Another first for my first year back in the states since grad school(s). I'm thrilled to say my (new found) skills as a voice actor have expanded into the world of audiobooks!
Back in March my friends at Trinacria Theatre Company - an immensely talented physical theatre ensemble - invited me to reprise an imaginative work they had created back in 2016 called Colapesce. It tells the story of a Sicilian boy named Nicola, whose unparalleled love for swimming and the sea leads him on an adventure to protect his home of Messina against the Fata Morgana - a powerful witch imprisoned by Merlin beneath the isle of Sicily - while a despotic ruler refuses to acknowledge this existential threat to his people and his land (pure coincidence but the parallels are pretty uncanny). The company originally devised the show and took it to a small village in Sicily as a relief effort to help revive the local community after a devastating storm had left it severely damaged.
Unfortunately, due to Covid, the live show we had planned for June had to be cancelled. BUT that didn't stop the team from telling this story. Instead, they committed to adapting it into an audiobook entitled Colapesce: An Audio Adventure and tasked me with voicing the protagonist of the story, Colapesce himself!
I have worked on a lot of theatre in my life, but this one is truly unique. From the soundscapes of the sea and bustling Italian crowds, to the stunning original musical compositions, the piece lives up to its name and promises an audio experience unlike anything you've ever heard. Besides all of the bells and whistles though, at heart this is a simple and moving story about the strength of community in the face of adversity and about caring for one another in difficult times. What's more is that this story is entirely kid-friendly but is plenty entertaining for adults as well!
The audiobook is now available for purchase here: http://www.trinacriatheatre.com/download-colapesce/colapesce
Hope you'll give it a listen!