Chatterbox Audio Theater Releases ROBOTS, VAMPIRES, AND SATELLITES

Chatterbox Audio Theater, Memphis's only web-based theater company, is proud to announce the release of its latest production, "Robots, Vampires, and Satellites." A collaboration with the Memphis Comic and Fantasy Convention and the Memphis College of Art, the show is a recording of a live performance at White Station Middle School on November 9, 2012. Presented to an audience of more than 700 students, this family-friendly tale features renowned voice actor Tom Kenny, who is perhaps best known as the voice of SpongeBob SquarePants. "Robots, Vampires, and Satellites" runs approximately 24 minutes and is now available for free streaming and download from www.chatterboxtheater.org.

Performed in conjunction with this year's Memphis Comic and Fantasy Convention, "Robots, Vampires, and Satellites" was developed as part of an educational presentation about animation. Joe Thordarson, the convention's coordinator, and special guest Mr. Kenny led the audience through the different elements that make up a typical cartoon: voice work, sound effects, music, and animation. The presentation culminated in the performance of "Robots, Vampires, and Satellites," an original story based on a character created by 12-year-old Leah Mata. The Chatterbox team provided voices and sound effects for the production, with Mr. Kenny Giving life to its main character, a vampire robot named the Vampinator 3000. Students from the Memphis College of Art, under the supervision of professor Meredith Root, provided still images of the show's characters, as well as two minutes of fully realized original animation that played during the story's climactic scene.

The story follows the Vampinator, who was originally created to help humans, but was stolen off the assembly line by the wicked vampire Count Lakari. Programmed to serve as an unwitting blood collector for the lazy Lakari, the Vampinator feels lost in the world, unable to discover his true function. But a chance meeting with another robot -- the scrappy Sava 333 -- helps the Vampinator discover who he is, and live by his true creator's maxim that "Robots must only do good."

"Robots, Vampires, and Satellites" was produced by Eric Sefton and features original music by Winston Stewart. The Vampinator character was created by Leah Mata. The story was written by Joe Thordarson and was adapted for audio and directed by Robert Arnold. It runs approximately 24 minutes and is now freely available through the Chatterbox website, www.chatterboxtheater.org, and the group's iTunes feed. The original animation created by MCA students is available through the Chatterbox website as well.

Formed in 2007, Chatterbox Audio Theater creates fully soundscaped audio works for free streaming and download. Based in Memphis, the group also produces shows in Kansas City, MO. Chatterbox has released more than 60 shows to date, all of which are freely available through iTunes and through the group's website, www.chatterboxtheater.org.

TITLE: "Robots, Vampires, and Satellites"
RELEASED BY: Chatterbox Audio Theater
DURATION: 23:33
FORMAT: mp3 sound recording
COST: Free

Artwork by Travis Fowler.