Blog | Shearwater Productions

Children in Kabul using the masks they made

Arts in Education: Mobile Mini Circus for Children in Afghanistan has returned

April 26, 2023

Since I visited this incredible program in 2013, they were forced to shut down and seek safety when the Taliban again grew powerful and violent in the Autumn of 2022. Now, once again (as of January 2023), they have 27 teams in 11 provinces, serving children of all ages and genders, with a social circus program that also provides food and other instruction. You can learn more about them on their Facebook page (they post most often on Facebook). Support by sharing or donating if you can. — I am walking down the dirt road, my headscarf up over my

Reflecting on the past to set goals for the future

March 1, 2023

It was just my birthday month and I think humans are never too old to celebrate leveling up. Because this time also coincides with Winter in our hemisphere, I find that my inner landscape mirrors my outer environment. My gaze turns inward, reflecting on past years, but I also notice the small shifts that may turn into big growth as the year progresses. There are a few things that I’m excited about coming up (and goals I want to achieve), but before I get to upcoming projects, I’m taking a bit of time to look back on the year past

Holly Adams standing in front of a project

Are You the Boss/Employee You Would Want to Have?

January 4, 2023

For many of us, looking at product quality and net earnings (or losses) is a fundamental start of the yea activity — whether we are theatre teachers having to make do with a smaller budget or independent artists looking to streamline our process without compromising quality. For a change of pace, why not do a “year in review” as a performance assessment on yourself? Most of my colleagues are in charge of their own work (as educators, project leaders, or performers) and don’t have the opportunity to get structured feedback. Here’s a few quick questions you should ask to take

Holly Adams warms up in her booth before starting her recording for the day

Vocal warm up techniques for audiobook narrators: Part two

November 8, 2022

I play a lot of characters and I mean a LOT. For me, getting into the mind of every kind of person is both satisfying and illuminating. I love capturing both the hero and the villain, the mom and the sword maven, the dog and the cat — you get the idea! But diving into each one of these personalities means significantly changing the way I speak for every character. Some of that is functional: because a single-narrator audiobook only has one speaker, you need a way of telling who’s who (as opposed to full cast where this is less

Mystery & Adventure Agency cemetery photo

Celebrate Halloween with these unique and creative activities

October 31, 2022

Today is the day! The ghouls and goblins have populated the fronts of houses, the children are excited about “what to be,” and the parents are dreading the sugar crash while sneaking a few king-sized bars. Some of my friends and colleagues bemoan the hype, commercialism, and calories. I personally LOVE Halloween (I’m a theatre person, remember, with an active inner child), but this blog is dedicated to those who don’t. You can make this holiday about something more meaningful. Here are my recommendations for doing something for All Hallows that doesn’t have anything to do with haunted houses or

Vocal warm up techniques for audiobook narrators: Part one

September 29, 2022

I’m not gonna lie, recording long narration (audiobooks) can be vocally brutal. A bajillion characters, lots of booth time, plus whatever else you have going on in your life, especially if you are doing outdoor shows or working with kids. Despite years in the theatre, including numerous musical theatre leads, I struggled at first with the extended booth time. Even a singing heavy show, you should only have an hour or so of vocal performance — max. I’m often doing a book a week, plus other performance work, meaning I could spend 8 or 9 hours recording on a heavy

Holly Adams standing in front of a NYSTEA banner at a conference

Hey! Let the Kid Become an Artist

July 26, 2022

The Great Resignation isn’t just about leaving toxic work environments — it’s also a time for all of us to reflect on what we REALLY want to do. We only have one life after all (in theory) and so it’s crucial to find passion in every day, whether that’s through work, hobbies, or people. So often we hear that art should stay relegated to the side gig, and I applaud those who follow that path and serve their souls and make sweet money. But many of us don’t want a traditional job or aren’t well-suited to that environment. Take a

Holly takes a selfie in front of her microphone

5 Steps to Hiring the Perfect Audiobook Narrator

June 16, 2022

You published your novel! That’s huge. Now your art is out there for everyone to read. Still have a little bit left in you? Grab your momentum and add the audiobook. In addition to being good business sense, you’re also making your book more accessible. Plus, you’re reaching an audience of busy people who can’t sit down by the fire with a new hardcover but will devour your work during their commute. Everyone wins! Still, you need a narrator to cross this finish line, and it has to be exactly the right person who will breathe life into your characters, and

Holly records an audiobook in her home studio

What makes a good audiobook narrator

June 16, 2022

What’s the best audiobook you’ve ever listened to? Did you sit in the driveway to get to the end of the chapter? Or maybe it made you think about something more deeply, or treat yourself and your world with more compassion. I’ve certainly had these experiences, and even though the genres, authors, and narrators varied, the things that made it amazing did not. Think back to that favorite Audiobook: maybe it’s Davina Porter when you binged the “Outlander” series or every-award-winning Bahni Turpin with “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks”. So what makes their performances so outstanding and impactful? What’s

Holly holding a "loveaudiobooks" sign on her way to an event

How to put your acting degree to work and become an Audiobook narrator

June 16, 2022

It’s true that stage acting and audiobook narration are not exactly the same thing, and personally I wish acting programs included a Voice Acting class, but don’t worry! That doesn’t mean traditional actors don’t make good narrators. They do! Often the best, in fact. Few students go to theatre school to become voice over actors, but so many go on to excel at it. Most importantly, if you become an audiobook narrator, you’re absolutely not giving up your dreams of stage and screen. Many of my VO colleagues do more than one thing, but some find their most lucrative jobs