The Narrator Roundtable

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Apr 2025

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About the show

The audiobook industry is full of voices, and we're bringing them to the table. Hosted by a core coterie of narrators and featuring a variety of trade professionals, The Narrator Roundtable shares the intricate stories, challenges, and ideas that make up the audiobook industry. From craft to business and beyond, the roundtable turns "chatting with a friend over coffee" from an acting technique into an opportunity for gathering and growth. Join narrators Deanna Anthony, Lindsey Dorcus, Kirt Graves, André Santana, Gail Shalan, and a rotating lineup of guest hosts to discuss how the industry is evolving, the challenges narrators face every day, and the need for diverse human voices in audiobooks.

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36 recent

April 30, 20251 hr 0 min

Ep 310: A Room Full Of Human Beings (w/ Dominique Salvacion)

In our final episode of Season 3, we navigate the seas of social-professional connections. What feels real? Friendly? Warm? Cringe? Inappropriate? Uncomfortable? And how do we read these signs from others? Guest host Dominique Salvacion joins us to discuss the delicate art of authentic social connecting in professional networking spaces. Find The Narrator Roundtable Website | BlueSky | X (Twitter) | Instagram | TikTok Find Dominique Salvacion Website | Facebook Profile | Instagram Find André Santana Website | Facebook Profile | X (Twitter) | Instagram | TikTok Find Deanna Anthony Website | X (Twitter) | Instagram | TikTok Find Gail Shalan Website | X (Twitter) | Instagram | TikTok Find Kirt Graves Website | Facebook Narrator Page | X (Twitter) | Instagram | TikTok Find Lindsey Dorcus Website | X (Twitter) | Instagram The Narrator Roundtable is produced by André Santana, Deanna Anthony, Gail Shalan, Kirt Graves, and Lindsey Dorcus. All copyrighted material is shared with permission. Music & sound effects are licensed through Storyblocks Audio. All opinions shared are those of the individuals and

April 16, 20251 hr 1 min

Ep 309: A Rolodex Of Characters (W/ Jess Nahikian)

When we look at the page, how do we turn what we see in text into a fully lived-in, authentic character voice? With guest host Jess Nahikian, we discuss the technical work of turning language on the page into distinct performance choices and how we handle staying emotionally engaged when we’re working that deeply. Find The Narrator Roundtable Website | BlueSky | X (Twitter) | Instagram | TikTok Find Jess Nahikian Website | Instagram Find André Santana Website | Facebook Profile | X (Twitter) | Instagram | TikTok Find Deanna Anthony Website | X (Twitter) | Instagram | TikTok Find Gail Shalan Website | X (Twitter) | Instagram | TikTok Find Kirt Graves Website | Facebook Narrator Page | X (Twitter) | Instagram | TikTok Find Lindsey Dorcus Website | X (Twitter) | Instagram The Narrator Roundtable is produced by André Santana, Deanna Anthony, Gail Shalan, Kirt Graves, and Lindsey Dorcus. All copyrighted material is shared with permission. Music & sound effects are licensed through Storyblocks Audio. All opinions shared are those of the individuals and do not reflect the positions or policies of any company or organization with which they happen to be associated.

April 9, 20251 hr 0 min

Ep 308: Is It Me? Am I The Product? (w/ Jess Moran)

April 2, 20251 hr 3 min

Ep 307: Co-Existing In Multiple Realities (w/ Neil Hellegers)

In this episode of the Narrator Roundtable, we discuss parasocial relationships as they pertain to the art form of narration and the entertainment industry in a larger sense, as well as the kaleidoscopic nature of our public personas as narrators… how much does our own authentic presence, fan base, wide-spread, or more insular, recognition play into our work, hire-ability, and craft? And how transparent do we really need to be with our identities in public spaces? We’re joined by seasoned, award-winning narrator, actor, educator, and “OPTok” phenomenon Neil Hellegers to dive into the many angles of this nuanced topic. Find The Narrator Roundtable Website | BlueSky | X (Twitter) | Instagram | TikTok Find Neil Hellegers Website | Facebook Profile | Facebook Page | Instagram | TikTok Find André Santana Website | Facebook Profile | X (Twitter) | Instagram | TikTok Find Deanna Anthony Website | X (Twitter) | Instagram | TikTok Find Gail Shalan Website | X (Twitter) | Instagram | TikTok Find Kirt Graves Website | Facebook Narrator Page | X (Twitter) | Instagram | TikTok Find Lindsey Dorcus Website

March 26, 202558 min

Ep 306: Cold Read, Colder Shoulder (w/ Jennifer Jill Araya)

March 12, 20251 hr 7 min

Ep 305: The Foxes And The Bunnies (w/ Ronnie Butler, Jr.)

It seems like everyone has an idea about what indie work looks like, what publisher work looks like, and which one is better. In this episode, we talk to Ronnie Butler about how these ideas have shifted and how we can mend a bridge to see these two worlds as increasingly interconnected. Find The Narrator Roundtable Website | BlueSky | X (Twitter) | Instagram | TikTok Find Ron Butler Website | Instagram | TikTok Find André Santana Website | Facebook Profile | X (Twitter) | Instagram | TikTok Find Deanna Anthony Website | X (Twitter) | Instagram | TikTok Find Gail Shalan Website | X (Twitter) | Instagram | TikTok Find Kirt Graves Website | Facebook Narrator Page | X (Twitter) | Instagram | TikTok Find Lindsey Dorcus Website | X (Twitter) | Instagram The Narrator Roundtable is produced by André Santana, Deanna Anthony, Gail Shalan, Kirt Graves, and Lindsey Dorcus. All copyrighted material is shared with permission. Music & sound effects are licensed through Storyblocks Audio. All opinions shared are those of the individuals and do not reflect the positions or policies of any company or organization with which they...

March 5, 20251 hr 2 min

Ep 304: Showing Up For Each Other (w/ Andi Arndt)

We have often praised the narrator community for being welcoming and generous, but how was that community built? How do we safeguard these safe spaces as they grow exponentially each year? How do we avoid becoming the industry equivalent of the high school cafeteria, where you pick your table and stay there? We are excited to welcome Andi Arndt to The Narrator Roundtable to help us break down these questions (and probably more). Find The Narrator Roundtable Website | BlueSky | X (Twitter) | Instagram | TikTok Find Andi Arndt Website | Facebook Page | Instagram Find André Santana Website | Facebook Profile | X (Twitter) | Instagram | TikTok Find Deanna Anthony Website | X (Twitter) | Instagram | TikTok Find Gail Shalan Website | X (Twitter) | Instagram | TikTok Find Kirt Graves Website | Facebook Narrator Page | X (Twitter) | Instagram | TikTok Find Lindsey Dorcus Website | X (Twitter) | Instagram The Narrator Roundtable is produced by André Santana, Deanna Anthony, Gail Shalan, Kirt Graves, and Lindsey Dorcus. All copyrighted material is shared with permission. Music & sound effects are licensed through Storyblocks Audio.

February 26, 20251 hr 6 min

Ep 303: What Was I Made For? (w/ Alex Knox)

When we talk about resources that help keep us in the audiobook game, we’re making the assumption that we’re here for the long haul. In this episode, we’re picking that assumption apart with guest host Alex Knox as we dig into purpose and what drives our reason for being in the narration industry in the first place. Find The Narrator Roundtable Website | BlueSky | X (Twitter) | Instagram | TikTok Find Alex Knox Website | Instagram Find André Santana Website | Facebook Profile | X (Twitter) | Instagram | TikTok Find Deanna Anthony Website | X (Twitter) | Instagram | TikTok Find Gail Shalan Website | X (Twitter) | Instagram | TikTok Find Kirt Graves Website | Facebook Narrator Page | X (Twitter) | Instagram | TikTok Find Lindsey Dorcus Website | X (Twitter) | Instagram The Narrator Roundtable is produced by André Santana, Deanna Anthony, Gail Shalan, Kirt Graves, and Lindsey Dorcus. All copyrighted material is shared with permission. Music & sound effects are licensed through Storyblocks Audio. All opinions shared are those of the individuals and do not reflect the positions or policies of any company or organization with which they happen to be associated.

February 19, 20251 hr 3 min

Ep 302: Show Us The Money (w/ Kimberly Wetherell)

No matter the job, keeping track of income and expenses can be a hassle, and narrating is no different. In this episode, we discuss the pitfalls and pro-tips to getting paid with our guest host, Kimberly Wetherell. Find The Narrator Roundtable Website | BlueSky | X (Twitter) | Instagram | TikTok Find Kimberly Wetherell Website | Instagram Find André Santana Website | Facebook Profile | X (Twitter) | Instagram | TikTok Find Deanna Anthony Website | X (Twitter) | Instagram | TikTok Find Gail Shalan Website | X (Twitter) | Instagram | TikTok Find Kirt Graves Website | Facebook Narrator Page | X (Twitter) | Instagram | TikTok Find Lindsey Dorcus Website | X (Twitter) | Instagram The Narrator Roundtable is produced by André Santana, Deanna Anthony, Gail Shalan, Kirt Graves, and Lindsey Dorcus. All copyrighted material is shared with permission. Music & sound effects are licensed through Storyblocks Audio. All opinions shared are those of the individuals and do not reflect the positions or policies of any company or organization with which they happen to be associated.

February 12, 202555 min

Ep 301: What You Signed Up For Is Climbing (w/ Emily Woo Zeller)

Narrating doesn’t cover every expense for every narrator, so many of us become hustlers. We explore side gigs like coaching, directing, social media, and more. And this life of the grind is real for all of us. In the first episode of our third season, we talk with Emily Woo Zeller and explore whether that last ledge we’re about to reach on our financial journies is really the last ledge at all. Find The Narrator Roundtable Website | BlueSky | X (Twitter) | Instagram | TikTok Find Emily Woo Zeller Website | Facebook Page | Instagram Find André Santana Website | Facebook Profile | X (Twitter) | Instagram | TikTok Find Deanna Anthony Website | X (Twitter) | Instagram | TikTok Find Gail Shalan Website | X (Twitter) | Instagram | TikTok Find Kirt Graves Website | Facebook Narrator Page | X (Twitter) | Instagram | TikTok Find Lindsey Dorcus Website | X (Twitter) | Instagram The Narrator Roundtable is produced by André Santana, Deanna Anthony, Gail Shalan, Kirt Graves, and Lindsey Dorcus. All copyrighted material is shared with permission. Music & sound effects are licensed through Storyblocks...