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About the Studio
Nashville Performance Studio is a private training practice founded by actor and vocal coach Mariah Parris.
Every guest teacher is also a working professional.Â
Mariah holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and has trained across the country, most notably Otterbein University and The Actor's Studio in New York. She performed for years
Off-Broadway in NYC, works with symphonies across the country, and performs regularly with Equity Theatres in Nashville.Â
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Her teaching draws from a wide range of training modalities, including Meisner, Stanislavsky, Estill Voice Training, classical vocal technique, Shakespeare, and contemporary acting techniques.
Rather than teaching one rigid method, Mariah brings together the tools that have proven most useful throughout her own experience and hundreds of hours of study.
For voice students, the goal isn't to change what makes your voice yours- it's freedom of expression.
The voice is an instrument: with the right technique, you can develop greater ease, power, control, and range while maintaining your individual sound and style. Mariah works across musical theatre, pop, rock, country, jazz, and classical/legit repertoire, adapting the training to each student's goals.
For acting students, the goal is to learn how to actively listen, connect to the material, make choices that support the text, and develop the courage to let an audience witness your vulnerability. Â
Acting lessons can be flexible to fit your goals, and will usually benefit from coming with material memorized, though sourcing good material is something you might want guidance on!
Above all, students are encouraged to release the pressure of being "good" so that they can be free to try!
Studying the arts should be fun, and Mariah seeks to create an environment where they can grow.
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