Welcome to Everly Heights, Ohio: the "Home of the Arts, land of the lost," and according to one viral video, the "seventh-most cursed town in Ohio." You bought the bus ticket, threw the party, and moved three states over. But this town has its own gravitational field, and your mistakes never truly left. In this scripted anthology, you’ll meet the locals, travelers, and legends—all caught in the strange undertow of a place that refuses to let go. Will nostalgia save you, or is it holding you back from moving forward? Start Everly Heights Tales now. Just don't look back too long…

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In the debut episode of Everly Heights Tales, third-ranked local YouTuber (and yo-yo enthusiast) Louie Loop takes listeners on a walking tour of Everly Heights. From square-cut pizza served by aspiring actors and the mistakenly named Franklin W. Dixon Memorial Library, to haunted tunnels, statues inspired by local history, and the legendary Cornerstone Theater, Louie’s guide is equal parts history, myth, and hometown gossip. Along the way, he introduces us to the town’s mix of charm and curse, hinting at the nostalgic stories on the way this season on Everly Heights Tales.

After the story, creator Bill Meeks shares behind-the-scenes inspirations and real-life locations in his real hometown Wheeling, West Virginia that shaped his fictional hometown. PLUS: The hidden foreshadowing baked into Louie’s tales...

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CAST LIST

Samuel Lewis - Louie Loop, Steve Loop (aka Steve the Geek)
Bill Meeks - Greg

 "Another Day in the City" performed by Classic Tragic Hero, written by Bill Meeks 

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Patsy's Pizza
Wheeling Coffee Shop
Towngate Theater
Google Maps view of the "walking bridge"
Kids Like Us
Curtain Call

See you soon with a brand new story!

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WKKX 1600 AM
Mystery Theater Unlimited

Meet the Special family, a theater-loving, stoner couple and their three very different kids. It’s 1994, and Michael and Jennifer Special are just trying to help fund in the arts in their community, but their son Ricky is on the run from a school bully, and their daughter Zara is betting everything on a plan to start the school year as a popular girl. With a mix of '90s nostalgia, sitcom homages, and a healthy dose of humor, "Welcome, Freshmen" will teach you the joys of scented oxygen, the perils of Crystal Pepsi, and why you should never trust a math teacher to do "creative accounting" for the arts. Equal parts funny, smart, and a little messed up, just like Everly Heights itself.

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CAST LIST

Bill Meeks - Ricky Special/Infomercial Announcer/Mr. Matheson
Sean Seigler - Michael Special
Kristyna Zahrek - Abby Special
Laurin Skarr - Zara Special
Kaushal Patel - Phillip "Sinnimon Slush" Simonson
Helena Geraci - Jennifer Special
Dallis MacKenzie - Beatrix Knapp
Mandy McCullough - Rebbeca/Veronica
Howard F. Hulin - Ron Linus/Mayor Brown
Richard Reynolds - Jock, Oxygen Bar Attendant
Claire Forbes - Brenda, Beach Babe, Carrie Tart
Dan Pavatich - Nosloo the Great
Sean Weiland - Jerome Bentley, Surfer Dude

"How Can You Be Sure?" and "Zara Special's Mini-Musical Suite" performed by Classic Tragic Hero, written by Bill Meeks

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In this bonus episode, the cast of "Welcome, Freshmen" celebrates the final recording session with a virtual cast party! Join writer Bill Meeks and the voice actors behind the Special family—Laurin Skarr (Zara), Bill Meeks (Mr. Matheson, Ricky), Sean Siegler (Michael), Kristyna Zahrek (Abby), Howard F. Hulin (Mayor Brown/Ron Linus), Samuel Lewis (Steve the Geek), Sean Weiland (Jerome), and Bobby Frankenberger (the original Ricky)—as they go behind the scenes of the show. They'll talk about the process of making an animated series over the internet, what it was like to improvise around the script, and the creative collaboration between actors and writers. They also get into some voice actor tech talk and, of course, we learn the term "fluffy lungs." Get to know the talented group of actors who brought this very special story to life.

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CAST LIST

Bill Meeks - Ricky Special/Infomercial Announcer/Mr. Matheson
Sean Seigler - Michael Special
Kristyna Zahrek - Abby Special
Laurin Skarr - Zara Special
Howard F. Hulin - Ron Linus/Mayor Brown
Sean Weiland - Jerome Bentley, Surfer Dude

"How Can You Be Sure?" performed by Classic Tragic Hero, written by Bill Meeks

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Everly Heights
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And stick around for the aftershow where Bill Meeks dives deep into the real-life inspirations for the musical, including his former band that had a top #20 YouTube video for about a week once. True story.

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CAST LIST

Bill Meeks - Don House
Kaleb Deatherage - Ryon
Allison Cossitt - Fara
Dean T Moody - Gaston

"Home Again", "Only Good for Forgetting", "The Last Time I Saw You I Totally Broke Your Heart", "We Never Change A Thing", and "Why Would We Leave?" performed by Classic Tragic Hero, written by Bill Meeks

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Everly Heights
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Classic Tragic Hero
A Tribute to Stephan Carroll
Ryon Hoard - Wishing Well

In the spirit of a classic 90s educational science show like Beakman's World or Mr. Wizard, "Hey, Marie Molecule!" follows a young girl named Eliza, who visits the titular scientist with an anxiety-fueled question: "Will my brother become a super-villain from an X-ray?". With the help of the good-natured Marie Molecule, Eliza learns all about science and radiation. PLUS: Marie Molecule explains a new technological innovation!

After the story, creator Bill Meeks discusses the episode's origin as a submission for America's Next Top Podcaster. He also shares how the Marie Molecule Science Study Center is located in the basement of the Franklin W. Dixon Memorial Library, connecting the episode to the larger Everly Heights universe.

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CAST LIST

September McCrady - Marie Molecule
Bill Meeks - Junkbots Announcer/Eliza

"Theme for Hey, Marie Molecule!" performed by Classic Tragic Hero, written by Bill Meeks

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Everly Heights
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Classic Tragic Hero
America's Next Top Podcaster - Hey, Marie Molecule!
Bill interviews Beakman's Paul Zaloom on Where I'm From

In this bonus episode of Everly Heights Tales, I talk to an actor I have an awful lot of nostalgia for: Paul Zaloom, best known as Beakman from the hit ’90s educational series Beakman’s World.

This hour-long interview traces Zaloom’s journey from his own “Everly Heights,” Garden City in New York state, to his work in avant-garde theater and puppetry. He reflects on the comedic and cultural inspirations behind Beakman (including Soupy Sales) and shares fascinating stories about the show’s massive and lasting impact, especially in Mexico and Brazil. If you grew up with Beakman’s World, you'll love this conversation packed with behind-the-scenes stories about creativity, art, and the balance between independent expression and mainstream success.

Before the interview, we go behind the scenes of a previous Everly Heights Tales story: the making of "Hey, Marie Molecule!" Hear the full development process as Bill and his teammate September McCrady — including producer Bobby Frankenburgger and advisor Tom Merritt — tackle the challenge of crafting a short, science-focused audio drama judged by Scott Johnson, Justin Robert Young, and Jenny Josephson on America’s Next Top Podcaster.

(Beakman fans: skip ahead about 20 minutes to jump straight into the interview.)

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CAST LIST

Paul Zaloom - Himself/Beakman/Roy G. Biv
September McCrady - Herself
Bill Meeks - Himeself

"Theme for Hey, Marie Molecule!" performed by Classic Tragic Hero, written by Bill Meeks

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Everly Heights
Join the EVERLY HEIGHTS ARTS BOARD and support the show
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America's Next Top Podcaster - Hey, Marie Molecule!

Tonight, my ghoulish guests, we crack open a chilling case of sorority sisterhood gone horribly flat! When Madison invites her frenemy Faith down to the basement for a taste of an exclusive new White Claw flavor, things get bubbly in all the wrong ways. One sip too many, and the claws really come out... A wickedly funny tale of basic witches, haunted hard seltzers, and influencer-era evil. Drink up, darlings — but beware: in Everly Heights, the hangover is the least of your worries.

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CAST LIST

Bill Meeks - Spooky Announcer
Samantha Crausman - Madison
Hadley Williams - Faith

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Everly Heights
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The Totally Spooktacular Fakist Halloween Special

Clara, a devoted usher at the historic Cornerstone Theater, uncovers a chilling secret hidden within its velvet seats: a mysterious power that lets audience members live their best life. When curiosity gets the best of her, Clara is drawn into a fairy tale fantasy that feels more real than her own life. But as the mysterious Zarvan winds her up, she begins to wonder what it will cost to stay in the spotlight forever.

After the story, creator Bill Meeks sits down with old friends, college collaborators, and forever theater kids Anne Marie DeSimone and Jason George for a nostalgic conversation about rehearsals, missed cues, and the backstage drama that inspired this episode.

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CAST LIST

Rebecca Johnson - Clara
Sean Siegler - Michael Special/Zarvan
September McCrady - Mrs. Gable
Kate Sheridan - Timmy Gill
Wynn Mercere - Mrs. Henderson
Dean T Moody - Mr. Henderson
Bill Meeks - Worker/Himself
Skyler Nichol - Prince Dreamy
Anne Marie DeSimone - Herself
Jason George - Himself

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Everly Heights
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Universe Box - Theater

In "The Quackening," Angela Craig is back in Everly Heights, and she's not happy about it. Sleeping in her old room and haunted by a fresh divorce from her gaslighting ex, Travis, her life is a mess. That is, until she has a bizarre run-in with Beatrix Knapp and her old high school bullies, "The Sparkles". They offer her a strange inheritance from a dead relative. Inside a magical box she'll discover the ancestral power to make her wishes a reality. But does Angela want recovery, or revenge?

After the story, Bill Meeks reveals the episode's "Goodbye Earl with Witches" inspiration , discussing his personal experiences with domestic abuse that shaped the narrative. PLUS: A production postmortem from his IRL sister who voices two characters in the main show.

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CAST LIST

Kate Sheridan- Angela Craig
Dawn Meeks - Great Aunt Mildred's Spirit/Mrs. Craig
Dallis MacKenzie - Beatrix Knapp
Mandy McCullough - Rebecca/Veronica
Skyler Nichol - Travis Hagee

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Everly Heights
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Universe Box - Theater

Settle in, cool cats and kittens, for Love @ Night on WART-FM broadcasting LIVE from Everly Heights. Your host, Bernie Love, is live and on the line to help you find your ideal match, keep that spark alive, and make amends when you inevitably mess it up. The evening kicks off with a special remote broadcast featuring three colorful Milwaukee locals (all voiced by special guest Dave Theune from Comedy Bang Bang, The Paper, and St. Denis Medical) before returning to the WART-FM studio, where Bernie fields calls from romantics and weirdos alike — including a man whose “payday dinner” goes off the rails and a would-be lover torn between Pokémon and Digimon. But when Bernie’s wife calls in to air their dirty laundry on-air, the smooth-talking DJ must confront his own advice and learn to live not in the past... but in the now — or maybe even the future.

In the aftershow, Bill Meeks shares how this story began as a challenge for America’s Next Top Podcaster and how Bernie’s voice was inspired by his own time behind the mic.

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CAST LIST

Bill Meeks - Justin from Wheeling / Ricky Special / Bernie Love (with help from Tripp Rogers)
Dave Theune - Michael / Kevin / Patrick
Travis Crawford - Announcer/Scott
Ki Scyne - Bobby from Bradenton
September McCrady - Prudence Love

LINKS

Everly Heights
Infinite Tina: Worlds Apart
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Universe Box - Theater

When King Sparrow is betrayed by his most trusted captain, a monarch of the skies is cast to the ground, doomed to wander the forest broken, alone, and certain his reign is over. Struggling through a merciless winter, the injured bird fights to find his way back to his Queen, his host, and the life Captain Sparrow ripped away from him. A fairy tale fable of loyalty, loss, and renewal, “The Trials of King Sparrow: Left to the Wolves” is the first of a two-part tale about a fallen monarch whose journey sets in motion the magic that powers Everly Heights.

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CAST LIST

Narrated by James Romick, with additional voices by Bill Meeks and the Cornerstone Theater Players.

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Everly Heights
The Trials of King Sparrow (EPUB/PDF/AUDIOBOOK)
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Leaving his sanctuary behind, the exiled King Sparrow returns to the wild to reclaim his stolen kingdom. But the forest has grown darker, and the traitorous Captain Sparrow has allied with the wolves to enslave the host within the Great Mountain. No longer just a bird but a vessel for an ancient power, King Sparrow must wage a final war to free his people and exact his revenge. Witness the mythic conclusion to the the founding fable of Everly Heights, as immortalized in local Yuletide readings, school plays, and murals as the secret origin of an artistic community.

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CAST LIST

Narrated by James Romick, with additional voices by Bill Meeks and the Cornerstone Theater Players.

LINKS

Everly Heights
The Trials of King Sparrow (EPUB/PDF/AUDIOBOOK)
James Romick
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Join us at Greco's, where the pasta is hot, the staff is snooty, and conversation is the best thing on the menu. Steve Loop goes to dinner with his high school tormentor Jerome Bentley to answer a question: can an old dog really learn new tricks? Over pizza and other Appalachian delicacies, these two former adversaries navigate the minefield of past grievances, high school swirlies, and the surprising power of Jolt Cola to turn back the clock and put right what once went wrong.

In the aftershow, Bill Meeks reveals how a casting call for Welcome, Freshmen alumni led to this unexpected pairing and shares the true story of his own college reunion with a high school bully that inspired this tale. Plus, get the scoop on the real-world inspiration for Greco’s and find out which other familiar faces are returning to Everly Heights this holiday season.

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CAST LIST

Samuel Lewis – Steve Loop (aka Steve the Geek)
Sean Weiland– Jerome Bentley
Richard Reynolds - Lucian

LINKS

Everly Heights
Infinite Tina: Worlds Apart
Join the EVERLY HEIGHTS ARTS BOARD and support the show
Welcome, Freshmen
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Universe Box - Theater

Experience the infamous broadcast that allegedly got Dogboy Adventures cancelled, presented exactly as it aired following WART-TV's Festive Greetings Holiday Parade. In the shadow of the rusted Curleyworld theme park, former carney Jon "Hot John" Pyre and his son Scotty scrape by in a freezing Winnebago, surviving on cold beans and hard truths. Desperate to give his son a better future, John concocts a yuletide lie to drive Scotty away, all while secretly selling his muscle to the Guild of Thieves. A gritty, tear-stained holiday noir about sacrifice, "bad" dads, and the lies we tell to protect the ones we love. Once thought lost, the episode was recovered in a YouTube video featuring the full parade, an interview with Full House's Jodie Sweetin, and the only known recording of "Hot John Hates Holidays."

In the aftershow, Bill Meeks reunites with Nathan Beatty, the original "voice of Colta City" who narrated the Dogboy audiobook series a decade ago. Nathan shares what it was like stepping back into the cowl after all these years and debates which character is more fun to play: the gruff Hot John or the verbose Osbert. Plus, Nathan shares his own most memorable Christmas in this special look behind the mask of Everly Heights’ favorite pulp hero. Includes several promotional video clips for the original book series.

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CAST LIST

Nathan Beatty – Dogboy / Bronson Black / Hot John / Osbert Collingwood
Bill Meeks - Mr. Matheson / Scotty / Curleyworld Announcer
Jodie Sweetin - Herself (via archival footage)

Archival footage of the the 1992 Wheeling, WV Christmas Parade  sourced from YouTube.

LINKS

Everly Heights
Infinite Tina: Worlds Apart
Join the EVERLY HEIGHTS ARTS BOARD and support the show
Dogboy Adventures Audiobook/Ebook Collection
1992 Christmas Parade Wheeling WV Presented By Elbys Big Boy
Beyond the Deck Box
Everly Heights Tales Merch
Subscribe on YouTube
Universe Box - Theater

On this Very Special holiday episode, when eleven-year-old "90s kid" Abby Special is sent to bed early on Christmas Eve, she launches OPERATION: PULP DEFLECTION to sneak out for a late-night screening of Pulp Fiction. But Abby's clandestine Christmas takes a turn for the infringing when Abby gets trapped in an "As Seen on Fantastic Inventions" store with two bumbling crooks. Realizing she's in a "pretty obvious Home Alone homage," Abby defends the perimeter using a Salad Shooter, Ultra Tape, and other junk she's seen on TV to fight back so she can make it home for Christmas.

In the aftershow, Everly Heights Tales alumni Sean Siegler and Kristyna Zaharek join Bill to discusses returning to the sitcom world of the Special family, their favorite holiday films, and when they stopped believing in Santa Claus (who totally exists).

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CAST LIST

Kristyna Zaharek - Infomercial Woman / Abby Special / Police Officer
Sean Siegler - Michael Special / Vinnie
Bill Meeks - Infomercial Announcer / Ticket Clerk / Pulp Fiction Nerd / Lou

LINKS

Everly Heights
Everly Heights Holiday Bundle - Only $40 Until January 2
Kristyna Zaharek
Sean Siegler
Join the EVERLY HEIGHTS ARTS BOARD and support the show
The Totally Original Fakist Christmas Special
Everly Heights Tales Merch
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Peter Postal is five years older, a little wiser, and officially free from the state slammer. While working at the Everly Heights Community Center under the watch of Mr. Matheson, a chance encounter with a troubled teen forces him to confront the ghost of his illicit punk rock past.It's time for Postal to prove that even a broken record doesn't have to skip on the same track forever. Join us for the gritty, heartfelt conclusion to Season 1.

In the Aftershow, Bill Meeks celebrates the end of the season with a look ahead at the ambitious slate for Everly Heights Tales Season 2, coming January 2026.

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CAST LIST

Kaleb Deatherage- Peter Postal
Bill Meeks - Mr. Matheson
Wesley Bryan - Lucas

LINKS

Everly Heights
Everly Heights Holiday Bundle - Only $40 Until January 2
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Everly Heights Tales Merch
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In the aftershow, creator Bill Meeks breaks down the math behind the real-world work-life balance struggles that fueled the script and highlights the return of Season 1 favorites like Michael Special and Nosloo the Great.

NEXT TIME: Things get W.E.I.R.D.E. in Everly Heights!

Bill Meeks - Mr. Matheson / Jim Colvin / Ricky Special / Infomercial Announcer
Kristyna Zaharek - Angel Matheson / Brenda
Sean Siegler - Michael Special / Customer
Dan Pavatich - Nosloo the Great

LINKS

Everly Heights
Mr. Matheson's Arithme-TIPS
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Everly Heights Tales Merch
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W.E.I.R.D.E. agent Jim Colvin spends his days policing the multiverse, yet he can't find out what his new wife, Ramona, is hiding. His deepening paranoia finds a reluctant partner in Nosloo the Great, a refugee dark troll wizard from the war-torn Land of Fee-Nee who is desperate to return home and save his kingdom. But when Jim hatches a risky scheme to use the wizard to force a moment of radical honesty, the walls begin to close in—both from the secrets in his marriage and the coworkers determined to uncover exactly what contraband he smuggled home from the office.

In the aftershow, creator Bill Meeks chats with actor Dan Pavatich (voice of "Nosloo the Great") about the "We’ve Got a Secret" sitcom genre. They discuss their friendship's improv origins, the influence of ALF and other weird TV shows on the story, and the ethical nightmare of the episode’s Men in Black-inspired ending. Plus, Dan shares details on his own project, The Hustle Gods.

NEXT TIME: Whatever happened to Cornerstone Theater?

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CAST LIST

Dan Pavatich - Nosloo the Great
Bill Meeks - Jim Colvin / Hibboticus / Evil Jim / Ricky Special / Pirate / Carrot Top / Bob Ross / The President
Kate Sheridan- Brenda / Ramona / Kid
Andrea Lavender - Cynthia Postal
Sean Weiland - Bucky
Allison Cossitt - Susie
Travis Crawford (TV's Travis) - Plant / Dad
Dean T Moody – Intercom Announcer
Helena Geraci – Jennifer Special
Richard Reynolds – Lucian the Waiter
Wynn Mercere – Woman
Brice Bankard - Man

LINKS

Everly Heights
"Nosloo the Great" Pilot (2022)
Dan Pavatich
The Hustle Gods
Join the EVERLY HEIGHTS ARTS BOARD and support the show
Everly Heights Tales Merch
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DTNS Friday Hangout Full Episode (Video)
Daily Tech News Show

This bonus episode is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

A reunion in a burned-out theater basement forces two former bandmates to confront the lives they picked and the song they never finished. When Marla Harmon returns to Everly Heights for a benefit show for Cornerstone Theater, she finds more than charred Fresnel lights and party snacks. Among the former Rocky Horror cast members in attendance? Calvin Hobbes, her ex-bandmate/boyfriend, now dressed as a man his younger self would label a "sellout." Between a hidden bottle of furnace vodka, a forgotten cassette, and an out-of-tune Stratacoustic guitar, their last unfinished song plucks the strings of the past and reminds them of who they used to be. Will Marla and Calvin grow up and move on from Classic Tragic Hero, or can they finally tighten up the bridge on their abandoned demo?

In the aftershow, creator Bill Meeks delivers a personal tribute to his late best friend and bandmate Stephen Carroll, the write of the song "In The Long Run" and the real-life inspiration behind the episode. Bill traces their friendship from teenage collaborations in high school computer labs to early YouTube attention as the basement band Classic Tragic Hero. Framed by Steve’s demo of “In the Long Run,” this aftershow confronts friendship, artistic guilt, and coming back together to make something new.

NEXT TIME: Can a fan podcaster find love in the Franklin W. Dixon Memorial Library?

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CAST LIST

Alex Mechanic - Marla Harmon
Travis Crawford (TV's Travis) - Calvin Hobbes

LINKS

Everly Heights
Classic Tragic Hero YouTube Channel
Stephan Carroll YouTube Channel
Classic Tragic Hero Music on Archive.org
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In the podcast studio deep inside the Franklin W. Dixon Memorial Library, Jeremy Hahn is recording the latest episode of his Dogboy Adventures fan podcast "Greetings from Colta City." He’s invited his theater buddy Clara Danvers on to dissect Dogboy's "subversive" violence, but he didn't plan for the chemistry crackling across the studio in his meticulous show doc. While Jeremy hides behind his fandom, Clara derails the recording with a plot twist he never saw coming. A romantic story about the roles we play to protect ourselves and the courage it takes to make a move.

In the aftershow, creator Bill Meeks chats with Rebecca Johnson (voice of Clara Danvers, host of Supergirl Radio, and the voice of LeAnne Snyder on The Fakist) about their long history as creative collaborators, starting as rival Once Upon a Time podcasters before launching sister podcasts based on DC Comics TV properties. They look back on their history of "bringing the heat" to each other's projects, including the time Bill voiced the spectral Deadman for Rebecca’s Supergirl Radio holiday special. A celebration of the community hiding in the "clerical work" of fan podcasting and the joys of a creative partnership that spans a dozen projects and more than a decade.

NEXT TIME: A thrilling action tale set in the TV studios of local TV station WART-TV.

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CAST LIST

Bill Meeks - Jeremy Hahn / Lester
Rebecca Johnson - Clara Danvers
Nathan Beatty – Dogboy / Bronson Black / Mr. Horum / Dexter Stonehouse

LINKS

Everly Heights
Supergirl Radio
The Fakist
Fan Podcasting: The Complete Guide
Dogboy Adventures Collection
Join the EVERLY HEIGHTS ARTS BOARD and support the show
Everly Heights Tales Merch
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WATCH THE FULL VIDEO HERE, featuring footage from the original college production. 

In the flickering lights of WART-TV 3’s Studio B, Lester Applebottom is fighting for a second act. Once a theater actor whose career ended in purple-and-gold tights and a five-year sentence, Lester has traded his orange jumpsuit for a bowling shirt and a "wack-a-doo" persona to host "The Storybook Playtime Show." When Zeke, the station's disgruntled one-man graphics department storms the set with a firearm, Lester must find a way to talk Zeke off the ledge before the 'Glen of Happiness' turns into a crime scene. Beaver bears the brunt of Zeke's "Video Toaster" frustrations, forcing Lester to improvise a rescue mission to save the kids and the broadcast.

Stick around for the aftershow as creator Bill Meeks reunites with his high school homeroom buddy and longtime collaborator, Justin McConnaughy (the man behind the mustache of Lester Applebottom). They'll reveal how they turned a college TV production final Bill created twenty years ago into a key piece of Everly Heights lore. They also reflect on their shared history in the local theater scene growing up, from performing as Dr. Gibbs and George in Our Town to the real-life mishaps at Brooke Hills Playhouse and Towngate Theatre. Hear the true stories of obscene backstage notebooks and the shared nostalgia for the regional kids' shows that inspired the Glen of Happiness like Wallace and Ladmo and the legendary Bozo the Clown.

NEXT TIME: How will Ricky deal with tragedy? A Very Special puppet show!

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CAST LIST

Justin McConnaughy - Lester Applebottom
Bill Meeks - Mr. Matheson, aka "Beaver"
Samuel Lewis - Nicky / Chris Lee
Sean Weiland - Zeke Thorne

Additional voices provided by my TV production class at West Liberty State College.

LINKS

Everly Heights
Original broadcast of The Storybook Playtime Show (2004, Digital Download)
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Everly Heights Tales Merch
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In the wake of a sudden loss, Ricky Special is trying to balance the books on his grief. After delivering a shocking eulogy at his late mother Jennifer's funeral the young conservative retreats to the only place where things still make sense: the analytical sanctuary of Mr. Matheson’s math classroom. From the the relentless ticking of a classroom clock to the ghostly memories of painted triangles, Ricky is forced to find his own solution to the unquantifiable relationship between life, loss, and his mother's legacy.

In the aftershow, Bill Meeks takes us behind the scenes to show how he filmed his paper bag puppet short film in his own living room. He breaks down his DIY production process, detailing how he used a TV as his set and his actual living room curtains to frame the stage. He'll also plug the new Retro TV Simulator software he made for this episode to emulate that imperfect tracking-error-laden public access broadcast vibe in a modern studio environment.

NEXT TIME: The Storm of the Century hits Everly Heights. Can a father and son survive the snow with their relationship intact?

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CAST LIST

Bill Meeks - Mr. Matheson / Ricky Special
Sean Seigler – Michael Special
Howard F. Hulin – Preacher

Additional voices provided by the Cornerstone Theater Players.

LINKS

Everly Heights
Buy A Puppet from the episode and support the show
Retro TV Simulator
Join the EVERLY HEIGHTS ARTS BOARD and support the show
Everly Heights Tales Merch
Subscribe on YouTube

In the shivering shadow of the 1994 "Storm of the Century," thirteen-year-old Marcus finds himself trapped in a drafty Ohio house that feels worlds away from his old life in Texas. From the rhythmic, soulless clicking of a Macintosh mouse... to the stubborn smudge of a colored pencil on a composition notebook... and the static-filled weather bulletins from substitute WART-TV meteorologist Mr. Matheson, a generational battle of artistic integrity unfolds. Marcus, a purist clinging to the messy "human touch" of his superhero character Detective Fang, faces off against his father, David, a graphic artist who has traded ink and charcoal for the efficiency of Photoshop and "Bezier curves." A tale about the friction between analog soul and digital convenience. Do the tools matter more than the human using them?

In the aftershow, creator Bill Meeks recalls the very real "Storm of the Century" that greeted his own family upon moving to the Ohio Valley from Texas. Plus: Bill reflects on the personal "generation gap" that emerged in his own home when his children began to view his career decisions as a "supervillain" turn and shares how their criticism is partially responsible for this audio drama existing.

NEXT TIME: Jim Colvin's W.E.I.R.D.E. world returns in our first trilogy. Come back in a few weeks to meet Infinite Tina!

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CAST LIST

Bill Meeks - Mr. Matheson
Pete Lutz - Old Marcus
Kaleb Deatherage- Young Marcus
Daniel Penz- David

LINKS

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