Voice and Speech Trainer

Alison Matthews

Voice and Speech Trainer

www.alisonmatthews.com

Alison Matthews is the voice and text coach for Vancouver’s Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival and the Arts Club Actor’s Intensive in Vancouver. She has taught voice in the theatre department at Capilano University in North Vancouver, and public speaking at Vancouver Island University, the Hollyhock Leadership Institute, and the Vancouver Island Health Authority. She has adjudicated competitive speech festivals across Western Canada for the past thirteen years.

In her twenty years of professional acting, she has extensive film and television experience (selected credits include recurring roles on acclaimed series such as Battlestar Galactica and Beggars and Choosers, and featured roles in films such as Disney's Snowdogs), as well as stage roles with major regional theatre companies such as the Vancouver Playhouse and Victoria’s Belfry Theatre. A professional voice-over artist for nineteen years, Alison is heard regularly on TV & radio, in animation series, and in documentary narrations.

Education/Training

·  Master of Fine Arts degree, Theatre (specializing in vocal pedagogy), University of British Columbia.

·  Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, Theatre, University of Victoria.

·  Associate Diploma, Speech & Drama, Trinity Guildhall, London.

Teaching

·  Arts Club Theatre Company Actor’s Intensive, Faculty member, 2010 to present.

·  Capilano University, Private Theatre Instructor, 2009 to 2012.

·  Canada’s National Voice Intensive, Associate Faculty Member, 2009.

·  Bard on the Beach Festival, Voice and Text Coach, 2007 to present.

·  Vancouver Island University, Sessional Instructor (Theatre 203), 2006 & 2007.

·  Hollyhock Leadership Institute, Environmental Leadership Initiative, co-facilitator (Advocacy, Voice & Vocation), 2005.

·  Bolton Academy of Spoken Arts, Instructor (Speech Arts & Drama), 2003 to 2006.

·  Susan Simosko & Associates, Teaching Assistant (Presentation Skills for Group Facilitators), 1997 to 1998.

·  Vancouver Island University, Community Education Instructor (Speak Easy, Introduction to Commercial Voice-Over), 1996 to 1999.

Adjudication

·  Kiwanis Fraser Valley Festival (White Rock, B.C.), 2013.

·  Alberta Music Festival (Edmonton, Alberta), 2012.

·  Upper Island Music Festival (Nanaimo, B.C.), 2004, 2006, 2010, 2013.

·  Pacific Northwest Music Festival (Terrace, B.C.), 2006.

·  West Coast Speech & Drama Festival (Vancouver, B.C.), 2005.

·  Grande Prairie Speech Arts & Drama Festival (Grande Prairie, Alberta), 2004.

·  Knights of Columbus Speech Arts Festival (Coquitlam, B.C.), 2003, 2004.

·  Kootenay Music Festival (Trail, B.C.), 2003.

·  Vancouver Professional Music Teachers' Association Speech & Drama Festival, 2002.

·  Coquitlam District Music Festival (Port Coquitlam, B.C.), 2000, 2012.

Voice Work

·  Voice of BC Hydro, 2010 to present.

·  Voice of Telus Communications, 2001 to present.

·  Voice of KVOS TV, 1997 to 2006.

·  Series lead, animation series (Galaxy Angel, Ghost in the Shell).

·  Narration, books on tape (Image of Conspiracy), Elmtree Publishing.

·  Public service announcements (Alzheimer's Society of Canada, Vancouver Cancer Society, B.C Paraplegic Association, Government of Canada, etc.).

·  Performer, Savage God Shakespeare Project, Vancouver.

·  Commercials, narration, corporate voice-over for instructional CD-ROM's and videos, etc.

Memberships and Professional Affiliations

·  VASTA (Voice and Speech Trainers’ Association)

·  Canadian Actors Equity Association

·  Union of B.C. Performers/ACTRA

·  Women in Film and Video Vancouver

·  Theatre British Columbia