Dianne Brooke

Characterizations: mom- strict, clueless, panicked or nondescript, fantasy characters such as witches and imps, seductress, talking parrot, Renaissance wench, the girl next door, sassy teen, drill sergeant, hippie chick

I was a disc jockey at K.O.T.R.- the Otter- the last, commercial, "truly free-form" radio station in the U.S. ( I believe) from 1985-1999. By free-form I mean we didn't have to speak at ninety miles an hour to fit what we had to say into a ten second spot. We spoke our minds, played whatever music we wanted (basically a rock, rhythm and blues direction) and made stuff up on the spot. Besides picking and playing music and talking about it, I reported the morning news (honestly crying openly during the Oklahoma City bombing tragedy), told bad jokes and conducted on-air contests. I wrote, read and produced commercials over my entire career at K-Otter. Other agencies also hired me out for my voice recognition and skill. I also worked in promotions creating events and hosting them around the county and on air. I conducted interviews ( live and over the phone) with artists such as Kris Kristofferson, Taj Majal and Boz Scaggs. In 1999, I narrated a student film documentary about an East Indian woman, her cultural upbringing and her life here in the U.S. as a musician and professor. My degree was in Special Education, so my public speaking experience really began at the Junior College level in that setting. My radio training was on the job and through much public scrutiny and input. Characterizations were developed with drama coaches and directors and through reading children's stories out loud (Keeping their attention? Ah, that voice is a winner...) At home we have: an iMac with 10.5.5 and Garage Band 4.1.2 and an Audio-technica 2020 USB microphone I emceed concerts radio station, K.O.T.R., and local non-profit organizations sponsored such as Joan Baez, John Hiatt and David Crosby. I performed in Little Theatre from 1981-1990. Always being the youngest one in the cast, I often got typecast as the prostitutes. Hmmmm... I also played the flirty young Myrtle in "Harvey", the serious, Chinese nurse in "The Stolen Prince and the Lost Princess," and the southern drawling, young adult daughter in "The Porch." I was the pirate storyteller/narrator of our local school play. I have often read stories to youngsters in school and in tot time programs locally. Many people enjoy my singing although I have always been shy about it. Folk, rock, blues, lullabies/kids songs and sing-around-the-campfire genres are my specialty. I used to sing in church (they cornered me on that one because I also play guitar), at weddings and parties (not while under the influence!). While employed by a friend with a leather business, I worked the original Renaissance Pleasure Faires in Southern California and Northern California for eight years. In those days, we were required to take speech workshops, song and dance, etc. You were held to being authentic. One needed to be to in order to compete smartly for buyers! As Executive Director of the Cambria Teen/Community Center, I often had to make business presentations to large community groups of adults as well as teens begging for support and buy-in.