EXHIBIT 10.53
SEVERANCE AGREEMENT WITH DALE DESHARONE

                               SEVERANCE AGREEMENT

     THIS SEVERANCE  AGREEMENT  ("Agreement"),  entered into on this 17th day of
April,  1997, by and between Capitol  Multimedia,  Inc., a Delaware  corporation
(the "Company"), and Dale DeSharone ("Employee").

                                   WITNESSETH

     WHEREAS,  Employee  has been a key  employee  of the  Company  and has made
outstanding contributions to the Company;

     WHEREAS,  the Company desires to reward Employee for Employee's loyalty and
distinguished  service to the Company prior to the Employee's  resignation  from
the Company;

     WHEREAS,   the  Company   desires  to  provide   Employee,   as  additional
compensation for her service to the Company,  with a severance  package over and
above the compensation currently earned by Employee;

     NOW,  THEREFORE,  in  consideration  of the above  recitals,  the terms and
covenants of this agreement,  and other valuable consideration,  the receipt and
sufficiency of which is acknowledged, the parties agree as follows:

          1.   Severance.   Employee  and  the  Company  agree  that  Employee's
     employment  with the Company and that certain  employment  agreement  dated
     February 13,  1995,  as amended and  modified,  between the Company and the
     Employee will terminate on April 17, 1997 (the  "Termination  Date").  Upon
     the termination of the Employee's  employment on such date,  Employee shall
     receive,  subject to Employee's  execution of a letter in the form attached
     hereto (a "Waiver  Letter") as  required  by Section 11 hereof,  a lump sum
     cash payment equal to $130,000, as consideration for unpaid salary, medical
     benefits, accrued vacation, all other employee benefits, and for consulting
     services rendered to Capitol over the next six months.

          2. Consulting Services. As part of the consideration for the severance
     payment,  Employee  agrees to  provide a maximum  of 5 hours of  consulting
     services per week to Company to support the remaining  multimedia business,
     including,  but not  limited  to,  entering  into  additional  third  party
     distribution  and/or sales  agreements for existing and recently  developed
     multimedia properties.

          3. Covenant Not to Compete.  Whereas,  the Employment  Agreement dated
     February 13, 1995 included a covenant not to compete  (paragraph 17), which
     covered a period beyond the term of employment, Capitol agrees to waive the
     covenant  not to  compete  after the  termination  date,  except  for (1) a
     covenant  not to  compete  in the  multimedia  production  business  in St.
     Petersburg, 


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EXHIBIT 10.53
SEVERANCE AGREEMENT WITH DALE DESHARONE

     Russia, and (2) not to hire any former Capitol employees,  who are retained
     by Davidson & Associates,  Inc.,  both for a period of one year until April
     17, 1998.

          4 Payment. The Company shall pay Employee all amounts owed to Employee
     under  this  Agreement  not  later  than ten (10)  days  after  the date of
     Employee's  termination;  provided that Employee has executed and delivered
     to the Company a Waiver Letter.

          5. Governing  Law. This  Agreement  shall be construed and governed in
     all aspects by the laws of the State of Delaware (exclusive of conflicts of
     law principles).

          6.  Modification.  This  Agreement  shall not be  modified  or amended
     except as  agreed  to in  writing  signed  by each  party or an  authorized
     representative of each party.

          7. No Waiver.  The failure of either party to this Agreement to insist
     upon the  performance of any of the terms and conditions of this Agreement,
     or the  waiver of any  breach of any of the  terms and  conditions  of this
     agreement,  shall not be construed as thereafter waiving any such terms and
     conditions, but the same shall continue and remain in full force and effect
     as if no such forbearance or waiver had occurred.

          8.  Headings.  Titles to the sections of this Agreement are solely for
     the  convenience  of the parties and shall not be used to explain,  modify,
     simplify, or aid in the interpretation of the provisions of this Agreement.

          9. Entire Agreement.  This Agreement  constitutes the entire agreement
     and  understanding,  and  merges  and  supersedes  all  prior  discussions,
     agreements  and  understandings  between the parties  regarding the subject
     matter described herein.

          10.  Survival  of  Indemnification.  All  indemnification  obligations
     undertaken by the Company on behalf of the Employee whereby the Company has
     agreed to indemnify Employee against and in respect of any damages, losses,
     claims, or liabilities,  including,  where applicable, any costs, expenses,
     and  reasonable  fees  incident or related  thereto  (including  reasonable
     attorney's  fees)  whether  arising by  contract  or under the  Articles of
     Incorporation  or Bylaws of the  Company or  otherwise  shall  survive  the
     execution of this Agreement,  the termination of Employee's  employment and
     the execution by Employee of a Waiver Letter.

          11.  Condition  to Receipt of  Benefits.  As a condition  precedent to
     receiving  the benefits  provided for under this  Agreement,  Employee must
     sign the attached Waiver Letter on the date of Employee's termination.

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EXHIBIT 10.53
SEVERANCE AGREEMENT WITH DALE DESHARONE

          12. This Agreement  shall supersede and render null and void any prior
     termination agreement between the Company and Employee.

     IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  the parties have caused this Agreement to be executed
on the date first above written.



                                             /s/ Dale DeSharone
                                             ----------------------
                                             Dale DeSharone

                                             Capitol Multimedia, Inc.,
                                             a Delaware corporation

                                             /s/ Igor R. Razboff
                                             ----------------------
                                             By: Igor R. Razboff
                                             Its: Chief Executive Officer