Janet Metzger: Audiobook Narrator
Janet Metzger: Audiobook Narrator
At the age of 11, Janet’s family moved from Pittsburgh to Orlando. She brought her love of make-believe with her and quickly learned to entertain others through singing. Moving to Atlanta after college, Janet eventually found her life’s work as an actor. She began narrating audiobooks in 2009 and has won several Earphones Awards for her work. She brings a lifetime of acting on stage, TV and film to each book she records. Whether it is Southern historical fiction, the memoir of a heroine’s journey or a mystery, she is a chameleon when it comes to portraying characters; she inhabits the lives of an elderly grandmother, a small child, pre-teen boys and men with equal sensitivity and authenticity, drawing listeners into the story. Her keen musical ear and attention to detail enable her to depict a wide array of accents, especially the many dialects of rural and urban regions of the Southeastern U.S., and she's been called upon to voice characters with British, French, Spanish, Irish and Eastern European accents. She makes dense language understandable and entertaining, making her a natural for nonfiction as well as literary fiction and poetry. She also has a great sense of comedy, having sung for 13 years as Bambola Bartolli, the plate-spinning chanteuse of the DeLuxe Vaudeville Orchestra. Really.
How did you prepare to narrate The Wedding Veil by Kristy Woodson Harvey?
Having narrated 5 of Kristy’s audiobooks, I am familiar with her writing style. But this one was exceptional. I created a bio of Babs, her daughters, her niece and short sketches of other characters I voiced. Communicating with the other narrators was crucial, as we often voiced each others’ characters. Understanding vocal patterns, emotions and motivations makes for a strong "in-the-moment” performance once recording begins.
Other work by Janet Metzger:
I narrate scholarly but accessible articles about how law and religion interact in today’s world and throughout history. New podcasts are available athttps://canopyforum.org/listen/
TV and Film actor. Films include Flight with Denzel Washington, 42 with Harrison Ford, Night School with Kevin Hart. Sitcoms include Tyler Perry’s House of Payne and Jeff Foxworthy’s Blue Collar TV
I recently retired as an adjunct professor at Emory Law School where for 21 years I taught artful advocacy (how to be persuasive in the courtroom) to law students.
I’m an award-winning fiber artist who creates knitted wearables from yarn I have spun.
More books narrated by Janet Metzger:
Learn more about Janet Metzger here:
Instagram: @janet_metzger_actor
Twitter: @janetmetzger
LinkedIn: janetmetzgeractor