
Leadership Speaking (And Listening) Through Acting

Meg McLynn
Meg McLynn is an actor, vocalist, and teaching artist who has been seen on stages and screens throughout North America. Meg loves to share her passion for performance with students of all ages, and it is her belief that the work we do in “the studio” is applicable to all aspects of our everyday lives.
Having studied for 7 years under renowned voice teacher, Kristin Linklater, Meg now works with students to help them take ownership of their wonderfully unique voices. She teaches Voice and Speech at Cornish College of the Arts, and she serves as a vocal coach with Jack Straw Studios. She has assisted with voice training at Columbia Business School and World Leaders Forum in New York City. Meg also teaches Voice and Acting classes at Freehold Theatre Lab and Mighty Tripod Studios in Seattle.
Meg is a member of the Seattle-based vocal trio, Blue Plate Special, and has been an Anthem Singer for the Seattle Seahawks. As a concert soloist, she performed the songbooks of Patsy Cline, Judy Garland, and Carly Simon with Purple Phoenix Productions. Local acting credits include roles with Seattle Shakespeare Company, Book-It Rep, Seattle Symphony, ArtsWest, Seattle Opera, Seattle Public Theatre, Washington Ensemble Theatre, Theatre22, Harlequin Productions, and 14/48: TWQTF, as well as the feature films “Different Drummers”, “7 Minutes”, and “Colton”. You can see her in the series, “The Girl in the Woods” streaming on NBC/Peacock.
About the Course
In this age of digital communication, many of us find it challenging to communicate effectively when speaking to others, especially from a leadership position. This workshop is designed to help you develop confidence and clarity as an oral communicator, whether speaking to one person or to a large group.
Learn strategies to:
prepare your voice and body
engage your listeners by using a variety of vocal dynamics and body language
practice “active listening”, both to your audience and to your impulses
The first part of the workshop will focus on physical and vocal exercises, seeking to develop personal awareness of unhelpful habits that can impede your ability to connect with your “audience”. The second part of the workshop asks participants to “take the stage” in order to apply this awareness to the experience of speaking to a group. Participants are encouraged to share specific examples of speaking experiences in the workplace, particularly if they prepared a “script” for the occasion.
Related Theater Classes
Writing for Theater

Beverly Poole
Beverly Poole has been in Seattle theater for 16 years, and has taught theater for nearly as long. Though she has spent time dabbling in improv, podcasting work, and audio dramas, her true passion is theater that affects the audience like a story told on film never could.
Some of her greatest influences came out of time spent in The Drama Collective Pontlevoy with several master teachers in European theater arts traditions–including Lecoq mask and body work, Kantor technique, ensemble devising work, and puppetry. Other influences were the Viewpoints training she received at the University of Washington, and some of Seattle’s own site-specific theater (her favorite was a show on the Fremont Troll).
Beverly joined REBATEnsemble as an actor, and became the Associate Artistic Director two years later. With REBATE she directed, wrote, and devised plays with theater founder Tom Dang, including Icons: The Martin Show, The Tempest, and Rashumon Reloaded, and she began teaching workshops in ensemble acting and devising.
Beverly has taught theater to all ages, and has a special fondness for teaching Shakespeare to high school students. Her other interests include history, watercolor painting, and fire spinning.
Using ensemble-based theater techniques students will learn how to develop individual ideas and compose new pieces of theater. We will go through the fundamentals of acting, stage picture and directing, story structure and beats, and learn new ways to think about storytelling. By the end of the class each student should have one short theater piece
Voice-Over 201: Audio Books
This course introduces students to the professional of commercial voiceover work. Students learn control and application of the voice through exercises and ample time for practical experience with a wide array of material. Students discover how to capitalize on their personal style and sound, and work towards a critical understanding of the
Workshop: Stage Directing and Leadership

Beverly Poole
Beverly Poole has been in Seattle theater for 16 years, and has taught theater for nearly as long. Though she has spent time dabbling in improv, podcasting work, and audio dramas, her true passion is theater that affects the audience like a story told on film never could.
Some of her greatest influences came out of time spent in The Drama Collective Pontlevoy with several master teachers in European theater arts traditions–including Lecoq mask and body work, Kantor technique, ensemble devising work, and puppetry. Other influences were the Viewpoints training she received at the University of Washington, and some of Seattle’s own site-specific theater (her favorite was a show on the Fremont Troll).
Beverly joined REBATEnsemble as an actor, and became the Associate Artistic Director two years later. With REBATE she directed, wrote, and devised plays with theater founder Tom Dang, including Icons: The Martin Show, The Tempest, and Rashumon Reloaded, and she began teaching workshops in ensemble acting and devising.
Beverly has taught theater to all ages, and has a special fondness for teaching Shakespeare to high school students. Her other interests include history, watercolor painting, and fire spinning.
Discover the world of stage directing and leadership in this immersive two-day workshop led by Beverly Poole. Using the timeless text of Henry V, learn how a stage director approaches project management, art, and leadership. Gain essential skills such as creating a nurturing environment for creative ideas, leading with confidence and compassion,
Unarmed Theatrical Combat

Geof Alm
Geoffrey Alm has been teaching Stage Fighting at Cornish since 2008. A Certified Teacher with The Society of American Fight Directors since 1987, he is also a Certified Fight Director and Fight Master. Professionally he has been choreographing fights since 1988, locally and Nationally. He’s a proud member of Stage Directors and Choreographers, Actors Equity, and SAG-AFTRA.
Grounded in safety and the art of illusion, this class combines basic unarmed stage fighting with Intimacy protocols. Discover good partnering and the power of grounded connection in your performances.
Theatrical Swordplay

Geof Alm
Geoffrey Alm has been teaching Stage Fighting at Cornish since 2008. A Certified Teacher with The Society of American Fight Directors since 1987, he is also a Certified Fight Director and Fight Master. Professionally he has been choreographing fights since 1988, locally and Nationally. He’s a proud member of Stage Directors and Choreographers, Actors Equity, and SAG-AFTRA.
Embark on a thrilling adventure with Theatrical Swordplay! Immerse yourself in the "Swashbuckling" style, reminiscent of Hollywood's golden age. Master the basics and concepts of Single Sword techniques as you bring the excitement of the silver screen to life. Unleash your inner hero or villain in this action-packed class!
Acting for Stage & Screen

Meg McLynn
Meg McLynn is an actor, vocalist, and teaching artist who has been seen on stages and screens throughout North America. Meg loves to share her passion for performance with students of all ages, and it is her belief that the work we do in “the studio” is applicable to all aspects of our everyday lives.
Having studied for 7 years under renowned voice teacher, Kristin Linklater, Meg now works with students to help them take ownership of their wonderfully unique voices. She teaches Voice and Speech at Cornish College of the Arts, and she serves as a vocal coach with Jack Straw Studios. She has assisted with voice training at Columbia Business School and World Leaders Forum in New York City. Meg also teaches Voice and Acting classes at Freehold Theatre Lab and Mighty Tripod Studios in Seattle.
Meg is a member of the Seattle-based vocal trio, Blue Plate Special, and has been an Anthem Singer for the Seattle Seahawks. As a concert soloist, she performed the songbooks of Patsy Cline, Judy Garland, and Carly Simon with Purple Phoenix Productions. Local acting credits include roles with Seattle Shakespeare Company, Book-It Rep, Seattle Symphony, ArtsWest, Seattle Opera, Seattle Public Theatre, Washington Ensemble Theatre, Theatre22, Harlequin Productions, and 14/48: TWQTF, as well as the feature films “Different Drummers”, “7 Minutes”, and “Colton”. You can see her in the series, “The Girl in the Woods” streaming on NBC/Peacock.
This course will dive into the actor’s “instrument” - their body and voice - and the habits of healthy performance; establishing skills, concepts, terminology, and goals from which subsequent training can spring. Students will learn about their instrument as a complex and unified system, the mechanics of the body, and the steps performers can take