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January LaVoy

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January LaVoy
Born
EducationFairfield University (BA)
National Theatre Conservatory (MFA)
Occupation(s)Television actress
Theater actress
Voice acting
Spouses
  • Mat Hostetler (2011–2019)
  • Will Damron (2022–present)
Awards
Websitejanuarylavoy.com

January LaVoy (born in Trumbull, Connecticut) is an American actress and audiobook narrator. As an actress, she is most recognized as Noelle Ortiz on the ABC daytime drama One Life to Live. LaVoy made her Broadway debut in the Broadway premiere of the play Enron at the Broadhurst Theatre on April 27, 2010.[1]

As an audiobook narrator, she received five Audie Awards and been a finalist for nineteen. In 2013, she won Publishers Weekly's Listen Up Award for Audiobook Narrator of the Year.[2] In 2019, AudioFile named her a Golden Voice narrator.[3]

Personal life

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LaVoy married Mat Hostetler on September 4, 2011.[4] They divorced in 2019, and she married fellow narrator and author Will Damron in 2022. They reside in Atlanta, Georgia.

Education

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LaVoy received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Theater from Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut, where she was a member of Theatre Fairfield, the resident production company.[5] She received her Master in Fine Arts degree from the National Theatre Conservatory at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts in Colorado.[6]

Career

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Theatre credits

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In the fall of 2012, LaVoy created the character of Lena in the world premiere of Pearl Cleage's What I Learned in Paris at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia. Her work has been seen in regional theatres across America, including the Denver Center Theatre Company, Pittsburgh's City Theatre and Public Theater, CATF in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, Philadelphia's Wilma Theater, and the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey. LaVoy played the character Risa in the 2007 Lucille Lortel Award-winning play, Two Trains Running.[7] She received the 2004 Denver Post Ovation Award, as Best Actress, for her portrayal of Portia in the Denver Center Theatre Company's production of Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice.[8]

LaVoy played the role of Helen Keller in the play, Helen Keller Speaks, performed first on March 14, 2009, at the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts at Fairfield University in Connecticut. The play was written by John Orman, a professor of politics at Fairfield University and a former teacher of LaVoy's. The play captures the social activist views of Keller based on her documented speeches and letters between 1913 and 1919.[9]

LaVoy was featured in Signature Theatre Company's Off-Broadway production of Samm-Art Williams' Home playing Woman One/Pattie Mae Wells,[10] as well as productions of Adrienne Kennedy's Funnyhouse of a Negro, and the world premiere of Will Eno's Wakey, Wakey alongside emmy winner Michael Emerson. She also performed in the world premiere of the musical Coraline at the MCC Theater.[11] She shares a 2019 Lucille Lortel nomination for Outstanding Play with The Mad Ones, Phillip James Brannon, Brad Heberlee, and Carmen M. Herlihy. In 2022, LaVoy was nominated for two Helen Hayes awards -- Outstanding Lead Performer in a Play, and Outstanding Direction in a Play (co-nominated with Adam Immervahr) for her work in Anna Deavere Smith's Fires in the Mirror at Theater J.

Television and film credits

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In addition to her role on One Life to Live, LaVoy has been seen on Law & Order (including the SVU and Criminal Intent franchises), All My Children, Guiding Light, and 3 Lbs.. Guest star appearances include Elementary, NOS4A2, and Blue Bloods. She also appeared in Steven Spielberg's War of the Worlds and the short film High Ground.

Voiceover and audiobooks

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LaVoy has voiced many national commercials, including for Toll House, Revlon, Home Depot, Danone, and UnitedHealth Group.

In 2008, she recorded her first audiobook under a pseudonym because she feared the work may interfere with her roles on soap operas.[3] Since then, she has recorded dozens of audiobooks for publishing houses such as Random House, Simon & Schuster, Hachette, Penguin Audio, and Macmillan Audio, including the following:

Awards and honors

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Awards

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Year Title Award Result Ref.
2013 The Diviners by Libba Bray Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults Top 10 [12]
Audie Award for Teens Finalist [13]
Listen Up Award for Fiction Finalist [2]
Listen Up Award for YA/Children's Finalist [2]
The Diviners by Libba Bray; The Kill Room by Jeffery Deaver Listen Up Award for Audiobook Narrator of the Year Winner [2]
The Kill Room by Jeffery Deaver Listen Up Award for Fiction Finalist [2]
2014 The Longest Ride by Nicholas Sparks Audie Award for Romance Finalist [14][15]
William Shakespeare’s Star Wars by Ian Doescher Audie Award for Multi-Voiced Performance Finalist [14][15]
2015 Faceoff by Linwood Barclay et al. Audie Award for Short Stories or Collections Finalist [16]
Missing You by Harlan Coben Audie Award for Mystery Finalist [16]
William Shakespeare’s Star Wars by Ian Doescher Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults Top 10 [17][18]
2016 Lair of Dreams (2015) by Libba Bray Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults Top 10 [19][20][21]
Audie Award for Best Female Narrator Finalist [22][23]
Audie Award for Young Adult Title Winner [22][23][24]
2017 28 Days: Moments in Black History That Changed the World Audie Award for Young Listeners' Title Winner [22][25][26]
Nimona (2016) by ND Stevenson^ Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults Top 10 [27][28]
Odyssey Award Honor [29][30][31]
2018 Before the Devil Breaks You by Libba Bray Audie Award for Young Adult Title Finalist [32]
Bette & Joan: The Divine Feud by Shaun Considine Audie Award for History or Biography Finalist [32]
My Life, My Love, My Legacy (2017) by Coretta Scott King as told to Rev. Dr. Barbara Reynolds Audie Award for History or Biography Finalist [32]
Mother Go by James Patrick Kelly Audie Award for Original Work Finalist [32]
2019 Any Man by Amber Tamblyn Audie Award for Multi-Voiced Performance Finalist [33]
Before She Was Harriet (2017) by Lesa Cline-Ransome Audie Award for Young Listeners' Title Winner [33][34]
Courage to Be Disliked by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga Audie Award for Business and Personal Development Finalist [33]
2020 Birthday Suit by Lauren Blakely Audie Award for Audio Drama Finalist [35][36]
Charlotte's Web (1952) by E. B. White Audie Award for Audiobook of the Year Finalist [35][36]
Audie Award for Middle Grade Winner [22][35]
Dooku: Jedi Lost by Cavan Scott Audie Award for Multi-Voiced Performance Finalist [35][36]
The Queen by Josh Levin Audie Award for History or Biography Finalist [35][36]
The Ten Thousand Doors of January (2019) by Alix E. Harrow Audie Award for Best Female Narrator Finalist [35][36]
Audie Award for Fantasy Winner [22][37]
2022 Class Act by Jerry Craft Audie Award for Middle Grade Title Finalist [38]
Four Hundred Souls (2021), edited by Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. Blain Audie Award for Multi-Voiced Performance Finalist [38]
2023 The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story (2021) by Nikole Hannah-Jones and The New York Times Magazine, edited by Caitlin Roper, Ilena Silverman, and Jake Silverstein Audie Award for Audiobook of the Year Finalist [39][40]
Audie Award for Multi-Voiced Performance Finalist [40][41]
The Extraordinary Life of an Ordinary Man by Paul Newman, edited by David Rosenthall Audie Award for Autobiography or Memoir Finalist [39][40]
Sparring Partners by John Grisham Audie Award for Multi-Voiced Performance Winner [40][41]
Thistlefoot by GennaRose Nethercott Audie Award for Best Female Narrator Finalist [40]
2024 Twelve Dinging Doorbells by Tameka Fryer Brown Audie Award for Young Listeners' Title Finalist [42]

"Best of" lists

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Year Title List Ref.
2014 Missing You (2014) by Harlan Coben AudioFile Best of Mystery & Suspense [22]
The Competition (2014) by Marcia Clark AudioFile Best of Mystery & Suspense [22]
2015 Lair of Dreams (2015) by Libba Bray AudioFile Best of Young Adult [22]
2016 Version Control (2016) by Dexter Palmer AudioFile Best of Science Fiction & Fantasy [22]
Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens Moving Target: A Princess Leia Adventure by Cecil Castellucci and Jason Fry Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults [43]
2017 The Meaning of Michelle (2017), edited by Veronica Chambers AudioFile Best of NonFiction & Culture [22]
Camino Island (2017) by John Grisham AudioFile Best of Mystery & Suspense [22]
My Life, My Love, My Legacy (2017) by Coretta Scott King as told to Rev. Dr. Barbara Reynolds AudioFile Best of Memoir [22]
2018 Before She Was Harriet (2017) by Lesa Cline-Ransome Booklist's Audio Stars for Youth [44]
Hope Nation (2018), edited by Rose Brock AudioFile Best of Young Adult [22]
Unicorn Rescue Society, Books 1–2: The Creature of the Pines and The Basque Dragon by (2018) Christopher Smith and others Booklist's Audio Stars for Youth [44]
2019 Before She Was Harriet (2017) by Lesa Cline-Ransome ALSC's Notable Children's Recordings [45][46]
Charlotte's Web (1952) by E. B. White AudioFile Best of Children & Family Listening [22]
Daisy Jones & The Six (2019) by Taylor Jenkins Reid AudioFile Best of Fiction, Poetry & Horror [22]
Eliza Hamilton (2018) by Tilar J. Mazzeo AudioFile Best of Biography [22]
Look Both Ways (2019) by Jason Reynolds AudioFile Best of Children & Family Listening [22]
The Ten Thousand Doors of January (2019) by Alix E. Harrow AudioFile Best of Sci-Fi, Fantasy & Horror [22][47]
Trailblazer (2019) by Dorothy Butler Gilliam AudioFile Best of Memoir [22]
2020 Charlotte's Web (1952) by E. B. White ALSC's Notable Children's Recordings [48]
Unicorn Rescue Society, Books 1–2: The Creature of the Pines and The Basque Dragon (2018) by Christopher Smith and others Booklists Top 10 SF/Fantasy & Horror Audiobooks for Youth [49]
2021 Four Hundred Souls (2021), edited by Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. Blain AudioFile Best of History & Biography [22][50]
King of Crows by Libba Bray Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults [51]
Red Hood by Elana K. Arnold Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults [51]
2022 Class Act by Jerry Craft Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults [52]
Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre (2021) by Carole Boston Weatherford Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults [52]

References

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  1. ^ "Weisberg, LaVoy, Kahn and More Added to Broadway's Enron". Archived from the original on 2010-02-21. Retrieved 2010-02-18.
  2. ^ a b c d e Boretz, Adam (2014-01-03). "The 2013 Listen-Up Awards". Publishers Weekly. Archived from the original on 2022-10-02. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  3. ^ a b "AudioFile Magazine Spotlight on Narrator January LaVoy". AudioFile Magazine. Archived from the original on 2022-12-04. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  4. ^ "January LaVoy, Mat Hostetler". The New York Times. 2011-09-03. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2022-09-28. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  5. ^ "Life After Fairfield: January Lavoy '97". fairfield.edu. Fairfield University. 23 February 2016. Archived from the original on 15 August 2016. Retrieved June 20, 2016.
  6. ^ "January LaVoy Bio". Archived from the original on 2008-12-08. Retrieved 2008-03-13.
  7. ^ "In a Diner, Chewing the Fat and Burying the Dead". Archived from the original on 2007-01-29. Retrieved 2008-03-14.
  8. ^ "LaVoy Finds There Is One Life to Live". Archived from the original on 2008-01-18. Retrieved 2008-02-07.
  9. ^ "Giving Voice to Helen Keller". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2017-05-22. Retrieved 2017-02-24.
  10. ^ "NYC's Signature Opens Doors to Home, With Bonner, Carroll, LaVoy, Nov. 11". Archived from the original on 2008-11-13. Retrieved 2008-11-12.
  11. ^ "Complete Casting Announced for MCC's Coraline". Archived from the original on 2009-03-12. Retrieved 2009-03-19.
  12. ^ "2013 Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults Top Ten". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). 2013-01-31. Archived from the original on 2022-10-03. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  13. ^ "2013 Audie Awards® - APA (en-US)". Audio Publishers Association. Archived from the original on 2022-09-20. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  14. ^ a b "2014 Audie Awards® - APA (en-US)". Audio Publishers Association. Archived from the original on 2021-03-10. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  15. ^ a b "2014 Audie Finalists Announced". Publishers Weekly. 2014-02-18. Archived from the original on 2022-09-20. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  16. ^ a b "2015 Audie Awards® - APA (en-US)". Audio Publishers Association. Archived from the original on 2022-08-29. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  17. ^ Lam, Anna (2015-02-05). "YALSA names 2015 Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults". American Library Association. Archived from the original on 2022-09-26. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  18. ^ "2015 Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). 2015-02-03. Archived from the original on 2022-09-22. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  19. ^ "2016 Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). 2016-01-11. Archived from the original on 2022-12-01. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  20. ^ "2016 Top Ten Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). 2016-01-11. Archived from the original on 2022-10-07. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  21. ^ Lam, Anna (2016-01-14). "YALSA names 2016 Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults". American Library Association. Archived from the original on 2022-09-25. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  22. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t "AudioFile Magazine Spotlight on Narrator January LaVoy". AudioFile Magazine. Archived from the original on 2022-12-04. Retrieved 2022-09-27.
  23. ^ a b "2016 Audie Awards® - APA (en-US)". Audio Publishers Association. Archived from the original on 2016-06-23. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  24. ^ Maher, John (2016-05-12). "'Girl on the Train' Among Audie Award Winners". Publishers Weekly. Archived from the original on 2022-09-28. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  25. ^ "2017 Audie Awards® - APA (en-US)". Audio Publishers Association. Archived from the original on 2019-04-01. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  26. ^ Coreno, Annie (2017-06-09). "The 'Hamilton' Revolution Continues at the Audies". Publishers Weekly. Archived from the original on 2022-09-22. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  27. ^ "2017 Top Ten Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). 2017-01-25. Archived from the original on 2022-11-26. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  28. ^ O'Connor, Nichole (2017-01-31). "YALSA names 2017 Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults". American Library Association. Archived from the original on 2023-01-26. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  29. ^ Roback, Diane (2017-01-23). "Barnhill, Steptoe, 'March: Book Three' Win Newbery, Caldecott, Printz". Publishers Weekly. Archived from the original on 2018-04-09. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  30. ^ Communications and Marketing Office (2017-01-23). "Listening Library wins 2017 Odyssey Award for Anna and the Swallow Man". American Library Association. Archived from the original on 2020-06-26. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  31. ^ "2017 Odyssey Award". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). 2018-03-14. Archived from the original on 2022-12-02. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
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