Community Lecture Series

"Learning Accents: The Four Ps of KTS Speechwork for Actors"

Presenter: Monique Sacay-Bagwell
Reception: 5:30 p.m.
Presentation: 6:00 p.m.

Have you ever wondered how actors learn accents for their roles? Knight-Thompson Speechwork (KTS) is a skills-based approach to speech and accent training for actors. It emphasizes descriptive rather than prescriptive methods and contrasts with earlier traditions associated with phonetician William Tilly (1860–1935), who promoted a standardized model of speech often referred to as “Good American Speech.” KTS is used by performers seeking a deeper understanding of speech patterns and accent acquisition. The method includes a framework known as the “Four Ps”—People, Posture, Prosody, and Pronunciation—which provides a structured way to analyze and explore the elements of an accent, helping performers develop more authentic and character-specific speech patterns.

Monique Sacay-Bagwell is a Professor of Speech and Performance in the Department of Communication and Languages at Lander University. For more than 30 years, she has combined her passion for the performing arts with teaching, stage performance, directing, and voiceover work. Her expertise includes voiceover and stage acting, voice and movement training, public speaking, the so-called “General American English” accent, directing, coaching, and the Emotional Body Method. Her voiceover credits include audiobooks, telephony, corporate narration, eLearning, and podcasts.