Richard Speights

Characters Impressions--Ross Perot, Walter Cronkite, Richard Nixon, Henry Kissenger, Darth Vader, Marvin the Martian, Bill Clinton, Col. Sotto (Bridge over River Kwia), and others as my ear picks them up Characters--Senator Theodore Thurman The Third from the great State of Louisiana, Dr. Freud, The Pirate and his Son, Mo the Moron, Old Man, Drill Servant, New York Cabby, Billy Bob Bo (southern), Reggie Wilson (African-American), The Millionaire (think Giligan’s Island), and others as they develop Accents--German, Australian, Several Southern Accents, Texas, French, Spanish, Irish, Scottish, English, Russian, Indian (India) and others as my ear picks them up Singing--Base / Baritone (think a cross between Neil Diamond and Engilbert Humperdink with a range of voice styling from country twang to rock to love ballads to cartoon opera

Whenever my mother answers the phone and hears any kind of accented voice, her first response is to ask, “Richard? Is that you?” I later worked at KDAQ Public Radio so I could mispronounce "Mozart" and develop that traditional smooth presentation for which they are known. Most of my characters and accents developed over the CB radio, staring arguments between two of my characters and anyone else I could suck into the squabble born of my imagination. Most of my work as been on my Boss Digital Recorder, practicing intonation and characterization. I have been a public speaker since 11, and my narration and commercial voice reflects that training and experience. I studied Public Relations, including broadcasting, at LSU-S, commercial writing, and creative writing. I’ve been singing harmony (base and tenor) under my mother’s tutelage in the church since my youth. Other talented singers helped sharpen my styling along the way. I’ve been a member of ten-part harmony group “Sounds of Joy,” singing second tenor, which was the top of this base baritone’s range at that time. I’ve competed in talent shows and sung at many good karaoke places, where the girls would leave their boyfriends at the tables and stand around the dance floor and watch. Louisiana State University—Shreveport KDAQ, Public Radio—Shreveport Creative Writing under Dr. Dori Larue Broadcasting and commercial writing—LSU-S and Bossier Community College Traveled the world by 18, inheriting and then loosing several regional accents and one foreign accent (Australian). This gave me an ear for vowels, intonations, and cadence. Published Writer and award-winning photographer. Headshot--Self Portrait by Richard Speights I recorded my audition CD on a Boss Digital eight track with a CAD microphone. Unfortunately, my studio equipment is currently in storage 2000 miles away and, therefore, unavailable. As a traveler, I have seen much of the world and lived in many different cultures. My interests have been and are wide ranging and rather eclectic.