‘The Pearl and the Onion’ A New Audio Fiction Series Reimagining Julia Child and Josephine Baker as WWII Spies, Starring Anna Chlumsky and Jasmine Cephas Jones, From Audible and Fresh Produce Media

The Pearl and the Onion, a new eight-part alternate history audio thriller, is set to premiere on March 20th from Audible and the audio-first entertainment company Fresh Produce Media.

Read more about the upcoming series at Deadline HERE.

Starring SAG Award-winner and Emmy-nominee Anna Chlumsky (Veep, Hannibal) as the iconic chef and TV personality Julia Child; and Grammy and Emmy-winner Jasmine Cephas Jones (Hamilton, Blindspotting) as entertainer and activist Josephine Baker, The Pearl and the Onionreimagines these historical figures in a World War II espionage drama set in an alternate timeline.

While Julia and Josephine were both involved in the war—Julia with the US Office of Strategic Services (OSS) and Josephine as a spy for the French Resistance—this fictionalized version unites them in 1942 Nazi-occupied France to intercept classified invasion intelligence for the Allied Powers.

In this alternate universe, Julia is frustrated by her colleagues' dismissive attitudes at the OSS, and in an effort to prove herself, gets tasked with assisting Josephine on a field mission far beyond her expertise. As they navigate dangerous escapades, including infiltrating a Nazi gala, and executing a treacherous escape, the two women forge a friendship strong enough to potentially alter the course of D-Day.

Created by Julian Ambler, written by Brittany K. Allen, and directed by Kimberly Senior (the 2013 Pulitzer Prize-winning play, Disgraced), The Pearl and the Onion blends real-world history with bold fiction. Executive Produced by Chief Content Officer Colin Moore and CEO Jason Ross of Fresh Produce Media.

Director Kimberly Senior said: “Anna and Jasmine bring such depth and nuance to these characters, making this imagined adventure feel thrillingly real. While The Pearl and the Onion is a work of fiction, it celebrates the boldness and brilliance of two extraordinary well-known women and their lesser-known true involvement in counterintelligence during the war.”

Julian Ambler, creator of the series and Head of Development for Fresh Produce Media, said, “The Pearl and The Onion is a brilliant example of how fiction can breathe new life into real stories. The creative team has taken these fascinating, complex figures from history and reimagined their world in a way that feels both deeply authentic and inventive. It’s been an incredible experience bringing this series to life, and we can’t wait for listeners to discover these historical figures in a whole new way.”

The Pearl and the Onion joins an impressive roster of Audible Original titles co-produced by Fresh Produce Media and Audible, including: The Signal, a sci-fi/mystery drama starring Paget Brewster; Bloodhound, a thriller by Thomas Page McBee and Todd Ellis Kessler; The Boar’s Nest, starring Mandy Moore and Ebon Moss-Bachrach; and the upcoming the Big Fix: A Jack Bergin Mystery, the second installment to The Big Lie, starring Jon Hamm, Ana de la Reguera, and John Slattery, premiering April 24th on Audible.

For more information on Fresh Produce Media, email Hannah Schwartz: hschwartz@shorefire.com