The original full cast audio drama, The Real Education of TJ Crowley: Coming of Age on the Redline, has been named a finalist for the prestigious 2025 Audie Awards, presented by the Audio Publishers Association (APA).
Often called the “Oscars of the audiobook industry,” the Audie Awards honor the highest achievements in audio storytelling. The inclusion of TJ Crowley among this year’s finalists in the Young Adult category places this independently created and published work on the same top shelf as productions from major publishing houses like Macmillan, Penguin Random House, and Simon & Schuster.
“This recognition underscores that excellence in storytelling and production is not limited to big-budget publishers. It can be achieved with passion, collaboration, and a bold vision, and the support of a distributor like Blackstone Publishing,” said Grant Overstake, executive producer and co-author.
The audio drama, adapted from Overstake’s award-winning novel, captures the suspenseful and poignant story of a young white boy from a broken family growing up in 1968 Wichita amidst the turmoil of the Civil Rights era. When his world is upended by the arrival of a Black family next door, TJ must confront his inherited prejudices, leading him on a harrowing, transformative journey.
This groundbreaking project was made possible through the generous support of The Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission, the National Endowment for the Arts, and individual contributors. Fiscal sponsorship was provided by the Youth Educational Empowerment Program, ensuring the project could achieve its vision as an arts-driven initiative that engages and educates through storytelling.
The production, a collaborative effort by Overstake and acclaimed producer/director May Wuthrich, features a stellar ensemble cast of multi-award-winning actors led by Dani Martineck as TJ. The cast includes co-producers Dion Graham and Tavia Gilbert, as well as Johnny Heller, Shayna Small, Michael Crouch, Kirby Heyborne, Ari Fliakos, Kevin R. Free, Graham Halstead, Thérèse Plummer, Brittany Pressley, Peter Berkrot, John Wright, and Sheila Brown Kinnard.
John Marshall Media’s Cameron Potts, who produced with Wuthrich, led the effort to create an immersive soundscape that added texture and context, evoking the social and political climate of the time. Further enhancing the production are stirring performances of Negro spirituals by the ARISE Ensemble, a Wichita-based multicultural choir.
“This recognition is a testament to the hard work and passion of everyone involved, and we’re incredibly grateful for their dedication to producing something special,” said Wuthrich. "We set out to create a listening experience that would not only entertain but educate and inspire."
Finalists are selected by a panel of industry experts who evaluate productions based on overall quality, narration, sound design, and impact.
The winners of the 2025 Audie Awards will be announced at a gala ceremony in New York City on March 25.
Grant Overstake is a member of Kansas Authors Club from Wichita. The Real Education of TJ Crowley won the 2019 J. Donald Coffin Memorial Book Award and the 2019 "It Looks Like a Million" Design Award from the Kansas Authors Club.
Often called the “Oscars of the audiobook industry,” the Audie Awards honor the highest achievements in audio storytelling. The inclusion of TJ Crowley among this year’s finalists in the Young Adult category places this independently created and published work on the same top shelf as productions from major publishing houses like Macmillan, Penguin Random House, and Simon & Schuster.
“This recognition underscores that excellence in storytelling and production is not limited to big-budget publishers. It can be achieved with passion, collaboration, and a bold vision, and the support of a distributor like Blackstone Publishing,” said Grant Overstake, executive producer and co-author.
The audio drama, adapted from Overstake’s award-winning novel, captures the suspenseful and poignant story of a young white boy from a broken family growing up in 1968 Wichita amidst the turmoil of the Civil Rights era. When his world is upended by the arrival of a Black family next door, TJ must confront his inherited prejudices, leading him on a harrowing, transformative journey.
This groundbreaking project was made possible through the generous support of The Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission, the National Endowment for the Arts, and individual contributors. Fiscal sponsorship was provided by the Youth Educational Empowerment Program, ensuring the project could achieve its vision as an arts-driven initiative that engages and educates through storytelling.
The production, a collaborative effort by Overstake and acclaimed producer/director May Wuthrich, features a stellar ensemble cast of multi-award-winning actors led by Dani Martineck as TJ. The cast includes co-producers Dion Graham and Tavia Gilbert, as well as Johnny Heller, Shayna Small, Michael Crouch, Kirby Heyborne, Ari Fliakos, Kevin R. Free, Graham Halstead, Thérèse Plummer, Brittany Pressley, Peter Berkrot, John Wright, and Sheila Brown Kinnard.
John Marshall Media’s Cameron Potts, who produced with Wuthrich, led the effort to create an immersive soundscape that added texture and context, evoking the social and political climate of the time. Further enhancing the production are stirring performances of Negro spirituals by the ARISE Ensemble, a Wichita-based multicultural choir.
“This recognition is a testament to the hard work and passion of everyone involved, and we’re incredibly grateful for their dedication to producing something special,” said Wuthrich. "We set out to create a listening experience that would not only entertain but educate and inspire."
Finalists are selected by a panel of industry experts who evaluate productions based on overall quality, narration, sound design, and impact.
The winners of the 2025 Audie Awards will be announced at a gala ceremony in New York City on March 25.
Grant Overstake is a member of Kansas Authors Club from Wichita. The Real Education of TJ Crowley won the 2019 J. Donald Coffin Memorial Book Award and the 2019 "It Looks Like a Million" Design Award from the Kansas Authors Club.
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