+ What are your rates?

Private sessions, individual performing artists: Rates for new clients paying directly range from $150–$200 per hour or any part of an hour. Pro-rated fees are available for established clients in good standing. These rates are current as of March 2024. They are subject to change in the future.

The above rates are pre-discounted for individual performing artists. If you will be reimbursed by an employer (producer, studio, company, etc.), or if an employer will be paying me directly, please put them in touch with me for a quote.

All other types of coaching: If you’re interested in production coaching (stage, screen, other media), or if you’d like me to give classes, workshops, or seminars at your school, studio, or other organization, please contact me for a quote.

+ What forms of payment do you take?

For private coaching, I accept payment through Venmo.

For production coaching and workshops, etc., I can invoice your company, or we can execute a contract—whichever suits your requirements.

+ What are your hours?

Tuesday–Friday; Sunday: Earliest start: 10:00 AM. Latest start: 4:00 PM.

Monday & Saturday: Not available.

All times are EST (UTC−05:00)/EDT (UTC−04:00)

This schedule, and my availability for private coaching, may be adjusted whenever I am involved in production or similar contract work.

+ Where are you located?

I’m based in New York City. All private coaching takes place via Zoom. Contact me to learn more.

+ May I record our session(s)?

Yes; or I can make a recording for you.

+ What is the Stoller System?

Stoller System, LLC is the name of my business; I chose it because I liked the pun on my last name! For information on how I coach, click on the next question.

+ How do you coach?

My approach is based in authenticity, with respect for the linguistic and cultural identities of real-life speakers of the languages or dialects under consideration. For pragmatic reasons, adjustments may be made for the needs of the project, the comprehension of the intended audience, and the abilities and comfort of the performer; but everything is grounded in authenticity and respect.

I encourage the earliest possible acquisition of any new dialect needed for a performance project. Proficiency takes time! Toward that end, I provide personal instruction with immediate feedback; practice material when needed, and guides to additional resources.

Depending on your project and the time available, dialect aspects discussed may include anatomy, oral posture (setting), resonance, vowel and consonant production, intonation (phrasing, melody, and rhythm), and linguistic considerations such as regional vocabulary and grammar. We may also investigate relevant historical, cultural, and social aspects of the dialect, a character's background, and/or a text to be spoken.

+ What’s the difference between an accent and a dialect?

A dialect is a variant form of a language, as spoken by the members of a specific community. The community might be distinguished by any number of factors, such as geographical location, social class, ethnic origin, education, occupation, or other. A dialect may differ from the so-called “standard” form of a language in its grammar, syntax, and vocabulary, as well as in its pronunciation.

A “standard” form of a language is really only one dialect among all the dialects within a collective language. Each dialect of that language has its own rules, and those may differ—a little or a lot—from each of that language’s other dialects.

Note that “non-standard” does not mean “sub-standard.” Speakers of “non-standard” dialects are not speaking “standard” dialects incorrectly, but their own dialects correctly.

A “standard” dialect may be spoken as a first or everyday language by only a minority of speakers within the language group as a whole. If it is the language form taught in schools, it is possible it will be understood by more people than those who grew up speaking it at home. In this way a “standard” form can sometimes (though not invariably) be useful for communicating across dialect boundaries.

Accent refers solely to the pronunciation of a language or dialect. If you speak aloud, you have an accent—it’s impossible to talk without one.

It’s not unusual to hear a “standard” dialect of a language spoken with a variety of accents, but “non-standard” dialects tend to have specific accents associated with them. So while one might hear Standarddeutsch (Standard High German) spoken with a Hamburg, Berlin, or Munich accent, it would be fairly unusual to hear Bavarian German dialect spoken with a Frisian accent, or the other way around. Similarly, it would be unusual to hear Cajun French spoken with a Provençal accent, or Puerto Rican Spanish with a Castilian or a Mexican accent, or Jamaican Patois with a New York accent. (None of these scenarios is impossible, just unusual.)

A cautionary note: In the US entertainment industry, the terms accent and dialect are sometimes used differently: accent may refer to pronunciation that derives from a language other than the one being spoken, and dialect may refer to regional pronunciation of the standard language. So you might hear someone speak of a “French accent” for a role written entirely in English, but a “Scottish dialect” for a role written in “standard” English but pronounced with a Scottish accent.

For myself, I prefer to use linguistically accurate definitions for accent and dialect; but what matters most in any discussion between dialect coach and client is that the involved parties agree on terminology, so they can get on with the business at hand.

+ Why do you put the word “standard” in quotation marks?

Because standards are not universal. Because, as phonetician J.C. Wells puts it: “A standard accent is regarded as a standard, not because of any intrinsic qualities it may possess, but because of an arbitrary attitude adopted towards it by society.” (Emphasis added.) I feel this remark applies equally well to dialects. Arbitrary accent and dialect standards can be used unfairly to discriminate against people who don’t speak according to a “standard.” I use quotation marks to remind myself as well as others that standards are social constructs, and matters of opinion. Also, like accents and dialects, they are not fixed; they change over time.

+ How much time does it take to learn a new accent?

That depends on what you need and when you need it. I can help you prepare a new accent for an audition in one to three hours, depending on length of the piece, the complexity of the accent, your previous training and experience, and your deadline. Usually, though, that’s only a quick fix—it’s appropriate for an audition (especially if you’ve gotten short notice), but it’s not the same as deeply absorbing and fully embodying the accent or dialect.

For sustained work in a performance, or to build a portfolio (or a wardrobe) of accents and dialects, be prepared to commit to whatever time it takes for in-depth work on any new skill set. Learning to use accents well is a lot like learning how to play a musical instrument. Even if you are fundamentally musical, you can’t play compositions before you’ve learned what notes are, and you can’t play with expression until you’ve mastered technique. Speech skills improve along the same lines, and require the same kind of attention, practice, and interest.

Another good analogy is learning any sport, or martial art. Speech is physical work. It involves repatterning muscles; and by doing that, opening up new neural pathways.

Fortunately, it gets easier as you go along. Just as many musicians learn more than one instrument and more than one style of music, and athletes can learn more than one sport, you’ll be able to pick up all sorts of accents and dialects more readily once you’ve grasped the skills involved in learning your first one.

+ How do you coach?

My approach is based on authenticity, modified for the needs of the project, the comprehension of the intended audience, and the abilities and comfort of the performer.

I encourage early acquisition of any new dialect, the sooner, the better—and preferably well before it is needed, so it becomes second nature and you are using the dialect, not the other way around!

We’ll address anatomy, oral posture (oral setting), resonance, vowel and consonant production, intonation (phrasing, melody, and rhythm), and linguistic considerations such as regional vocabulary and grammar. We’ll investigate cultural issues, such as class systems and social history. I’ll provide personal instruction, practice material, guides to supplementary resources, and suggestions for ongoing improvement. I’ll also provide session recordings (and you may make your own as well, if you like).

I take my own notes using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), but if you don’t know IPA, or don’t find it user-friendly, I can help you make your own notes another way.

+ What do you need to learn an accent or dialect?

An open mind and a good work ethic are your best friends.

For fluency in accents and dialects, it really helps to have a good grasp of basic speech skills, and then learn to apply those skills in different combinations. You’ll also want to develop a consistent approach to working on any new accent or dialect. That way, you won’t have to feel over-focused on your speech instead of your acting. An accent is a good servant, but a poor master!

Check out “How much time does it take to learn a new accent?” above for more information on what you need to be fully prepared to work in a new speech pattern.

+ What accents and dialects do you coach?

I have coached national and regional varieties of speech from around the world. Let me know what you're looking for.

+ What accents and dialects should I learn?

Here are some factors to consider:

• What is your casting “type”?
• What accents are most requested in current casting breakdowns?
• What does your agent or manager want you to learn?
• What would you really like to learn?

+ I hate the IPA. Do I have to use it?

No.

+ What is the IPA, anyway?

The International Phonetic Association (IPA) was created in 1886 to advance the scientific study of phonetics (the study and classification of speech sounds) and the various practical applications of that science.

The International Phonetic Alphabet (also IPA) is a notation system devised and periodically updated by the International Phonetic Association. It uses specific symbols to represent all of the sounds that occur in spoken language. The symbols are mostly based on the letters of the Latin alphabet (the alphabet used in English and many European languages), including modified versions of those letters; there are also a few symbols drawn from Greek and other sources, and additional symbols (diacritical marks) to indicate nuances of pronunciation.

The IPA is my preferred notation system because it is has a pretty high degree of precision built into it, allowing users to make (and read) detailed notes efficiently. It’s also the most widely used speech notation system, not only by performers and dialect coaches, but also by linguists, speech-language pathologists, lexicographers, and others.

If you don’t know the IPA, I can teach it to you (and recommend resources to help). It’s a great tool, and learning it will serve you well for the rest of your accent-and-dialect using life.

BUT … if the thought of learning another alphabet sends chills down your spine, don’t worry! The most important part of accent and dialect work is learning how to distinguish between different sounds with accuracy, and how to reproduce them equally accurately, as needed. Notation systems have their uses, but they’re not the be-all and end-all of accent work. There are plenty of good musicans who can’t read music notation, and plenty of actors who are great at accents and dialects who can’t read IPA. You can be one of them.

+ Have you worked with anybody famous?

Yes, and they’ve all been really nice to work with. Some are listed in my bio and/or my résumé. Others have given me testimonials. Many prefer that I respect their privacy, so I don’t maintain a public list.

+ Do you work with kids?

Yes, and I enjoy it! I work the same way with children and teens as I do with adults—except that a parent, guardian, or “child wrangler” must be present (at least within earshot) while we’re working. Feel free to ask for a reference.

+ English is not my first language. Can you help me?

If you are already a fluent speaker of English, I can help you polish your accent for an English-language role. Please note: Because I am frequently engaged in production work, I no longer take on new clients who need long-term guidance in this area.

+ I need accent reduction. Can you help me?

Accent reduction is a term I don’t care for, especially for performing artists. Your speech pattern is a part of you. Even if you could lose it (a doubtful proposition), why would you want to? Why trade one set of limitations for another? If your current everyday speech limits your castability, I encourage you to think in terms of accent acquisition—learning additional ways of speaking that can help you achieve your goals. Please note: As I am frequently engaged in production work, I no longer take on new clients who need long-term guidance in this area. If I’m not available to help you, I may be able to refer you to someone who is.

+ Do you work with people outside the performing arts?

No, I work exclusively with performing artists. If you are looking for speech help in an unrelated sphere, please visit VASTA, the Voice and Speech Trainers Association, and click on Find a Voice Pro at the bottom of the window. I have many highly qualified colleagues who will be glad to help you.

o How do I become a dialect coach?