Co-stars: Where Sound meets Story

"This is the story of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. You can read along with me in your book. You will know it is time to turn the page when you hear the chimes ring like this...."

I've always remembered these word as it connects to my earliest memory of storytelling where I sat beside a small record player, reading along with Walt Disney’s audio rendition of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. I would turn the page whenever the chimes rang, allowing the accompanying music and sound effects to enhance the experience.

If you’re around my age (in your late 40s), you might recall those cherished records and tapes.

At the age of six, in 1985, I stumbled upon Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of War of the Worlds on double cassette. I would lie in bed with headphones on, letting the music ignite my imagination and create vivid visuals in my mind. That album taught me how music can shape a story, just as Disney animated films illustrated the power of visual storytelling. Reflecting on these moments, I realize they planted the seed for what would eventually become Co‑Stars.

“Japanese philosophy is about hearing the voices of voiceless things and sensing the shape of shapeless things, because what we normally see and hear is just the background.” – Nishida Kitarō

Things slowed down as The Drama Merchant — as many of you may have observed. (You can read more about that here.) While I worked to rebalance my home, work, and creative life between 2023 and 2025, the sparks of the Co‑Star concept continued to whisper at the back of my mind; however, the vision remained hazy — a mere outline I could sense but not fully grasp. As Nishida’s words suggest, I was relearning to listen beyond the background again: to hear the voiceless and feel the formless.

The first spark occurred in way back in 2017, while researching for some Radioplays, leading me to a record titled Co-Star: The Record Acting Game (circa 1950s-1970s). This series of unique LP records allowed listeners to act alongside renowned Hollywood stars like Vincent Price, Fernando Lamas, and Cesar Romero, complete with a 24-page script for scenes.

The second came in 2024 when I attended CatBird Theatre’s Stark Raving Mad.

CatBird aims to provide quality theatre that inspires and challenges young audiences. Their dark, playful, and absurd interpretation of gothic poems — presented with puppets, costumes, movement, and music — lingered in my thoughts long after the performance ended. I can’t quite articulate it; it was a feeling of childlike wonder and an understanding that storytelling can be both peculiar and intimate. (Click here for tickets)

During the drive back to the Gold Coast, I found myself pondering, “What if I created something similar — but focused on sound?”

The third spark emerged during a trip to Japan, specifically during an overnight stay in Kyoto.

My wife and I visited a manga exhibition where I learned about Kamishibai — the traditional Japanese “paper theatre” where a storyteller flips through illustrated cards while narrating to a captivated audience. This art form, which began in the early 20th century, saw storytellers riding bicycles with tiny stages to gather crowds of children. While television later pushed it off the streets, Kamishibai has experienced a revival in schools and the arts, serving as a perfect contrast to Stark Raving Mad.

Kamishibai’s elegance, visual rhythm, and intimate, voice-led performance resonated with me, making it seem achievable on my own. It reminded me of childhood evenings spent listening to records while following along in a book, and how Jeff Wayne’s War of the Worlds used music and narration to animate a story my mind. So, I started to ask myself how I could deepen that experience for young listeners. The answer was straightforward: include them. Make them co‑stars by allowing their voices and sound effects to help bring the story to life.

Throughout 2025, I wrote and adapted three classics Jules Verne’s From the Earth to the Moon and Back and Journey to the Centre of the Earth, along with A.A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree with assistance from AI, my wife, and an editor friend. A fourth story is nearly complete, but I’m keeping it under wraps for now.

I utilized Canva to source & create illustrations and sound-effect cards. While I plan to commission an illustrator when funding permits, Canva enabled me to move quickly and maintain momentum.

Next was my Kamishibai Stage! Instead of using a traditional wooden picture frame stage, I turned a vintage suitcase into a mobile storytelling platform. On my last day at my previous job, my former warehouse manager and I started preparing it together. It's compact and wonderfully portable.

Between the 20^th December 2025 to 1^st January 2026 I designed the webpages which can be found on The Drama Merchant website and on January 3, 2026, I filmed the first episode, From the Earth to the Moon and Back, with Molly Green (of Molly Green Creatives).

In the video, I narrate the story, display the visual cards, and cue viewers for sound effects.

This experience pushed me out of my comfort zone, but embracing the theatrical aspect on camera felt right. We will be building on it as time goes but i was determined to have the first story up sometime in February 2026!

In the meantime here's blooper reel of our filming session

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdLRy36rws8

The plan right now is the filmed show will be available for free for three weeks, followed by a rental period of 10 weeks, after which it will be released for free on YouTube. The audio version will also be free for three weeks, with downloadable PDFs (and eventually a soft-cover option) available for purchase. After the initial free period, the audio will switch to a pay-what-you-think model and will become free again when the video is made available.

I’m also planning a live premiere — ideally at the Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium — though venue hire currently exceeds my budget. I’ll be meeting with the Anywhere Festival coordinators soon; if you know of a non-traditional performance space or space-themed venue that might host a storytelling show, please reach out.

I'll keep you updated as the suitcase stage progresses! I'm working on audio, visual, and live formats to ensure that everyone, including those who are visually impaired or deaf, can enjoy the storytelling.

My goal is simple: to create storytelling that is engaging, playful, and inclusive. If you're interested in supporting this project, please get in touch! Every detail, from illustrations to audio, is crafted to spark imagination and a love for storytelling.