Mark J. Royse

My name is Mark, and I’m a Kentucky-based audiobook narrator and voice talent. As an audiobook narrator, I specialize in creating connections, inspiring learning, and shining a light on our shared human experience. Nothing butters my biscuit like a well-told tale or a mind-blowing idea. I have a special affinity for fearless writers, especially LGBTQ+ and emerging authors. From kitchen table drama

s to sweeping sci-fi epics to gritty twisty thrillers, I deliver engaging, nuanced performances. My deep baritone sound is articulate, accessible, and immersive. My repertoire includes a range of colorful characterizations and dialects. As for content, I prefer innovative, challenging work with an edge of danger, and I’m not afraid to go to dark places. As professional voice talent, I bring human quirks and charms to the context of commercial and corporate content. Whether e-learning, medical narration, public service announcements;, animation, video games, or character work–I weave head and heart together to deliver nuanced, impactful audio.

30+ years of experience in theater, advertising, and strategic non-profit leadership has earned me an impressive arsenal of communication skills. I’m not just a versatile voice – I’m a strategic thinker, a creative problem solver, and a leader who knows how to get things done. I understand the importance of meeting deadlines, staying within budget, and delivering quality work every time. Prompt, prepared, professional, and efficient. TECH STUFF

Fully-equipped home studio featuring Sennheiser MKH 416, Focusrite Clarett 2PRE, Adobe Audition, and VO Box 1 with supplemental acoustical treatment. Directed session with Source Connect available. Professional full-service studio nearby. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE

In the three decades since graduating with a theatre arts degree, I have accumulated a bewildering array of useful knowledge and experience. In party monster-era New York, I worked as an intern at Circle Rep Theater on a premiere play by Joyce Carol Oates. As a buyer for the J. Peterman Company catalog, I collaborated with 20th Century Fox to sell costumes and props from the blockbuster hit Titanic, including making a red-carpet appearance at the premiere. Born and bred in Kentucky, I grapple with the intersectionality of my home and its complicated history while also being deeply shaped by the landscape. I helped successfully petition the World Monuments Fund to list the Kentucky Bluegrass as one of the most endangered landscapes on the planet. My diverse interests extend to art, music, history, literature, and culture. I am a published poet, award-winning copywriter, essayist, and short story author. I have ad agency experience as a creative director, copywriter, and graphic and web designer. As executive director of RADIOLEX, Lexington, Kentucky's community radio station, I understand broadcast production, community outreach, DEIA, and corporate philanthropy. In my private life, I have practiced meditation for nearly 30 years. I’ve studied eastern and western spiritual and mystical traditions extensively, sitting with some of the leading hermetic, Buddhist, and yoga teachers in the US.