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Tovah Close

Lecturer, Drama

Biography
Tovah Close is a theater artist and educator whose work focuses on voice, speech, and presence for actors and public speakers. Areas of interest include breath embodiment; dialect/accent coaching and research; Knigh-Thompson Speechwork; building classroom communities; and inclusive and equitable teaching practices.

Previous faculty appointments include Mary Baldwin University's MFA program in Shakespeare and Performance and NYU's Tisch School of the Arts-- New Studio on Broadway. Tovah has taught classes and workshops at the University of Alabama, UVA's Darden School of Business, The Governor's School of North Carolina, A.C.T.'s Young Conservatory, Epic Theatre Ensemble, NYU Tisch High School Summer Program, Virginia Players, Light House Studio, and Live Arts.

Her work as a dialect and vocal coach has been seen in multiple productions at Virginia Theatre Festival, 59E59, Mile Square Theater, Summer Theater of New Canaan, NYU Tisch, and UVA Drama. Private coaching clients have booked work in film, TV, regional theater, and audiobook narration. Favorite acting projects include A.C.T.'s A Christmas Carol, Lobby Hero, The Importance of Being Earnest, The Beard of Avon, and Orestes 2.0.

Tovah holds an MFA from American Conservatory Theater and a BFA from UC Santa Barbara, both in acting. She is a member of Actors Equity Association and the Voice and Speech Trainers Association.