GAIL
SHALAN
VOICE ARTIST ACTOR PUPPETEER
I'M A U.K. TRAINED STORYTELLER IN NEW YORK CITY.
Raised in quaint, bucolic Berkshire County, Massachusetts, my passion for storytelling propelled me to Boston, New York, Edinburgh, London and Bristol, where I received my MFA in Acting at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. Because drama school in London would be way too predictable – Clifton proud!
Not wanting to limit myself to one obscure craft nor one pocket of the world; I’ve trained in clown, combat, classical text, puppetry, dialects, and voice at The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts, Boston University, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Shakespeare and Company, and St. Ann’s Warehouse.
What are the origins of Shalan, you ask? So does everyone else! Like any good story, judging the book by the cover doesn’t tell the whole tale. A true melting-pot American, my heritage is Eastern European (Ashkenazi), Mediterranean, North African (Mizrahi), and North Western European. I’m always happy to engage in conversations about my life experience, heritage, and identity.
When not out exploring this beautiful planet or diving into fantastic stories; you can find me making music with my partner; taking our Frenchie puppy Edith out on adventures; watching British TV; listening to audiobooks and podcasts while experimenting in the kitchen; and, like any elder millennial, enjoying biodynamic wine, fumbling through TikTok, and practicing yoga daily.
AUDIOBOOKS
VOICE OVER
• Whisper Room in Double Walled Studio
• DAW: Reaper, Logic Pro, Ocenaudio
• MIC: AT2035
• INTERFACE: Audient ID4
• MacBook Air
• Source Connect, ipDTL, Phone Patching Capabilities
"With an urgency that takes listeners into her confidence, Shalan deftly shifts between characters, building drama in this story centered on the meaning of loyalty among friends...Shalan's authentic narration takes listeners on an intimate journey with Willa as she grows to the edge of adulthood."
- Audiofile Magazine, When We Were Them by Laura Taylor Namey
PUPPETS
I've worked as a puppeteer and puppet-builder/designer since 2011 in theatre and film with Outcast Cafe (Edinburgh Fringe Festival & New York Fringe Festival), Hive Mind (Toy Theatre Festival @ St. Ann's Warehouse), Maiden Phoenix Theatre Company, and more.
I trained in the Bunraku style of puppetry with Tom Lee (Warhorse, Disfarmer). Other styles of puppetry include hand and rod, shadow, found object and toy theater.
I'm proud of my work in the award winning short film, Coyote Girl, for which I made the puppets and starred as Riley Ann.
I believe that puppets are an essential and powerful story-telling tool.
