispanic girl’s accent in order to keep her job. It worked! She still has her accent (she’s from Mexico City), but she seems to speak with more clarity. Kudos to you and your tapes! I think I am starting to find my nitch with your tapes.”
Ray Villegas
Arizona, USA
[used Paul’s book, Accents & Dialects for Stage & Screen, in his doctoral studies in dialect at the University of Arizona]

 

“Your book, CDs, and a Blood Brothers program are safely on their way back to you. What a treat it was to work with them. As I said in my note to you, I’m still ‘lilting.’ It’s hard to give up the Liverpool sound. The show was a major success. We had six performances, and had sellout crowds and standing ovations each night. Most of our members declared that this was the best show St. Dunstan’s has done in twenty years. How proud I was to be a part of it! When I walked out for my bow on opening night, there was a roar from the audience. I have never experienced that before. It certainly makes it all worth it. I think I did Mrs. Johnstone proud. It is an experience I will not soon forget. … I could not have does Mrs. J without your help. Thank you!”
Duffy Wineman
St. Dunstan’s Theater Guild of Cranbrook, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, USA
[leased Paul’s show-specific CD for Mrs. Johnstone in Blood Brothers]

 

“Your CDs … were an amazing, invaluable help — I’ve already recommended your services. The showcase was a huge success. We even had a native New Yorker in the audience who was impressed! You have become quite a talking point.”
Karen Ellenburr
London, England
[leased Paul’s show-specific CDs for a showcase production of Danny and the Deep Blue Sea]

 

“I wanted to thank you so much for the dialect work for Bullshot Crummond. The audiences loved the show, and the only feedback we heard about the dialects were from local residents originally from England. They were all very impressed! Otherwise, nobody commented on the accents, only on how much they loved the show. To me, that meant we were successful in creating natural accents that added to the show but did not distract. Particularly, one British woman told me that the accent was wonderful, but to never use it outside of the theater because it was a really old accent. Perfect! Bullshot is a 1930s military chap, and your direction was right on!”
Matt Bachus
Evergreen, Colorado, USA
[leased Paul’s show-specific CDs for Bullshot Crummond, produced by the Evergreen Players, Evergreen, Colorado, USA]

 

“This thank-you is long overdue. I’m the lucky actress in Evergreen, Colorado, playing Lenya Von Brunno in Bullshot Crummond. The CD you provided for Lenya was fabulous and most helpful. It’s also been fun to watch the other actors develop their dialects over time. I especially appreciated the personal touches and exceptions that keep any accent from becoming a stock cliche.”
Kerry Beebe
Evergreen, Colorado, USA
[played Lenya von Brunno in Bullshot Crummond, produced by the Evergreen Players, Evergreen, Colorado, USA]

 

“Accepting the role of Kyra was frightening for me, 104 pages of words, words, words. … And with the British accent, GOODNIGHT! I wanted to thank you for being the calm, reassuring, and soothing voice that taught me all I needed to know. You gave me not only the skills and choices for my character, but you gave me CONFIDENCE for all of this. I thank you! You are amazing. Thanks for all your hard work!”
Heather Lewis
Williamstown, Michigan, USA
[commissioned Paul to create a custom CD for Kyra in Skylight, produced by Peppermint Creek Theatre, Michigan, USA]

 

“Thank you! Your dialogue CDs and literature were an AMAZING tool for me in preparing the role of Eliza Doolittle. I had a wonderful time, and owe many thanks to you for helping me prepare such a difficult and diverse role in such a short amount of time. Thank you for sharing your unique and wonderful gifts of language with me.”
Katherine Altobello
Janiec Opera Program, Brevard Music Center, Brevard, North Carolina , USA
[leased Paul’s two-CD set for Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady]

 

“I had the extreme pleasure of using one of your splendid CDs last July when I portrayed Henry Higgins in the St. Croix Valley Summer Theatre’s production of My Fair Lady. I’m convinced I could not have done that role as well without your fine work.”
Michael Paul Levin
St. Croix Valley Summer Theatre, University of Wisconsin, River Falls, Wisconsin, USA
[used Paul’s CDs for his portrayal of Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady]

 

“I really liked your attentiveness to shipping it out right away, as well as the quality of your instruction, so I thought I would take time to give you feedback. I quite enjoyed the phonetic spellings of the monologues. That was an interesting addition since I have not encountered it in other accent development CDs. I was not familiar with what the symbols meant, but it was easy to pick up as I listened. I then rewrote my passages in the script, using the symbols, and it helped out quite a bit. I was quite satisfied with the quality of your instruction and you would be happy to hear that people were impressed with my dialect at the script reading in which I was performing. A well respected voice-over artist in the city thought it sounded very authentic. I was only able to listen to it for about five days before performing, so it must have been a good teacher.”
Robert Anthony Peters
San Francisco, USA
[used Paul’s Indian booklet and CD to prepare for a script-in-hand reading of the screenplay Zounds! by Greg Moleski at the Canvas Cafe in San Francisco]

 

“My experience with Paul Meier Dialect Services was extremely fulfilling. The combination book/CDs set is a thorough collection of the information needed to master dialects. It picked up where my guesswork left off as to the pronunciation of each syllable used in the English language in each of the separate dialects offered. It is extremely user-friendly and can be referred to over and over again. To further add to the success and delight of learning this material, one is always welcome to visit the IDEA Website, where authentic sounds and nuances can be heard firsthand. The next and certainly best part is the contact with Paul Meier himself, a lovely man who is respectful, courteous, and attentive to his students’ needs. Paul and I were in touch via e-mail several times a week, and he made sure that all my questions were answered within 24 hours. During our phone conversations (which I taped to review later), I found him to be insightful, helpful, and a lot of fun. He is clearly a master of his craft. His immediate interpretations of copy were at once creative and admirably genuine. What an inspiration — one can only hope to become as good at this as he is! Finally, the studio session was amazingly efficient and swift, thanks to the forethought and vision of both producer (Paul) and his engineer (Don Martin of Evolution Audio).”
Paula Richer
Woonsocket, Rhode Island, USA
[purchased Accents & Dialects for Stage & Screen, and commissioned Paul to produce her demo: voice-over demo ]

 

“I just got back from rehearsal, and … I nailed it! After getting the accent much closer, I had the confidence to put the passion into the part. Tonight I received compliments from the director, the conductor, and the composer/author, who flew in from New York for this performance. I have been doing the Yiddish-Hungarian voice all eve. Oye! You really helped me to unlock this accent. I will be off-book tomorrow and will really be able to get into the accent sans script. Thanks so much for your help.”
Mark A. Alciati
Santa Barbara, California, USA
[engaged Paul for phone-coaching in preparation for his role in Peter Boyle’s Ellis Island: The Dream of America with the Santa Barbara Symphony Orchestra]

 

“I’m doing a show at the Alley Theatre in Houston, Texas, and I just wanted to say your CD and booklet were extremely helpful. I was a bit worried because I’ve always heard the Welsh is a very difficult dialect to learn, and although it has been challenging, I believe that your materials have made the difference between sounding close and sounding right. Thanks a bunch!”
Tim Wrobel
Houston, Texas, USA
[bought Paul’s Welsh dialect-instruction booklet and CD in preparation for his role in The Spider’s Web, at Houston’s Alley Theatre]

 

“The coaching you provided for me while I was preparing The Exonerated was invaluable. The show was a huge success. It won several local theatre awards and got universally rave reviews. The coaching session helped me begin the rehearsal process with confidence.”
Beth Duda
Sarasota, Florida, USA
[had a phone-coaching session in preparation for the Texas and upper Midwest dialects she needed for her roles in The Exonerated in Sarasota, Florida]

 

“I just wanted to thank you once again for the great telephone session we had yesterday. It was extremely beneficial to me, and you gave me tips that really locked it in for me. I especially love saying ‘hunnert’ for hundred. I went into last night’s rehearsal with so much confidence. … Thanks again and I look forward to working with you again on another dialect.”
Mitch Poulos
New York, USA
[had a phone-coaching session in preparation for New Jersey dialect he needed for The Mayor Who Would Be Sondheim for the 2005 New York Fringe Festival]

 

“I was completely blown away by the quality and caliber of the written materials you provided! I would have been happy to merely get the spoken language exercises in written form, but what you provide is the kind of material I would expect to receive in a clinical or classroom environment. It is a rare thing these days to receive so much value for a purchase, and the purchase price was ridiculously fair. You will certainly be the first resource of choice in our next language adventure, and I will be sure to pass your name and Website along to those who might need your service.”
Mike Maden
Coppell, Texas, USA
[purchased Paul’s New York booklet and CD to prepare for an audition for Oliver Stone’s World Trade Center]

 

“I received the materials you sent me in a very timely manner, and I want to thank you for that, for the extra CD on the house, and for the overall quality of the whole package. I’m extremely pleased with the book and CDs and the way it’s all laid out. The primary source recordings on IDEA are great. It’s important, after focusing on the smaller details, to hear a couple of real folks who’ve had their dialects softened or otherwise changed by their interactions with the lands beyond the borders of Wales.”
Mathew Zimmerer
Phoenix, Arizona, USA
[purchased Accents & Dialects for Stage & Screen to prepare for his role as the Welsh doctor in Blue/Orange at Actor’s Theatre of Phoenix]

 

“I just wanted to tell you that I am so impressed with you and your CD and the way you work. The instruction is so to the point, so helpful, and so just exactly what is needed. … What a wonderful tool it is to hear your lines in the accent you need them in and to take apart the words and sounds enough to understand just exactly what is needed for the role I must do. Especially an accent I have not done before like the Scottish: an accent that seems a bit more difficult than some. … I admire your talent, and I thank you for your help.”
Brian Norber
Denver, Colorado, USA
[leased Paul’s CD for his role as the Scottish Captain Orton, in the Boulder’s Dinner Theatre production of The King and I]

 

“Your dialect materials are a definitive resource and make an incomparable contribution to the work life of teacher, coach, director. Congratulations on your new booklet [South Boston]. And you have such a beautiful voice.”
Lissa Tyler Renaud, Ph.D.
Korean National University of the Arts
Seoul, South Korea
[wrote after the release of Paul’s South Boston booklet and CD]

 

“I can’t tell you how much the CDs helped everyone perfect the dialect [in Dancing at Lughnasa]. Any theater that attempts to do this show without them is at a disadvantage, even with a great coach on hand. As a bonus, it helped our actors memorize their lines!”
Diane Senffner
Arizona, USA
[used Paul’s show-specific CDs to assist as she dialect-coached Dancing at Lughnasa (as well as playing Kate) at Fountain Hills Community Theatre, Arizona]

 

“I couldn’t have done it without you. Angels in America just opened this weekend, and even my very fussy voice teacher who can deal with many languages and accents said the accents were great. The director confessed that he had expected to spend hours working with me on the Rabbi’s speech and was stunned when I came in with the accent in control. And a local director who is very precise about accents watched a rehearsal and pronounced the accent almost too good. Wow! I am in no way a natural mimic, and I can’t just do accents at the drop of a hat the way some people can. Your CDs made this possible. I’m especially thrilled that they enabled me to create the proper sounds and then devise my own interpretation of the character. … If we do Part II as planned, I’ll be needing you again.”
Sandra Stark
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
[played Rabbi Chemelwitz in the Uncommon Theatre‘s production of Angels In America in Milwaukee, using Paul’s dialect designs for the show]

 

“I just wanted to drop you a note to thank you for the My Fair Lady CDs. We finished our production here in Richmond, Indiana, two weeks ago. I played Alfie. I hadn’t seen the movie since its original release, and I wanted to stay away from it during rehearsals because I didn’t want to copy Holloway’s performance. This left me straining over how to develop the Cockney accent. Our director, Michelle Avery, rented your recordings, and they were a godsend. This was one of our most successful productions, and you were a big part of it.”
Jack Leer
Indiana, USA
[played Alfie Doolittle in the Richmond Civic Theatre‘s production of My Fair Lady in Richmond, Indiana, using Paul’s dialect designs for the show]

 

“The show went splendidly. I would just like to thank you so much for helping me with the dialect and ultimately helping me create the character of Forgiveness. I received many compliments on the accent. Actually, during strike, the artistic director of the show came up to me and started speaking in a flawless Chinese accent. When I asked him where he learned that, he told me that he learned it from listening to me every night. I was so touched. I received so many compliments from my directors, fellow cast mates, and audience members. And I know none of it would have been possible without your help. So again, thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”
Monique Sanchez
New York, USA
[had a phone-coaching session with Paul in preparation for her role as Forgiveness from Heaven in The Waiting Room in The Hofstra New College Theatre production of the play in Hempstead, New York]

 

“The book is priceless! I have successfully broken into audiobooks narration, which has been my longtime dream, and it is immeasurably helpful to have your guides at arm’s length when I need to choose and perfect a character dialect. I love this work so much and spend time listening to the clips on IDEA quite frequently, just for pleasure.”
Tavia Gilbert
Maine, USA
[bought a copy of Accents & Dialects for Stage & Screen to assist her in her audio-book work]

 

“Thanks again so much for the wonderful help last night.  I listened to the mp3 quite a bit, and it will help in the future because I’ve been offered the understudy roles! My audition was at 2 today and at 6 they called to give me the role! Thanks for all the advice and coaching.  They were impressed with both my accents, and I believe it really helped in securing me the roles. Thanks again, Paul!”
Sarah van der Pol
London, England
[wrote after Paul’s phone-coaching prepared her for her successful London’s National Theatre audition for August: Osage County. Paul coached her for Johnna’s Native-American dialect, and Jean’s Causasian-Oklahoma dialect.]

 

“[The CDs] worked wonderfully; we had sold-out audiences and standing ovations.  I had several students tell me how much they enjoyed the tapes and really appreciated that you gave them different choices for many of the readings.  To my ear, the dialect work was very well executed. (The KCACTF reviewer also commented on it, as did our German language faculty.)  Thanks again; you are brilliant.”
Patrick Carriere
Minnesota, USA
[wrote after using Paul’s show-specific CDs for his production of Cabaret at Bemidji State University]

 

“The show was a huge success thanks to you and your dialect design.  Our production won zone, district, and area competitions, and many of our actors received individual awards at the regional level. … I will definitely be in touch when we begin the school year, and I have chosen our next competition piece.”
Jill Gable
San Antonio, USA
[wrote after using Paul’s show-specific CDs for her production of Johnny Belinda at South San Antonio High School]

 

“I recently bought your spiral bound book with 12 CDs. As I encountered references to the IDEA website, I concluded I had encountered another “tease” transaction by which one buys something, only to find it does not work unless there is another purchase. In the context of the internet, the subsequent “purchase” can be simply having to register to access a website. That registration information is used for something that has a commercial effect. I was so pleasantly surprised when I visited the IDEA site today and saw completely free and open access without even demand for registration. It shows a spirit that should commend your materials and services to anyone who is interested in dialects and accents.”
Warren Ott, actor, playwright
Atlanta, Georgia, USA
[wrote after purchasing Accents & Dialects for Stage and Screen]

 

“I just wanted to say thank you for the wonderful resources you’ve offered to us actors.  I used your Scottish, British, AND Russian Dialect books/cds for the last two shows I was in and received numerous compliments on how authentic they all sounded (even from native speakers!)  I also found the real-life dialect speakers on IDEA to be a huge help. So, thank you for the useful tools you’ve provided.  I don’t think I could have pulled off those accents without them.”
Caitlin Glasgo, actor, audiobook artist
Norwich, Vermont, USA

 

“Paul, thank you so much for the fabulous session and your generosity with the booklet and the download link! I’ve been working with both tools off and on today, and I am already feeling a refreshing sense of confidence — you make this a practically effortless practice, sir! Thank you again! I also greatly appreciated your insights to the style and comedy of Boris — in all honesty, I wish you had the time and interest (and I had the financial resources) available; I would love to have you direct this production! I know you would give us a classy quality within our pure stupidity. (Sigh. In another life, I suppose.) I am definitely going to incorporate your note to show the machinery and mechanics of the jokes and inherent absurdity in every possible moment. I fully believe there is a time and a place for good old-fashioned “winking” and “nudging” and this show certainly allows for a shameless break of the fourth wall. Our little fringe fest burlesque-of-a-show should be a celebration of melodrama, vaudeville and Yiddish Theatre. I’m excited to share this direction with the cast!”
Steven Eubank
Egads Theatre & Eubank Productions
[wrote after an in-person coaching session for the role of Boris Badenov in The Rocky and Bullwinkle Horror Picture Show]

 

“Thank you for leasing your cd to me for the run of our production of Boeing-Boeing. The line-by-line style of instruction was immensely helpful and allowed me to make interesting vocal and acting choices for Gabriella. This was my first time using an accent onstage, but I felt comfortable and confident thanks to your service. I would recommend this to anyone struggling to learn a dialect or accent for theatre.”
Shiva Kiani
[wrote after leasing the Gabriella CD from our Boeing-Boeing show-specific CD set]

 

“Your Instructions for GenAm helped me within a matter of days eliminate my native uptalk Californian pattern and get rid of the slight Israeli influence I picked up after spending the last few years nearby Tel Aviv. It worked like a charm and I wanted to thank you personally for the progress I made, as I was struggling with this accent for quite a while and the results I’ve gotten so far while working with your material absolutely amazed my vocal coach to no end.”
Tom Michael Williams
[ordered Paul’s General American Dialect booklet/CD on eBay]

 

“Have been meaning to get back to you about my experience with The Road to Mecca at the Pear Theatre here in NorCal. I started working with your [Afrikaans] CD and accompanying materials last summer in hope of being cast as Marius, the local Afrikaans minister. I got the part and worked hard on the dialect. The show closed two weeks ago after a great run with glowing reviews. Got a lot of compliments on the dialect, none better than the lady from Port Elizabeth [South Africa] who told me I ‘nailed it’ after the last performance. Was wondering how this difficult dialect would work out, but thanks to you, it was a terrific experience. Can’t wait to do it again! Thanks!”
John Baldwin