Lesson Details
Shauna teaches
About
- Teaches students:
- Ages 10+ and special needs
- Teaching since:
- 1993
Shauna is a professional director, acting and voice teacher, playwright and the artistic director of Voice Theatre, a company she founded in Paris, in 1988. Since then she has have directed over forty plays in eight countries from Aberbeen, Scotland to San Antonio, Texas to London, England to Paris, France.
I have taught acting and acting in many universities and professional theatre training programs on both sides of the Atlantic. I am currently a mentor for the New York Foundation for the Arts. I have led hundreds of workshops and individual classes where singers and actors have shed non-productive habits and built healthy expressive acting instruments and voices. I have taught actors from the Royal Shakespeare Company to jazz artists to Broadway singers and actors.
I am a graduate of Carnegie-Mellon and College at Purchase where I earned a BFA in acting. My post grad work was at The Bristol Old Vic Theatre School in Bristol, UK. I am published by Drama Books, "Voice and Speech Warm-up", University of Nebraska, "Pushing Through", Arts Navigator-London, "Taking Legacy to Germany" and featured in Cune Press, "Stage Warriors". This Spring I have been commissioned by Texas Tech University to write a new play.
My students experience improvements and change most weeks. You'll become the master of specific exercises that will unlock tension blocks in each part of your body and voice. You'll develop strength, expressiveness and confidence and as a result you'll have a technique that will solve challenges in rehearsal and performance.
You will learn how to solve rehearsal problems and challenges on your own.
I teach students of all ages to "own" their own instruments as constantly developing artists whether it is acting or speaking or singing. I work out of my studio in the East Village in NYC, or in my home in Upsate, NY and online. I teach many different styles.
Here are a few of the schools I have taught voice and acting: The Stella Adler Studio of Acting, New York University Tisch School of the Arts, T. Schreiber Studio and the New Actor's Workshop. In England at: The Mountview Theatre Conservatory, Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, Queen Margaret College and Middlesex University – all members of the Professional Theatre Training Programme of Great Britain. I have been a guest artist at Bowdoin College, Williams College and Harden-Simmons College.
I look forward to meeting you and helping you become a better artist!
Experience
Teacher -- Director -- Artistic Director
May 1990 - PresentOff-Broadway: Birds on a Wire, (written/directed) Rattlestick Theatre, Retzach, 59E59 Theatre, Pushing Through, (written/directed), LA MAMA, Gaza Monologues, United Nations.
International; Pushing Though, Arches Theatre, Glasgow, Theatre Workshop, Edinburgh, Legacy, (written/directed), Bristol Old Vic, Bristol, UK, Klecks Theatre, Hanover, Germany, Olympia Theatre, Bordeaux, France, Cockpit Theatre, London. Warriors of Fate, (written/directed), Tel Aviv & Ramallah, Palestine. The Most Dangerous Time in Life, Expo 2000, Germany, Brecht on Brecht, Ashtar Theatre, Palestine, Family Cycles, Espace de la Grace, Paris. London; Sweet Love Remembered, Globe, Loveplay, Battersea Arts Centre, You Can’t Take it With You, Simmonds Theatre, After the Fall, Orpheus Descending, Mountview Theatre. Confusions, Vodka Pancakes and Opium, Bristol Old Vic.
Voice Theatre; Woodstock; The Skin of Our Teeth, All My Sons, End Days, Our Country’s Good, Hay Fever, Season’s Greetings, Lovers.
US regional: The Homecoming Project, (written/directed), Columbia Festival of the Arts, Women’s Minyan, JET Theatre-Critics Choice Award Best Director, Measure For Measure, Abilene Shakespeare Festival, Lovers & Master Class Festival of the Voice, Goiter on Rye, (written/directed), Louisiana Tech.
Teaching; Stella Adler’s, NYU, T. Schreiber Studio. The UK; Mountview Theatre Academy, Middlesex University, The Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. Guest directed; Williams College, Bowdoin College, Queen Margaret College, Edinburgh.
Education
BFA in acting
Sep 1986 - Jun 1990Languages
English
Certifications
Post Graduate Directors Certificate
Sep 1993Professional theatre training progrma in directing.
Awards
People's Choice Award - Best Director - Women's Minyan
Jun 2008Photos & Videos
18 Reviews
Write a ReviewShauna really goes above and beyond with her teaching method - she gets right to essence of what's holding you back and breaks it down with compassion and humor. She has a deep understanding of her craft in a way that connects it beyond the voice to every aspect of life. I went further in two lessons than I thought possible!
+ Read MoreShauna is an amazing, transformational teacher. She has knowledge of a range of performance genres, styles and techniques, and is an extremely supportive teacher. I have been learning from Shauna for several years now and plan to continue learning from her--I would highly recommend!
+ Read MoreShauna gives me her full attention, focus and knowledge when working with me. She is very passionate about her work and has been immensly helpful to me. She asks me to come prepared and ready to work, so if you are looking for a teacher who will let you slack...that is not Shauna! Her instruction has given me greater skills and confidence. And she is immensly enjoyable to work with. I HIGHLY reccomend her.
+ Read MoreShauna can really help you learn to get in touch with your breathing. I discovered where the sound comes from deep within, and exercises to help me learn how to free the sound out. Getting out of your own way can be half the battle! Very relaxing and fun class.
+ Read MoreIf I had more stars I would still indicate the maximum. I have been working with Shauna for a while. I am a (very) amateur singer, but really wish to work on my voice -- I love singing and also consider doing so in public my last phobia. Shauna is so knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and empathetic. I feel far from being "pushed," I am instead treated with remarkable understanding of where I'm at vocally and what I need in terms of both technique and support. I feel very lucky to work with her; she's a joy!
+ Read MoreI can't recommend Shauna highly enough. She's very knowledgeable, very easy to work with (she's warm and approachable—she'll put you at ease right away), and she's also a lot of fun! She really understands actors, and, it's clear to me, loves working with them. She's also a terrific voice teacher, and a terrific audition coach. Take a lesson with her. You won't regret it.
+ Read MoreShauna Kanter is a master acting teacher for the beginner, intermediate, or seasoned pro. You have to put in the work, but she will guide you to discover the tools you have to be a truthful actor. She is intuitive, liberating, honest, tough, and compassionate. I wholeheartedly recommend Shauna to anyone looking grow as an actor.
+ Read MoreThe skills I gained as an actor studying with Shauna Kanter have never left my acting toolbox and feel as fresh in my mind today as when she first taught me. Shauna brought a whole world of new possibility to my acting, as I reached new heights with character physicality and also found new ways of accessing emotional depth within my character. Shauna always created an inspiring environment that felt safe to for me to push myself and not be afraid to fall. My experience with Shauna was inspiring and so valuable. Consider yourself lucky to have found her.
+ Read Morei have worked with shauna kanter as a student in acting and voice categories and have found her to be an exceptionally knowledgeable source of information and skill level. i would not hesitate to repeat my experience.
Shauna is a fabulous teacher she taught me to trust my instincts and have much more confidence in my work as an actor. She is insightful, patient and smart. Her guidance was invaluable to me.
Shauna is a great human being and a teacher learned so much from her ... highly recommend her.
I have taken a few classes with Shauna, the first two being acting classes, and the third a strictly-voice-oriented class. All have been great. The voice class I took with her was a group class that was only one session long, so I can't really comment on how effective the exercises were, as I believe one would need to practice more regularly to notice the effects! However, Shauna is a great instructor and I really enjoyed the class—especially learning some techniques that could be used in a routine vocal warm-up. The atmosphere was friendly and focused. I would definitely recommend her to anyone looking to improve clarity, volume, and connectedness in regards to their voice.
+ Read MoreShauna is a terrific teacher who knows how to hold the space for a group of varied level students, in which each receives a rich educational experience. Her voice training class was fun, engaging and I received tools and tips I'll be practicing for a lifetime!
+ Read MoreShauna is a generous and intuitive teacher, able to work with students at any level to gently help them find their voices. Her energy is infectious and positive, and she creates an environment in which you feel totally safe to explore your voice and possibility as an actor. I love working with her and would recommend to any student!
+ Read MoreI have worked on a number of projects with Shauna and have always found her to be kind, hardworking, caring, and excellent at helping you progress throughout the process.
Shauna has a deep understanding of the physiology of the human voice.
Her teaching helped my voice become freer, stronger, and infinitely more expressive.
Thank you
Shauna is a great teacher who offers very clear, constructive, and consistent help! Her background enables her to draw from a variety of disciplines in order to provide students with comprehensive and insightful feedback, which is invaluable in an instructor.
+ Read MoreShauna is a consummate professional who knows the voice and can guide every student to it best individual sound. You can trust your voice with her knowledge
~Kathy Anderson of The School for Young Artists