Kansas City hosts the 7th annual Hear Now Festival, June 6th to June 9th. Come celebrate audio stories, enjoy live performances, captivating listening sessions, star-studded panels, and creative workshops. Meet the voices behind your favorite audiobooks, get advice from award winning voice artists, network and connect with renowned authors, directors and speakers.
The Festival opens June 6th with award winning film and TV producer, Dr. Beau Lotto presenting “Perception and Storytelling” from 7:00pm – 8:15pm at the Park Plaza Branch of the Kansas City Library. Dr. Lotto, a world renowned neuroscientist looks at how humans respond to entertainment & storytelling.
HEAR Now also presents panels and workshops to learn and improve your audio storytelling skills. Workshop 101: Creating the Dramatic Podcast, hosted by award winning KC Wayland, with acting coaches Phil Proctor of Rugrats fame, and award-winning narrators/voice actors Lisa Flanagan & Neil Helligers. Bryan Lincoln and Nick Messite share production techniques as well! Participants get the opportunity to interact with their accomplished teachers while also getting to meet many professionals throughout the field, who can become valued contacts.
Workshop 102: Connecting Creators & Audience: Finding Your Listeners, is a series of Master Classes for producers, narrators, publishers, and content creators. Anyone interested in connecting with their primary audiences will benefit from this workshop hosted by producer Eric Martin, marketing consultant Melissa Archie, and award-winning Bill Dufriis, Jessica Mozes, and Bill Price.
Here are just a few other great events at the 2019 HEAR Now Festival:
- “Celebrating Mark Twain,” June 6th through the 8th. at Prospero’s Books. These free readings, hosted by narrator Sean Pratt, are sponsored by SAG-AFTRA, and include pizza every night.
- “Ed Wood, the Musical” is being performed at Bragg Auditorium on Thursday, June 6th from 8:45pm to10:15pm – think ‘Rocky Horror” for the new century.
- Special panels like “Synthetic Voices, Let’s Discuss” will happen the morning of June 7th from 7:30am – 8:45am at the Holiday Inn Country Club Plaza with moderators Dr. Peter Gregg & PJ Ochlan.
- Audible sponsors the HEAR Now Playhouse listening programs on June 7th from 9:15am – 5:00pm at the Pilgrim Art Center.
Please visit www.hearnowfestival.org for further program listings and ticket information. Most of these great events require an all access festival pass to attend or are free to Kansas City residents. You don’t want to miss this experience; we hope to see you there.
