A computer-implemented method for auto play of a status in a telephone conference is provided. The method includes receiving, at an e-mail server, a status message of a party to a telephone conference, and determining from the status message whether the party will be able to attend the telephone conference. When it is determined that the party cannot attend the telephone conference, the method further includes forwarding the status message to a voice box for conversion of the status message into audio that is saved in an audio file. The method may also include notifying a teleconference bridge that the party associated with the status message will not be able to attend the telephone conference. The teleconference bridge creates an entry in a repository indicating that the party will need a voice proxy from the audio file, and, during the telephone conference, the status of the party is provided to other parties to the telephone conference by playing the audio file.