About Us: The Story
ACROSS THE AMAZONS
After watching her children die during the smallpox epidemic in Colonial Peru, Isabel Godin decided to meet her husband who had been away in French Guiana for 20-years, but to do so must travel some 5,000 miles across the South American continent. Initially against her family’s wishes, she set off with her core group and dozens of porters on the nearly yearlong journey. One misstep after another splintered her party due to treacherous conditions, abandonment, betrayal, and ultimately death. After a month alone in the rainforest, she met natives who nursed her back to health and helped her reach the mission system where she finally was able to arrive at the mouth of the Amazon River to reunite with her husband. Isabel survived: for love discovering her true inner strength.
Dr. Laura K. Marsh is a writer and tropical ecologist. She has written several screenplays and other works of fiction; over one hundred scientific articles, books, and reports; described five new species of saki monkeys; and lead a successful expedition called Houseboat Amazon to find a monkey that had been missing since the 1930s. She wrote the Nichols' awarded screenplay ACROSS THE AMAZONS while working in the field in the Ecuadorian Amazon! After meeting with Ken Davenport at his New York offices on Broadway, they decided the story was also a natural for musical theater. Laura has since re-worked the film version for the stage adding lyrics and set directions. She wrote the libretto and found an amazing musician to craft songs. The goal is to have the Across The Amazons Project appear on multiple platforms, including large and small screens and the theater.
About Us: The Musical
Justin Rayna
Justin Rayna is an award-winning composer who works with performers and production companies to help them succeed by realizing their music desires. Getting a unique song that is the right fit for someone can be tricky. Justin has learned by experience how to streamline this process for his clients in any industry. Justin has composed for competitive gymnasts, playwrights, producers, dance companies, artists, churches, theme parks and even films. He has over 20 years in audio engineering, making him a trusted expert in the industry. Justin also has participated in stunt work and has experience in gymnastics, which makes him the perfect fit for creating music with athletes and productions.
Laura Goodenow
Laura Goodenow is a librettist, lyricist, poet, editor, writer, producer, and distributor. She's interested in developing stories and works that explore female perspectives and/or portray complex female characters. Her company Real Woman Make Waves is a reminder - to every woman: voices are meant to be heard, not silenced.
About Us: The Film
President of Packaging and Sales
Tiffany Boyle has leveraged her business-oriented sales and packaging skills to bring hundreds of films and documentaries to fruition. Since 2018 alone, Tiffany has optimized clients’ financial and business positions in more than 35 films and documentaries. Tiffany connects filmmakers with producers, co-producers, executive producers, co-finance partners, distributors, agencies and other industry representatives. Recently, she led the sales and packaging for “Tragedy Girls” (SXSW 2017) & “Freaks” (Toronto IFF 2018) and has also served as executive producer on Daryl Wein’s “White Rabbit” (Sundance 2018), “Better Start Running” (Newport IFF 2018) starring Jeremy Irons, “Ashes in the Snow” (Los Angeles FF 2018) starring Bel Powley. Upcoming films include “Something Else” from the filmmakers of “Spring”and “The Endless,” Bethany Brooke Anderson’s feature debut “Burning Kentucky”, and “Arkansas” starring Liam Hemsworth and Vince Vaughn.