New Release! Scriptbook Edition Bridges Page and Performance in Audio Drama
Now available as a Scriptbook and full-cast audio for an immersive, cinematic reading experience
WICHITA, Kan. (Jan. 20, 2026) — Grain Valley Publishing today announced the national release of the Scriptbook Edition of The Real Education of TJ Crowley: Coming of Age on the Redline, bringing the award-winning audio drama back to the page in a fully immersive “read + listen” experience.
The new scriptbook edition contains the actual performance script, inviting readers to read along and follow every line as they experience the audio drama.
Adapted from Grant Overstake’s original 2018 historical novel, the new scriptbook presents the actual performance script, inviting readers to “sit in the director’s chair” and follow every word as 15 actors bring 24 characters to life—bridging the power of performance with the intimacy of the page.
One of the most celebrated independent audio productions of 2025, The Real Education of TJ Crowley—co-written by Overstake and producer-director May Wuthrich and distributed by Blackstone Publishing—has completed a remarkable five-year journey from page to audio and now back to page in this Scriptbook Edition.
AudioFile Magazine praised the cast and production, writing: “Performed by a gifted cast, this slice of our history stays with the listener.”
The production earned the 2025 Audie Award for Best Young Adult Audiobook, along with the AudioFile Earphones Award and the IPPY Award for Outstanding Audiobook of the Year.
A “Read + Listen” Experience That Opens Eyes and Ears
This Scriptbook Edition is designed to be experienced in two powerful ways:
Read it on its own — Every word of the award-winning story is presented in script form. Take your time, imagine the scenes, and absorb the story at your own pace.
Or read and listen together — Scan the QR code inside the book or visit your preferred audiobook retailer to download the full-cast audio drama, then follow along in the script as the performance unfolds.
As an original radio-theater-like adaptation by Grant Overstake and producer director May Wuthrich, The Real Education of TJ Crowley: Coming of Age on the Redline was honored with an Audie Award—often called the “Oscars of Audiobooks”
A Story Rooted in Conscience—and in Community
Set in 1968 Wichita, TJ Crowley follows a 13-year-old boy navigating a newly integrated junior high, the absence of his father, and a mother gripped by fear. When a Black family moves in next door, he faces a defining choice: cling to the life he has known—or stand up for the future he is beginning to believe in.
Rooted in the author’s own journey and the lived experiences of others, this radio-theater-style drama explores themes of race, family, faith, and change at a moment in American history not unlike our own. It is a story of who we were—and who we can be.
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Order your Scriptbook at Watermark Books & Cafe’
Download the audio drama at Libro.fm
Wichita Recognition and the 2026 Real Education Project
The TJ Crowley audio project began in Wichita with early support from the Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts, shaped by the guidance of local educators, cultural elders, artists, and the ARISE Ensemble.
With its return to Wichita, the project is now officially recognized and supported by the City of Wichita and the Wichita Arts Council as part of the 2026 Real Education Project, a city-funded listening and dialogue initiative.
Launch Event: Jan. 22 at Watermark Books & Café
To open publication week, Watermark Books & Café will host a free community listening event on Thursday, Jan. 22, at 6:00 p.m. The program will feature audio excerpts, behind-the-scenes insights, and guided discussion around the book’s themes of conscience, reconciliation, and shared understanding.
Seating is limited. RSVPs preferred.
RSVP: RESERVE YOUR SEAT
Advisory: Contains violent content and racist language. Best suited for mature YA readers and adults.
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