Sounds of Blue Theatre Co. presents: Akio!

When Mario can’t save the princess, there’s only one kid for the job!

Akio! began as a creative idea among friends. We were given the task of devising a theatre piece; little did we know the significance of the story we would create. From a simple beginning, Akio! has become an inspiring and life-changing journey, which we believe needs to be heard by people of all ages. Our goal is to bring Akio! to the general public so he can become a real hero among all who come and take part in his adventure! 

Akio! is a physical theatre piece, which combines the crafts of acting, dance, choreography, movement, sound and audio-visual design, to tell a universal coming of age tale. Inspired by Japanese theatre maker Tadashi Suzuki and his philosophies of theatre performance and culture, Akio! is a marriage of cultures into one uplifting story of love, bravery, courage and discipline. Theatrically, it explores the beauty of the human body and its physical capabilities, inspired by ancient forms of Japanese physical theatre such as Butoh, Kabuki and Noh. We believe it is highly relevant to a theatrical audience, albeit entirely accessible to a non-theatrical audience, weaving Japanese mythology and gaming culture into an adventure to be enjoyed by all ages.

 Akio! is a celebration of childhood, of growth, love and learning to understand and accept your enemy in the face of violence; it is about making the most humane choice for your enemy so that they become your enemy no more- a lesson we could all use in the real world. Never before have these lessons and cultures been merged and presented on stage: and all without a single word spoken. Our story is told only through action, light, AV and sound.

Synopsis: Meet Akio, a shy young boy who is bullied at school. To escape this torment, Akio spends his waking hours immersed in his Gameboy- in fact, the only thing that can draw his attention away from the Gameboy is Harumi, a smart, beautiful girl with whom Akio is helplessly in love with. Not that he could ever talk to her, of course. But one day, a simple chain of events finds Akio and Harumi sucked into his video game world, and before Akio can blink, Harumi is kidnapped by a powerful, villainous creature. Akio has to save her- but where will he get his strength? Where will he find his bravery? How will he stand up and face fear head on? In his quest to rescue Harumi, Akio will meet wise mentors, trickster minions and terrifying monsters, all the while learning what makes a hero, what defines a villain; and perhaps how the two are not so different after all.

A project of this scale has significant financial costs. We have the brains and we definitely have the creativity: we just need the resources to make Akio! the best it can possibly be. All money raised will go towards Akio!'s production costs, and how much we manage to raise will dictate where the money will be spent. Our performers believe in the project so much that they are willing to work for free for this season; however, I would love to raise enough money to financially reward them in some way. Below is a rough estimate of what the funding will be used for:
Venue Hire $2000

Rehearsal Space $1000

Sound Equipment $500

Set and Costume Construction $1500

Audio Visual Equipment $2000

The greatest challenge is being heard. We are a brand new company; we have the talent, we have the commitment and we have the passion, however we do not necessarily have a reputation in the industry…yet. With your help, Akio! will be our first step to becoming a permanent presence in Sydney’s theatre community. All we have to do is get him out there!