REVIEWS
The Children
Moxie Theatre
Actor (Hazel)
San Diego Union-Tribune: Pam Kragen
Dinning is phenomenal as Hazel, the plain, seemingly placid and devoted wife and mother of four adult children, whose simmering rage reaches the boiling point, quite amusingly, after Rose causes the toilet to overflow.
Times of San Diego: Pat Launer
Dinning’s performance is magnificent. She makes Hazel cheerful but ever-wary, concealing what she thinks and knows behind a faux bonhomie, with teeth-gritted banter, especially with Rose.
San Diego Story: Cassiopeia Guthrie
All three actors in this production are exceptional and, while each has their own moments to shine individually, it is their togetherness that builds the tension of this show. That said, I found Dinning’s Hazel to be highly relatable. The character is written to be perceptive and suspicious, but also comfortable and accommodating. She is effective to a fault, moving with physical confidence and eyes that are ever-alert and watchful, but also knows her place in the world that she inhabits: namely, she is a mother/grandmother/homemaker in a post-apocalyptic space. Even as Maynard’s Rose is shown to have ambitions in arriving beyond a simple conversation, Dinning maintains a facade of pleasant courtesy throughout the show until she simply cannot anymore.
Broadway World: E.M Reiter
Dinning as Hazel is excellent, her life as a scientist and mother of four children is apparent in her efficiency, domesticity, perceptiveness, and ability to try to maintain her temper as it becomes increasingly challenged by Rose and her purpose. She and Maynard spark against each other in a polite dance of hospitality and hostility.
San Diego Stage and Screen: Jean Lowerison
Vanessa Dinning, usually known as Moxie’s voice and dialect coach, is excellent as Hazel, the scientist who tries to settle her fears by working out on her yoga mat.
Carol's Theatre Reviews: Carol Davis
All three have their chance to shine throughout. Dinning, a natural pleasant, no nonsense mother hen is just what her part calls for; loving, caring, devoted and it looks like she makes one hell of a salad.
Dido & Aeneas
Bodhi Tree Concerts
Director
Broadway World: E.M. Reiter
Stage Directed by Vanessa Dinning the show has moments of sweetness, suspense, and humor as the story comes together, while also painting some vivid visuals on stage. Especially evocative is a moment with Dido in a sheet that calls to mind both a shroud and Cupid's wings.
San Diego Story: Ken Herman
The enchanting fluidity of Vanessa Dinning’s stage direction of Dido and Aeneas was superbly assisted by Jerry DeLane’s simple set design, a central square stage—with audience members seated on three sides— that resembled an old-fashioned four-poster bed that allowed the actors to enter and exit from any direction. Although the libretto calls for specific settings—a palace, a cave, a grove—no set or props identified such places, allowing the players’ interaction to sufficiently imply the dramatic context.
Outside Mullingar
Scripps Ranch Theatre & Oceanside Theatre
Actor (Rosemary Muldoon)
Carol's Theatre Reviews: Carol Davis
"The prize of this production goes to Vanessa Dinning’ Rosemary as she leads Anthony on a path to reality giving him every reason and chance to either accept her as she is, letting her love him as deeply as she knows how or giving him the option to walk away. She bares her soul, her love and is ready to give him her heart. It’s a gift, a love story and a winning production."
San Diego City Beat:
"...the Scripps Ranch cast is great. Stephen Schmitz and Vanessa Dinning play two lonely neighbors approaching middle age, and both ideally suited to the prevailing sentimentality, right down to spot-on Irish accents."
The Vista Press: TR Robertson
"...Dinning’s Rosemary creates a driven, strong willed presentation of a woman who has had enough of the nonsense that has brought a rift between these families and her search for love."
San Diego Gay and Lesbian News: Jean Lowerison
Billy Elliot
San Diego Musical Theatre
Dialect Coach
San Diego Union-Tribune: Pam Kragen
"Liverpool-raised director Neil Dale and English-born dialect coach Vanessa Dinning have restored much of the story’s Britishness."
Times of San Diego: Pat Launer
"The distinctive North England accents are strong but authentic, thanks to the dialect coaching of British-born Vanessa Dinning"
San Diego Story: Kris Eitland
"English-born dialect coach Vanessa Dinning keeps the dialogue authentically Durham, which is tricky, but more understandable than Geordie."
San Diego Gay and Lesbian News; Jean Lowerison
Stage and Cinema: Milo Sharp
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King Charles III
Coronado Playhouse
Dialect Coach
San Diego Union-Tribune: James Hebert
""The influence of dialect coach Vanessa Dinning is also evident in the cast’s well-practiced, natural-sounding accents."
StageAndCinema.com: Milo Shapriro
"Tyler Richards Hewes’ direction and Vanessa Dinning’s dialect coaching have led to a performance caliber quite high for a purely non-equity show."
Once
Lamb's Players Theatre
Dialect Coach & understudy
Times of San Diego: Pat Launer
"The dialect coaching of Grace Delaney (two Irish dialects… one for Dublin and one for the looked-down-upon Cork resident) and Vanessa Dinning (England-born, but she did one heckuva job on the Czech)."
San Diego Union-Tribune: James Hebert
San Diego Story: Martin Westlin Jones
Carol's Theatre Reviews: Carol Davis
A Man of No Importance
Coronado Playhouse
Dialect Coach
San Diego Theatre Reviews:
"...his Dublin accent (excellent dialect coaching by Vanessa Dinning, well-known for her expert dialect coaching at Moonlight, Cygnet, San Diego Musical Theatre, and Lambs Players) is consistent and natural."
All is Calm
Bodhi Tree Concerts & San Diego Opera
Dialect Coach
REVIEWS
San Diego Union-Tribune: Pam Kragen
San Diego Story: Ken Herman
Opera Wire: Maria Nockin
Broadway World: Ron Bierman
ARTICLES
KPBS: Beth Accomando
San Diego Union-Tribune: Pam Kragen
Performances Magazine: Pat Launer
"There’s a variety of accents—upper class and working class, Cockney, German and French, which will be managed by our dialect coach, Vanessa Dinning. It’s a good fit for us. I’m very excited about it.”.."
San Diego Story: Ken Herman
La Jolla Light: Lonnie Burtstein Hewitt
San Diego Jewish Journal: Pat Launer
Broadway World: Ron Bierman
"... Vanessa Dinning has taken on the challenge of coaching in nearly 20 different dialects."
San Diego City Beat:
Vanguard Culture: Rebecca Romani
"... However, the most difficult thing and the thing that our cast likely worked the hardest to accomplish was the different accents required ranging from upper class British, to Cockney, to Irish, German, and Scottish. Vanessa Dinning (our dialect coach and a member of the San Diego Opera staff) worked tirelessly to get the cast (of mostly opera singers) to speak with accurate accents..a fantastic job.”..."
An Experiment with an Air Pump
Backyard Renaissance
Dialect Coach
Carol's Theatre Reviews: Carol Davis
"and woman of many talents Vanessa Dinning dialect instructor. When these ears can understand many dialects, we’re in good shape."
SDGNL.com Theatre Reviews: Jean Lowerison
Talk Theatre To Me: E.M. Reiter
KSDS Jazz 88.3: Pat Launer
San Diego Story: Bill Eadie
San Diego Union-Tribune: David Coddon
Pride and Prejudice
Cygnet Theatre
Dialect Coach
San Diego Union-Tribune: James Hebert
Broadway World: E.M. Reiter
Carol's Theatre Reviews: Carol Davis
Talkin' Broadway: David Dixon
SDGNL.com Theatre Reviews: Jean Lowerison
DavidCoddon.com: David Coddon
Matilda
Moonlight Stage Productions
Dialect Coach
San Diego Union-Tribune: James Hebert
San Diego Story: Kris Etland
"But in fully committed performances, Miss Rose and the incredible young cast, along with some famous adults, nail the British accent, thanks to dialect coach Vanessa Dinning. They successfully carry the message that children must be brave and a little naughty."
Broadway World: E.M. Reiter
Shout out to Vanessa Dinning the Dialect coach for getting the entire cast to sound natural with the accent work the show calls for as well!
Times of San Diego: Pat Launer
SDGNL.com Theatre Reviews: Jean Lowerison
Handbagged
Moxie Theatre
Dialect Coach
San Diego Union-Tribune: James Hebert
Times of San Diego: Pat Launer
"Macke’s superb Ronald Reagan is a hoot, and Murray matches him with a ruffled, adoring Nancy. All the others, in a wide range of accents and dialects (special kudos to dialect coach Vanessa Dinning) seem excellent, too; we could tell just how accurate the impressions were if we were more familiar with the originals. You can’t beat Mackey, as Thatcher’s high-voiced puppydog husband, Dennis, trailing her and calling her “Boss.” "
Carol's Theatre Reviews: Carol Davis
"...the wonderfully talented Vanessa Dinning acted as dialect coach."
Broadway World: E.M. Reiter
"A shout out to the entire ensemble and to the dialect coach Vanessa Dinning on the excellent accent work."
SDGNL.com Theatre Reviews: Jean Lowerison
"...And credit Vanessa Dinning with the coaching of all those accents."
San Diego Story: Bill Eadie