Meet Marni Penning | Audiobook Narrator & Actor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Marni Penning and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Marni, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I am neurodivergent and I’ve had desk jobs in the past. When I found audiobook narration I knew I never wanted to sit behind a desk for someone else ever again. I’ve been doing theater since I was 8 years old and it’s been my dream to perform for a living my whole life. But, being onstage rarely pays well enough to exist without a second job, so when I found audiobook narration I had the best of all possible worlds – performing for a living, being with my family, working from home, being in charge of my own schedule, and finally making enough money to live on from an artistic endeavor.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am most proud of my ability to bring full casts of characters to life using only my voice. When you’re in the theater you only get to play one portion of a whole, but in the booth you are the entire world of the piece in one person. It’s a skill not everyone can pull off, but it suits me to a T. I feel like Bottom in a Midsummer Nights Dream, who wants to play all the characters at once! It’s like a one-woman show every time I step into my booth, but without the line memorization and the time away from my family. And, it’s different every time, so I never get bored. I love bringing stories to life inside people’s heads. I work a lot for graphic audio, playing multiple characters and their large cast recordings, and their slogan is, “A movie in your mind”. That’s what I hope to create for the listener on every title.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
My sister lives in Steamboat Springs, CO and my perfect week would be hanging out with her going on long walks and communing with nature. Getting away from it all sounds wonderful right about now.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Fellow audiobook narrator (and my college roommate), Andi Arndt. Before she got me into this side of the business I thought only famous people narrated audiobooks, but she taught me the ropes and then let me fly.

Website: theladyhamlet.com

Instagram: @theladyhamlet

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theladyhamlet/

Twitter: @theladyhamlet

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marniwatch

Youtube: @theladyhamlet

Image Credits
outside images: Devin Buries at Developing Wonders Photography inside images: Dan Corey at DJ Corey Photography Makeup by Jjana Valentiner