"A reading is a performance. Easy enough for writers to forget that in the silence of their daily routines. Emily and Sean are two terrifically talented actors who understand the difference between the word on the page and the word from the stage. I can think of no better coaches for the story-tellers among us who might, on occasion, want to tell their stories out loud."
- Alice McDermott, National Book Award Winner & Pulitzer Finalist
From our Sewanee Community
"Emily Shain and Sean McIntyre have been Resident actors at the Sewanee Writers’ Conference for several summers now, and their performances of the plays-in-progress by Resident playwrights and Fellows unfailingly amaze its authors as much as the audience. They demonstrate what it means to transport: for a time there is no time but the characters’ time when their joys and trials are ours. We know what they know; we experience all yet come out alive! A transportive performance is miraculous for being rare—and so memorable too. Emily Shain and Sean McIntyre hear the heart behind the words on a page and bring scenes to life. They know the magic spells and have had me in their grip and I have loved it. "
— Christine Schutt, National Book Award and Pulitzer Finalist
"I have had the great pleasure of watching Emily Shain and Sean McIntyre perform for several years now and am always in awe of their immense talent in both dramatic and comic roles. I have seen them hold the audience spellbound with tension and suspense and I have seem them bring down the house with perfect comic timing. They are incredibly talented and also very kind, generous with their time and knowledge, and FUN!"
—Jill McCorkle, New England Booksellers Award winner and author of Life After Life.
“I brought Sean and Emily to Cincinnati last year to run this workshop for our graduate students, and it was incredible to see how quickly they transformed them from anxious to comfortable at the podium. I highly recommend!
— Leah Stewart, Head of the English Dept. University of Cincinnati, Director of the Sewanee Writer’s Conference
From former students
"Performing Prose would help any writer at any stage of their career. These are skills that actors work on all the time, that most writers don’t even know exist. I felt like I was suddenly armed with tools and skills that will help me in reading my work and even in my day to day life. And the five hours of class was sheer fun too!"
— Rachel Stolzman Gullo, author of Practice Dying
“My session with Sean was so good. We just dove into the piece, and he had great ideas and presented them in ways I could grab hold of. It was extremely helpful.”
— Sandra Lambert, author of A Certain Loneliness
“Thanks very much for the entire session! I learned a ton and it has fundamentally changed the way I approach a reading.”
— Daniel Tam-Claiborne, author of What Never Leaves