Work samples

  • See Also

    "See Also" was a devised, site-specific, immersive experience that was run as a part of the "In the Stacks" series held at the George Peabody Library, in Baltimore, in February of 2020. Following threads (both figurative and literal) around the Peabody Library in a choose-your-own-adventure style, participants encountered visual art, soundscapes, and performers portraying character composites based on historical women and non-binary individuals from the collections of the Johns Hopkins Sheridan Libraries and University Museums. The performance culminated in the world premiere of a work by contemporary female composer Briay Conditt. The show was created by a collaborative team that included Josh Aterovis, Bella Lucero, Ursula Marcum, Mika Nakano, Glenn Ricci, Trustina Sabah, Dani Turner, Jess Rassp.

About Josh

Josh Aterovis is an acclaimed author and multi-talented theater artist whose creative journey weaves together compelling storytelling and captivating stagecraft. As a writer, Josh is celebrated for his engaging novels, including the award-winning Killian Kendall mystery series, which blends rich character development with suspenseful, thought-provoking plots. His work often explores themes of identity, resilience, and justice, resonating deeply with diverse audiences.

In addition to… more

The Boundary

The Boundary (Submersive Productions, 2023), Role: co-creator, designer, performer.

The Boundary was an innovative immersive theatrical experience created by Submersive Productions, exploring themes of memory, grief, loss and the rituals surrounding death. Set within the evocative confines of a fly-by-night tech company promising customized afterlifes and a smoky bar on the other side, the production invites audiences to step into a world where the boundaries between technology and biology, reality and imagination, life and death are fluid and ever-changing.

Through an intricate tapestry of interwoven narratives, audiences become active participants, engaging directly with characters whose stories reveal the hidden layers of the space and the human experiences it contains.

With its signature blend of intimate performance, visual artistry, and audience interaction, Submersive Productions creates a deeply personal and thought-provoking journey. The Boundary challenges viewers to reflect on the limits we place on ourselves and others, daring them to step beyond and consider what lies on the other side.

A masterful convergence of history, myth, and human experience, The Boundary is an unforgettable exploration of the spaces we inhabit and the choices that define us.

The Boundary was created by Josh Aterovis, Kim Le, Megan Livingston, Ursula Marcum and Glenn Ricci, and ran in 2023, featuring multiple fully-explorable set pieces and art installations.

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  • The Audiostalgia Room of The Boundary
    The Audiostalgia Room of The Boundary

    The Audiostalgia Room of The Boundary, designed and created by Josh Aterovis.

Cav Crawford Mystery Series

The Cav Crawford Mystery Series by Josh Aterovis introduces readers to Cav Crawford, a charismatic and sharp-witted private investigator with a penchant for solving the most perplexing cases. Beneath his confident exterior lies a man wrestling with his own demons, including a complicated past and a knack for getting into trouble.

Set against a vivid backdrop of gritty Baltimore cityscapes and shadowy underworlds, the series follows Cav as he takes on high-stakes cases that often blur the lines between right and wrong. With his razor-sharp intuition and irreverent humor, Cav navigates a world filled with dangerous criminals, complex conspiracies, and morally ambiguous allies.

Along the way, Cav's personal life becomes just as intriguing as the cases he handles. Whether contending with fractured relationships, hidden secrets, or moments of unexpected vulnerability, Cav’s journey is as much about self-discovery as it is about uncovering the truth.

With a perfect balance of humor, heart, and hard-boiled suspense, the Cav Crawford Mystery Series is a fresh and engaging take on the mystery genre, delivering unforgettable characters and page-turning twists at every turn.

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  • Book Trailer for A Kind of Death by Josh Aterovis

    Cav Crawford has a lot going on. He’s a college student. He has a side gig as a PI. Oh yeah—and he sees ghosts. When four teenage boys disappear while ghost hunting but only one reappears days later (covered in blood and with no memory of what happened), the police point the finger at the boy.

    The boy’s parents hire Cav to prove his innocence, and it doesn’t take him long to realize he’s in over his head. To complicate matters, Cav unintentionally summons the ghost of his dead boyfriend, who can’t seem to move on.

    As the investigation deepens, Cav unearths disturbing similarities between his current case and a decades-old murder-suicide. By the time he realizes the power of the dark forces at work, it’s too late—he’s caught the attention of the killer, and he’ll soon learn there’s more than one kind of death….

See Also

See Also (Submersive Productions, 2020): Roles: core creative team, performer. Content devised with ensemble and core creative team including Josh Aterovis, Bella Lucero, Ursula Marcum, Mika Nakano, Glenn Ricci, Trustina Sabah, Dani Turner, Jess Rassp.

"See Also" was a devised, site-specific, immersive experience that was run as a part of the "In the Stacks" series held at the George Peabody Library, in Baltimore, in February of 2020. Following threads (both figurative and literal) around the Peabody Library in a choose-your-own-adventure style, participants encountered visual art, soundscapes, and performers portraying character composites based on historical women and non-binary individuals from the collections of the Johns Hopkins Sheridan Libraries and University Museums. The performance culminated in the world premiere of a work by contemporary female composer Briay Conditt. For the eight-channel soundtrack, I provided sound design, additional music, and coordinated the long-distance collaboration for Ms. Conditt's composition.

  • Audience experiences the Opening Sequence of See Also
    Audience experiences the Opening Sequence of See Also

    Once the audience is settled in the space, the lights click off one level at a time to reveal each of the Character Composites. Yellow threads traveled upwards around the space to connect them with the ideas, history, and people below. The Composites descend to join the Seekers (those using the library) and the rest of the audience.

    Photo: Photos by Kintz

H.T. Darling's Incredible Musaeum Presents: The Treasures of New Galapagos, Astonishing Acquisitions from the Perisphere

H.T. Darling's Incredible Musaeum Presents: The Treasures of New Galapagos, Astonishing Acquisitions from the Perisphere (Submersive Prouctions, 2017), Role: performer

Content devised in collaboration with the ensemble: Josh Aterovis, Francisco Benavides, David Brasington, Emily Hall, Martha Robichaud, Trustina Sabah, Lisi Stoessel, Sarah Olmsted Thomas, Alex Vernon.

H.T.Darling's Incredible Musaeum was an immersive theater experience set in a Belle Époque-style cabinet of wonder. Taking place over four floors of The Peale, the first purpose built museum in the United States, audience members created their own pathway through the show to see the plundered riches from another planet.

For "Musaeum," Submersive formed a team of over twenty artists to transform all four floors of The Peale Center into a museaum of artifacts from another planet. Every show night was the "Grand Opening" of H.T. Darling's exhibiton of aquistions from the planet New Galapagos, including his prized possession: The Humanoid Specimen. The audience was greeted as members of high society and museum supporters, thus implicating them in the proceedings. Our guests had free rein to explore the space and follow any of the many narratives that played out over a two and a half hour period. The story, as told through a science fiction lens, allowed us to simultaneously celebrate our love for museums while delving unflinchingly into the dark themes of colonialization and cultural appropriation.

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  • Excerpt from HT Darling's Incredible Musaeum (Submersive Productions, 2017)

    Excerpt from HT Darling's Incredible Musaeum (Submersive Productions, 2017) Role: Performer. "The Mastodon Scene" is the culminating scene of the two-hour devised, immersive production of HT DARLING'S INCREDIBLE MUSAEUM. This scene was the first time all the characters and audience were in the same space, where all the narrative threads came together for the end of the narrative of the two protagonists (Trustina Sabah's Aku Maxilla/The Humanoid Specimen & Sarah Olmsted Thomas' HT Darling). Although the show did not end here, the largely wordless movement sequence was very much felt as the "climax" of the show. This scene was also the culmination of months of collaborative ensemble work; it was collaboratively choreographed, using content and research from many different parts of our process.

Killian Kendall Mystery Series

The Killian Kendall Mystery Series by Josh Aterovis is a gripping and thought-provoking collection of mystery novels spanning 25 years that follows the journey of Killian Kendall, a young gay man navigating the complexities of identity, relationships, and self-discovery while uncovering dangerous secrets in his small-town Maryland community.

Starting as a high school student grappling with his sexuality, Killian finds himself thrust into the role of an amateur detective when a tragic event changes his life forever. Each book in the series intertwines personal growth with suspenseful investigations, as Killian uncovers hidden truths, confronts prejudice, and faces life-threatening situations.

Throughout the series, Killian evolves into a professional private investigator, tackling cases that explore moral ambiguity, human resilience, and the cost of justice. Whether unraveling murders, exposing corruption, or seeking the truth behind deeply buried lies, Killian's sharp instincts, determination, and empathy set him apart in the world of mysteries.

Josh Aterovis masterfully blends suspense, wit, and emotional depth in the Killian Kendall series, creating a narrative that not only entertains but also challenges societal norms and celebrates the power of authenticity and courage.

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  • A Change of Worlds PDF - currently out of print

    A Change of Worlds, Book 5 in the Killian Kendall Mystery Series

    “Let him be just and deal kindly with my people, for the dead are not powerless. Dead, did I say? There is no death, only a change of worlds."

    When Killian takes on an investigation into a series of thefts from a Native American archaeological site as a favor for an old friend, he never dreamed it would escalate into violence and murder. What started out as a seemingly simple case suddenly has much higher stakes than missing artifacts. One person is dead, one injured, and more lives are on the line...including Killian’s.

    Things aren’t exactly smooth sailing in Killian’s private life either. His boyfriend Micah has given him a huge choice, but his ex-boyfriend Asher’s unexpected reappearance has only clouded Killian’s decision. He must decide who he wants to be with, and quickly, before time runs out for all of them.

    Cover art by Aaron Barlow