THE REAL EDUCATION OF TJ CROWLEY: COMING OF AGE ON THE REDLINE An Audio Drama

This audio drama details racial strife in Wichita, Kansas, in 1968. A seventh-grade boy’s life becomes upended when a Black family moves in next door. The narrators of this fraught coming-of-age story are excellent. To pick just three: Dani Martineck, as TJ, has just the right tone and delivery; Dion Graham excels as the Black Dr. Robert Washington, the new next-door neighbor, as does Tavia Gilbert as TJ’s boozy, racist mom. The gospel music of the ARISE Ensemble enhances the listening experience. The audio drama has moments of remarkable verisimilitude: from the play-by-play announcing of a basketball game to the whirring of a helicopter in Vietnam. Performed by a gifted cast, this slice of our history stays with the listener. A.D.M. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2024]