Colorado State University playwright and director Alana Corrigan eagerly prepped her actors to perform her original play “Patria Del Cuore” on stage at Colorado State University during the spring 2020 semester. But you know what happened. Corrigan’s play, among millions of other live events, was canceled due to the pandemic. Corrigan approached KCSU with an idea to turn her story, set in a beautiful Italian vineyard, into a radio play and podcast. KCSU said, “Heck yes!”

KCSU got to work during May 2020 by distributing five DIY home recording kits to all CSU students involved in the play. Using software that allows all actors to be recorded individually and remotely, KCSU production director Sam Bonafe captured “Patria Del Cuore.” Students Cam Warren and Sophie Gentle edited the content by improving the sound quality and adding effects. KCSU adviser Hannah Copeland oversaw the project and advised on audio.

“This podcast is the first scripted and fictional play KCSU has ever produced,” Copeland said. “We’re jumping into a whole new segment of the podcast world now. I’m so thrilled to have been involved with making this play into a podcast, even if it took more than a year. It’s been such an amazing process.”

The story dives into the dynamics of the Fanucci family who lives on Piccola Cuoro, a beautiful Italian island. Teenager Valentino Fanucci (played by Ryan Leibold) is disowned by his father (played by James Fagan) for coming out as gay. Sergio, a middle-aged and single-vineyard owner on the mainland (played by Ryan Wilke-Braun), steps in to raise the boy. As Sergio learns to become a fatherly figure for Valentino, he also develops feelings for his long-term business partner, Nico Silvestri (played by Adam Isaacs).

Join director Corrigan, assistant stage manager Taylor Baptiste and the entire KCSU staff as we welcome “Patria Del Cuore” to the KCSU podcast family. A new episode releases every Tuesday for the first three weeks of June in celebration of Pride Month.

Podcast Art: Anna Meiser