Are there any text-to-speech (TTS ) controllers on pre-Big Sur macOS?

In macOS Big Sur and onward there is a built-in accessibility tool for text-to-speech, a floating window with play/pause/speed buttons that can read aloud almost any selectable text on screen. [Have your Mac speak text that’s on the screen](https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/have-your-mac-speak-text-thats-on-the-screen-mh27448/11.0/mac/11.0) refers to this box as the 'TTS controller'. However, in earlier OSes, TTS exists but there's no equivalent GUI popup. Does anyone know of a way to make it (or something like it) appear on earlier OSes?