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Sara Becker

Voice & Text Coach, Director, and Educator

(she/hers)

 

E-mail: beckers@uncsa.edu

Cell (917) 435-0294

 

TEACHING EXPERIENCE:

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University of NOrth Carolina School of the Arts

(2019-present)

Associate Professor of Voice, Speech, Dialects and Verse

 

Courses Taught:

Voice and Speech Sophomore Fall and Spring Shakespeare Junior Fall and Spring

Speech Sophomore Section 1 Fall

Special Topics Senior Spring: Advanced Shakespeare

 

Departmental service includes:

  • Career Development Grant Committee

  • Benchmarking Committee

  • Student Workload Committee

  • Housing Appeals Committee

  • Faculty advisor on multiple projects

  • Chair of Casting and Season Selection (2023)

  • Provost’s Panel for Recruitment (2020)

  • Member of Guest Director and Choreographer Handbook Committee (2021)

  • Chair of the High School Drama Search Committee (2022)

  • Member of the Combat Drama Search Committee (2023)

  • Member of the Dean of Drama Search Committee (2023/2024)

  • Ongoing departmental advising with an average of ten drama majors

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University of Houston, School of Theatre and Dance

(2009- 2018)

 

Head of BFA Acting (2014-2018)

Head of Performance Area (2013-2018)

Associate Professor of Voice and Shakespeare (2016-2018) Assistant Professor of Voice and Shakespeare (2009-2016) Visiting Professor of Voice and Shakespeare (2009)

 

Courses Taught:

Graduate Voice Spring Graduate Shakespeare Fall

Sophomore Voice Fall and Spring Junior Shakespeare Fall and Spring Sophomore Accents and Dialects Spring

Responsibilities include:

  • Designing and Teaching a two-semester arc of Shakespeare actor training for BFA Acting Majors,

  • Designing and Teaching Advanced Voice and Text class to BFA Acting Majors,

  • Designing and Teaching a three-semester arc of Voice and Heightened Text for MFA Acting tract,

  • Designing and Teaching BFA Speech, Phonetics and Dialects class,

  • Directing regularly for Main Stage Theatre Season,

  • Providing production vocal coaching support to Main Stage Theatre Season,

  • Tracking and mentoring BFA and MFA actors,

  • Recruiting and Auditioning of incoming graduate and undergraduate students through multi-city focused initiative.

 

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University of Wisconsin-Madison, College of Arts and Sciences

(2003-2006)

Guest Instructor (2006)

Teaching Assistant (2003-2006):

  • Guest Instructor of Advanced Acting: Shakespeare,

  • Curriculum Designer and Instructor of Intermediate Voice Training,

  • Curriculum Designer and Instructor of Introduction to Voice,

  • Instructor of Introduction to Acting,

  • Vocal coached Summer Theatre productions and an undergraduate main stage show,

  • Coached international students on dialect reduction using Edith Skinner work,

  • Developed mentor relationships and advised undergraduates,

  • Designed and facilitated undergraduate audition workshops,

  • Authored and Defended Thesis: “Vocal Coaching in the University Setting, a process paper on Pride and Prejudice”

 

 

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ACADEMIC VOCAL/TEXT/DIALECT COACHING

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University of North Carolina School of the Arts

As You Like It (Taub Musical)                       Andy Paris, dir.

If Pretty Hurts, Ugly...*                                  Claire Font, dir.

Roe                                                                  Acadia Barrengos, dir.

All’s Well that Ends Well                                Andy Paris, co-dir.

One Act Evening                                             Carl Foresman, dir.

The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner Quin Gordon, dir.

The Miser                                                        Jason Bohon, dir.

Top Girls                                                         Abigail Holland, dir.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream                         Cameron Knight, dir.

The Fairytale Lives of Russian Girls              Scott Zigler, dir.

 

*dialect assistant

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University of Houston Selected

Selected Shows include:

Man and Superman                                         James Bonan, dir.

Animal Farm                                                   Bill Brown, dir.

Fuente Ovejuna                                               Keith Byron Kirk, dir.

Beaux Stratagem                                             Adam Noble,dir.

Philadelphia Story                                          Carolyn Boone,dir.

The Crucible                                                   Gus Kaikkonen,dir.

Our Lady of 121st St.                                       Keith Byron Kirk, dir.

Richard III                                                      Jack Young, dir.

Rocky Horror                                                  Paul Hope, dir.

Big Love                                                          Leslie Swackhamer, dir.

 

Rice University Shepherd School of Music

Die Fledermaus                                              Edward Berkeley, Stage director Richard Bado, Conductor

 

University of Wisconsin-Madison

The Rover                                                        Tony Simotes, dir.

Pride and Prejudice                                        Barbara Clayton, dir.

Lucky Stiff                                                       Tony Simotes, dir.

Last Night at Ballyhoo                                    Norma Saldivar, dir.

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Edgewood College, WI

Cabaret                                                           Phil Martin, dir.

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Verona Area High School, WI

Noises Off                                                       Steve Nibbe, dir.

 

 

DIRECTING:

Professional:

Now This                                         Ashland New Play Festival, 2016

Love’s Labour’s Won*                    Illinois Shakespeare Festival, 2015

Henry IV, part I                              Ms. Representing Shakespeare Workshop, 2015 Austin, TX

 

Academic:

All’s Well That Ends Well (co-dir.)North Carolina School of the Arts, 2022

Henry V**                                       North Carolina School of the Arts, 2020

 

Twelfth Night                                  University of Houston, 2018

Julius Caesar                                  University of Houston, 2017

La Bete (Workshop)                        University of Houston, 2016

Intimate Apparel                             University of Houston, 2016

The Miser ***                                 University of Houston, 2015

As You Like It                                  University of Houston, 2013

War of the Worlds                           University of Houston, 2011 All’s Well That Ends Well           University of Houston, 2010 Now This*                              University of Houston, 2010

 

Universal Language              University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2006

The Shape of Things              University of Wisconsin- Madison, 2004

 

Hedgerow Playreading Series        Hedgerow Theatre, PA, 2002-2003

 

*World Premiere

 

**Available on Apple Podcasts https://tinyurl.com/mwzsh4ya

 

***World Premiere Translation

 

NEW PLAY DEVELOPMENT:

Cymbeline

American Players Theatre, WI 2020-2021

Co-adapted with Marti Lyons an eight person all female identifying telling of Shakespeare’s play. Multiple workshops culminated in a premier at American Players Theatre in 2021, and ongoing licensed to Julliard Creative Classrooms

 

Love’s Labor’s Won

Illinois Shakespeare Festival, IL Oregon Shakespeare Festival, OR Black Swan Lab for New Works 2012-2016

Co-creator alongside of Scott Kaiser of this sequel to Shakespeare’s Love’s Labour’s Lost. Written in verse, to be workshopped at the 2012 Black Swan Lab for the Development of New Plays.

 

Throne of Blood

Oregon Shakespeare Festival, OR 2010

Contributed to Script Workshops in the development of this world premier adaptation of Kurosawa’s epic film, together with Obie Winner Ping Chong. This traveling production opened at Oregon Shakespeare Festival before traveling to BAM: The Brooklyn Academy of Music.

 

American Night

Oregon Shakespeare Festival, OR Fall of 2009-Spring 2010

Collaborated on the development of this project with Chicano/Latino performance group, Culture Clash. It was rehearsed and performed with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival as part of their US History Cycle Playwright Commission Initiative, and later traveled to LaJolla Playhouse, Denver Center, and others.

 

Don Quixote

Oregon Shakespeare Festival, OR 2009

Participated in the development of Pulitzer Prize-nominee Octavio Solis’ adaptation of the epic novel; the first new play to be premiered in the outdoor stage in the seventy five year history of the organization.

The Only Thing

Madison Repertory Theatre, WI 2006-2007

Performed and participated in the refinement of Oscar-winner Eric Simonson’s play from a two week workshop process through to its world premiere. This project later evolved into the Broadway show, Lombardi.

 

Once Upon a River Hedgerow Theatre, PA 2002

Dramaturged, co-wrote and performed this elementary school outreach performance project on Pennsylvania history. Through grant seeking to private foundations, helped to find the funding to enable schools to visit the theatre for performances.

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WORKSHOPS TEACHING:

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Professional:

  • First Stage Milwaukee, 2023

    • “Acting is like…..-Active image making in Shakespeare”

  • First Stage Milwaukee, 2022

    • “Working with the Stage on Stage”

  • American Players Theatre, 2021

    • “APT Play Talk Cymbeline”

 

 

  • Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival (HVSF), 2020

    • “Shaken and Stirred” Zoom Member Cocktail Hour “Inside an Actor’s Process- A Look at Richard III”

with Davis McCallum and Mark Bedard

 

  • VASTA Mentorship Committee Webinar, 2020

    • “Negotiating Contracts” – Panel Member

  • STATERA National Conference, 2019

    • Presenter: “Small Practices that Encourage Collaboration”

  • Texas Educational Theatre Association Conference (TETA),

    • Master Teacher, “A Kinesthetic approach to teaching Shakespeare” (2019, 2018)

 

  • American Players Theatre, WI

    • Member of Apprentice Company Development Team (2022, 2019, 2018, 2014,

2012)

Head of Apprentice Company Development (2013)

  • Oregon Shakespeare Festival, OR

    • Multiple Acting Company Development Workshops (2010-2012)

  • Door Shakespeare Company, WI

    • “Bravely Speaking Shakespeare’s Text” Series of workshops to Intern Company (2012)

 

  • Lakefront Brewery, WI

    • “Great Big Healthy Voice Usage!” Workshops to Tour Guides (2017)

 

 

Academic:

Forsyth Country Day School, NC

“Approaching Shakespeare’s Poetry in Twelfth Night”

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Mount Tabor High School, Winston-Salem, NC

One week residency in AP English Class (2021) “Shakespeare in New Mediums: Henry V as Podcast” “Midsummer Night’s Dream”

 

Illinois State University, IL

“Vowing in Shakespeare” Master class (2014) University of Houston School of Theatre & Dance

On-site MFA and BFA Audition Workshops (2010-2017)

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Rice University Shepherd School of Music, Opera Department, TX

“Acting on the language” Mini-semester, 6-session workshop to Doctorial Opera Students (2012)

 

Texas Thespians Conference, TX

“The Sonnet Box: Romeo and Juliet” six sessions of hour-long workshops to High School Drama Students (2011)

 

Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing Arts in Dallas, TX “Two Households: The Where, When, Why and How” workshop (2010)

 

University of Wisconsin-Madison, WI “The Audition Monologue” (2006)

 

PUBLICATION:

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Playscripts:

Cymbeline: an all-female adaptation

By Marti Lyons and Sara Becker

Licensed for use by Julliard Creative Classroom, a division of the Julliard School

 

Professional Journal:

“A Review of Shakespeare’s Wordcraft, by Scott Kaiser.” VSR: Voice and Speech Review (Issue 6, Summer 2009).

 

Webcontent:

Hagopian, Antony. The URTA Q&A with Sara Becker (Weblog post 2013) https://urtablog.wordpress.com/2013/10/16/the-urta-qa-with-sara- becker/

Podcast Guest Interviews:

Rooms and Reckonings (2020)

 

Magazine Interviews:

“Back to School After a Year of Hard Lessons, by Daniella Ignacio” American Theatre Magazine (November 16th, 2021).

https://tinyurl.com/3wsjnmpb

 

 

VOICEOVER Credits:

NPR (To the Best of Our Knowledge) MCI

EMC Arts Hellenbrand Water Farm and Fleet

T-Mobile

Credit Union National Association (CUNA) Salvation Army

Dubuque Bank & Trust JobCo

Arizona Bank & Trust Riverside Community Bank Chevy Chase Bank American Girl

Demco

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EDUCATION:

University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI MFA – Acting (2006)

Voice/Text/Dialect training under Susan Sweeney

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Fordham University, New York, NY BA –Theatre Performance (1999)

Voice training under Sarah Felder, Kate (nee Wilson) Mare, Elizabeth Smith

 

ADDITIONAL TRAINING:

“3A Equity Framework” “The Power of Perception”

Sarah Bellamy at Penumbra Center for Racial Healing, 2021

 

“Whose Shakespeare?: Exploring Race and Shakespeare in 2020”

Ayanna Thompson with Elm Shakespeare Company, CT

 

“Decolonizing Speech and Actor Training”

HB Studios, NY (2020)

Amy Mihyang Ginter, Jacqueline Springfield, Joy Coronel, Josh Moser

 

“Theater Voice & Speech Training Methods for Working with Gender-Diverse Clients”

Chicago Voice Center (2020)

Diane Robinson

 

Patsy Rodenburg, “The Right to Speak”

Three Day Workshop Michael Howard Studios; New York, NY (2020)

 

Mental Health First Aid Certified

Through National Council of Behavioral Health 8 Hour certification (2019)

 

Richard Armstrong “Extended Vocal Technique”

New York, NY Weekend Workshop with Richard Armstrong (2012)

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Roy Hart Centre Artistique International Malérargues, France

October Month Long Intensive with Carol Mendelsohn, Saule Ryan (2008) Five-day workshop with Carol Mendelsohn, Saule Ryan (2005)

 

Fitzmaurice Voice Workshop San Francisco, CA

5-day workshop
Catherine Fitzmaurice, Saul Fitzmaurice, Cynthia Bassham (2007)

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Shakespeare Theatre

DC Academy for Classical Acting Washington, DC  Summer Intensive:

Michael Kahn, Floyd King, Philip Goodwin, Catherine

Weidner, Kate Wilson, Hal Holbrook, Brad Allen Waller, Christopher Cherry (1999)

 

AWARDS:

 

Ross M. Lence Teaching Excellence Award

University of Houston Awarded 2014

 

Provost Travel Grant for Faculty Development University of Houston

Awarded 2013

 

Roy Hart Theatre Scholarship

Centre Artistique International Roy Hart Awarded 2008

 

Gertrude Johnson Scholarship for Excellence in Voice University of Wisconsin-Madison

Consecutive winner 2004, 2005

 

Helen Herman Scholarship for Excellence in Theatre University of Wisconsin-Madison

Winner 2005

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PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS:

 

Voice & Speech Trainer’s Association, Inc. (VASTA) STATERA Women in the Arts

North Carolina Theatre Arts Educators (NCTAE) Texas Educational Theatre Association (TETA) Actor’s Equity Association (AEA) must-join status Screen Actor’s Guild (SAG)

 

SKILLS:

 

Strong Proficiency in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) Advanced Yoga Practices (Bikram, Vinyasa, Ashtanga and Hatha) Proficiency in Stage Combat (All weapons and hand-to-hand) Dance (Alvin Ailey American Dance Center School)

Epi-Pen: trained in usage

 

Volunteer Work:

 

NAMI- National Alliance on Mental Illness

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