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

LINKS

Everly Heights
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Everly Heights Tales Merch
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Universe Box - Theater

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

LINKS

Everly Heights
Join the EVERLY HEIGHTS ARTS BOARD and support the show
Buy Mr. Matheson's Arithme-TIPS Comic Collection
Everly Heights Tales Merch
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The Totally Spooktacular Fakist Halloween Special

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

LINKS

Everly Heights
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Everly Heights Tales Merch
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America's Next Top Podcaster - Hey, Marie Molecule!

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

LINKS

Everly Heights
Join the EVERLY HEIGHTS ARTS BOARD and support the show
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Everly Heights Tales Merch
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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

When failing salesman Don House returns to his hometown, he’s confronted by the ghosts of his past. This mini-musical follows a man as he reconnects with a troubled musician, a shady restaurant owner, and his first love, all while exploring if it's possible to ever truly go home again.

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

LINKS

Everly Heights
Join the EVERLY HEIGHTS ARTS BOARD and support the show
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Classic Tragic Hero
A Tribute to Stephan Carroll
Ryon Hoard - Wishing Well

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

LINKS

Everly Heights
Join the EVERLY HEIGHTS ARTS BOARD and support the show
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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

LINKS

Everly Heights
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Hear more about how Wheeling, West Virginia inspired the world of Everly Heights in this bonus episode. Butch Maxwell, the host of Butch Maxwell's Complete Waste of Airtime, interviews me live on WKKX 1600 AM to chat about the the real-life locations and people that inspired some of the episodes this season. We also talk a lot about theater, comedy, and finding the right balance between comedy and drama.

See you soon with a brand new story!

LINKS
WKKX 1600 AM
Mystery Theater Unlimited

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 

LINKS

Everly Heights
Join the EVERLY HEIGHTS ARTS BOARD and support the show
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Patsy's Pizza
Wheeling Coffee Shop
Towngate Theater
Google Maps view of the "walking bridge"
Kids Like Us
Curtain Call

"Gravity" performed by Classic Tragic Hero, arranged by  Makariah G., Lyrics by Bill Meeks 

LINKS

Everly Heights
Join the EVERLY HEIGHTS ARTS BOARD and support the show
Buy Mr. Matheson's Arithme-TIPS Comic Collection
Subscribe on YouTube