One of my favorite kinds of work is documentary style narration. The subjects vary dramatically and I always learn something new. This piece is a splash video for Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego.

Compared to commercials, there is time to elaborate on the topic. And the pace is more measured, allowing time for the visuals and voice to breathe.

I also know that this style of VO is suited to my voice and brain. Big Anthem-type scripts are not. However, VOG (Voice of God) announcing is. Two completely different kinds of sounds, attitudes, and scripts.

When you are a working voice talent with agents, you get a lot of auditions. It pays to read them carefully. Study the scripts. When you get commercial scripts, read the specs first. What age. What celebrity touch point. I know my voice age is NOT 25-35, […]

Years ago I was one of the narrators the original animated version of the book “Who Moved My Cheese,” with the two charming mice (Sniff and Scurry) and two littlepeople (Hem and Haw). From the names you get it already. Cheese is what makes us happy and successful. Here is a link to that video.

Let’s say that you have been living life with an abundance of cheese – or enough that you don’t feel unhappy. You are able to pay your bills and afford expensive cheese once in a while.

What happens when that cheese disappears? The usual places where you have been finding cheese have moved and suddenly, not only can’t you find expensive cheese, you are finding a hard time finding ANY cheese. One of my voiceover friends recently posted about this very subject. He has some very specific […]

So, back in June, I was Rose in Neil Simon’s last play “Rose and Walsh.” First time on stage since COVID shut down production in March of 2020 and left 3 weeks of “The Hollow” unfinished.

After 3 years, and 2 bouts of COVID could I still remember lines – a LOT of lines? That was the big question. Apparently I could. What a thrill to be the lead in such a fun play with such wonderful actors. Lee Price played Walsh, Ruth Russell was Arlene and Raymond Evans was Gavin. Our director, Jerry Pilato knew me from “Dixie Swim Club” (now named something else due to the word Dixie in the title) and asked me to audition. I was up against a slew of good comedy actresses and my producer hat was there during auditions trying to see who might match up […]

I consider myself a lucky person. I usually define luck as being in the right place at the right time with the right tools. I have made my way through my life sort of blindly advancing step by step without a great deal of consideration – and professionally, it has worked out. (Catch the next production of my play Silkworms to get more insight on the personal side of my life.)

But sometimes, luck is just luck. You find that perfect parking spot. The lights change to green as you approach the intersection. You find yourself hosting a delightful and talented Ukrainian refugee and her daughter.

Ok, that needs a little explanation.

Back when Putin invaded Ukraine, I received an email from Air BnB asking if I was interested in donating my spare room to a refugee if needed. I had decided not […]

I wrote a play back before the turn of the century and was lucky to have it performed as a staged reading by John Tessmer and his La Jolla Theater Ensemble in late 2017. Fast forward to 2023 and SILKWORMS has just finished a 3-weekend fully staged run at Lamplighters Theater in La Mesa California. I was invited to the auditions and was able to help select the cast. I was however not invited to the rehearsals…which was fine with me. I don’t consider myself a director and I am probably way too close to the story to have been able to help the actors bring their own take to the characters. Besides, I was lead in another play that overlapped with this production.

SILKWORMS is a semi-autobiographical (OK, mostly autobiographical) play set at Christmas about three generations of American women, the […]

“Should I stay or should I go?” Is retirement in the cards?

Well, for the time being, I am staying. I have lots of regular clients who I love working for and will continue to do so until I find that my voice just isn’t the same. Referrals are always great. And love hearing or seeing producers from past projects (some from many years ago).

What I am finding as I contemplate “retirement”, is that it is a lot easier to pass on auditions. Used to be I would do anything that came across my eyeballs. Different ages, characters, accents – I’d push myself to find a voice that would “work.”

But today’s castings are evolving into being much more targeted with an emphasis on being real and true – age, ethnicity, heritage.

Sometimes it is an easy call – when I see the specs […]