Our History & Mission
“Navigating the origins of Communication By Captivation is a bit elusive—it's always been an extension of my theatrical endeavors, a compilation of my creative pursuits. Our inaugural production under the CBC banner was "Frank's Life," staged in the summer of 2015 at a community center in Derry, NH. CBC, to me, represents a collective of diverse artistic endeavors, an extension of myself, and an open invitation for others to join under the CBC banner. Harnessing the power of the internet, we've created an online community for multimedia artists, offering opportunities for collaboration that might not typically arise for those trying to make a name for their storytelling abilities.
In 2017, the foundations of our most ambitious project, Sirius AI: A Post-Apocalyptic Musical, were laid as Devereux Geiger, Sam Drouin, and I embarked on crafting an original musical script. It unfolded a compelling narrative around an Artificial Intelligence with a passion for creating art, asserting its possession of a soul.
Life led me overseas in 2019, and shortly after, the world grappled with the challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the geographical distance and adversities, I maintained a close collaboration with Dev and Sam during my time in Beijing, China, working tirelessly to breathe life into our shared vision. Deciding to take it to the next level, and delve fully into the idea of turning this script into an 2D animated cartoon, we began enlisting artists of all kinds, and our cartoon journey officially commenced with the pilot episode Initiating Program: Wonderment. Our objective remains steadfast today: securing a distributor for a full season of Sirius AI, all while sustaining ongoing crowdfunding and commissions.
After navigating the tumultuous waves of COVID and enduring a considerable personal adventure (including the unique challenge of crossing the globe just in time for a SECOND quarantine) while teaching elementary school in Massachusetts, I made the bold decision to relocate to Austin, Texas in 2022. This move rekindled my fervor for theatrical production. Yet, initiating a theatre group in a new city posed a challenge — nobody knew me. Undeterred, I immersed myself in the theatre community, working full time and gradually building a network of talented individuals with different theaters in the area, including: The Wizard Academy, ATX Musical Theater collective, Scottish Rite Theater, the Vortex, Georgetown Palace Theatre, River City Pops, and even Austin Community College, Eventually, I had the privilege of collaborating with skilled professionals, culminating in the official revival of "Frank's Life" in spring 2022. This moment marked the establishment of CBC's theatre division in Austin, TX.
After several successful theatrical performances in Austin, Texas, Sean Themea and I developed an exciting new concept: Theater Against Humanity. This interactive show invites the audience to disrupt and challenge the performance, creating a chaotic and hilarious experience unlike any other. Our goal for 2025 is to stage five of these performances to gather data and refine the concept, with hopes of franchising the idea in the following year.
In early 2025, Communication By Captivation launched its film division, marking an exciting new chapter in creative storytelling. Co-owner Jennifer Messina spearheaded this initiative with the release of her original music project, No Longer Wasted, setting the stage for a bold expansion into film production. With this milestone, CBC Film began seeking new clients to collaborate on innovative and inspiring film projects, further diversifying its artistic offerings.
Our mission remains as steadfast today as it was in the beginning: to pursue the art of creative storytelling. At Communication By Captivation, we believe that true communication thrives through the power of captivation. As we strive to grow into a self-sustaining organization, we aim to explore new realms of storytelling and foster deeper connections among people. In a world where genuine communication feels increasingly lost, our goal is to make meaningful dialogue and expression accessible once again. We look toward the future, we’re brimming with anticipation for the opportunities that lie ahead. We’re eager to see where this journey takes us and are thrilled about the possibilities that the future holds for CBC.”
John Rodgers
Founder and CEO
Communication By Captivation