Everly Heights Tales

"Gravity" performed by Classic Tragic Hero, arranged by  Makariah G., Lyrics by Bill Meeks  LINKSEverly HeightsJoin the EVERLY HEIGHTS ARTS BOARD and support the showBuy Mr. Matheson's Arithme-TIPS Comic CollectionSubscribe on YouTube

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...SPONSORCAST LISTSamuel 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  LINKSEverly HeightsJoin the EVERLY HEIGHTS ARTS BOARD and support the showBuy Mr. Matheson's Arithme-TIPS Comic CollectionSubscribe on YouTubePatsy's PizzaWheeling Coffee ShopTowngate TheaterGoogle Maps view of the "walking bridge"Kids Like UsCurtain Call

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!LINKSWKKX 1600 AMMystery 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.  SPONSORCAST LISTBill Meeks - Ricky Special/Infomercial Announcer/Mr. MathesonSean Seigler - Michael SpecialKristyna Zahrek - Abby SpecialLaurin Skarr - Zara SpecialKaushal Patel - Phillip "Sinnimon Slush" SimonsonHelena Geraci - Jennifer SpecialDallis MacKenzie - Beatrix KnappMandy McCullough - Rebbeca/VeronicaHoward F. Hulin - Ron Linus/Mayor BrownRichard Reynolds - Jock, Oxygen Bar AttendantClaire Forbes - Brenda, Beach Babe, Carrie TartDan Pavatich - Nosloo the GreatSean 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 LINKSEverly HeightsJoin the EVERLY HEIGHTS ARTS BOARD and support the showBuy Mr. Matheson's Arithme-TIPS Comic CollectionSubscribe on YouTube

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.  SPONSORCAST LISTBill Meeks - Ricky Special/Infomercial Announcer/Mr. MathesonSean Seigler - Michael SpecialKristyna Zahrek - Abby SpecialLaurin Skarr - Zara SpecialHoward F. Hulin - Ron Linus/Mayor BrownSean Weiland - Jerome Bentley, Surfer Dude"How Can You Be Sure?" performed by Classic Tragic Hero, written by Bill Meeks LINKSEverly HeightsJoin the EVERLY HEIGHTS ARTS BOARD and support the showBuy Mr. Matheson's Arithme-TIPS Comic CollectionSubscribe on YouTube

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.  SPONSORCAST LISTBill Meeks - Don HouseKaleb Deatherage - RyonAllison Cossitt - FaraDean 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 LINKSEverly HeightsJoin the EVERLY HEIGHTS ARTS BOARD and support the showBuy Mr. Matheson's Arithme-TIPS Comic CollectionSubscribe on YouTubeClassic Tragic HeroA Tribute to Stephan CarrollRyon 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.  SPONSORCAST LISTSeptember McCrady - Marie MoleculeBill Meeks - Junkbots Announcer/Eliza"Theme for Hey, Marie Molecule!" performed by Classic Tragic Hero, written by Bill MeeksLINKSEverly HeightsJoin the EVERLY HEIGHTS ARTS BOARD and support the showBuy Mr. Matheson's Arithme-TIPS Comic CollectionEverly Heights Tales MerchSubscribe on YouTubeClassic Tragic HeroAmerica'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.)    SPONSORCAST LIST Paul Zaloom - Himself/Beakman/Roy G. BivSeptember McCrady - HerselfBill Meeks - Himeself"Theme for Hey, Marie Molecule!" performed by Classic Tragic Hero, written by Bill MeeksLINKSEverly HeightsJoin the EVERLY HEIGHTS ARTS BOARD and support the showBuy Mr. Matheson's Arithme-TIPS Comic CollectionEverly Heights Tales MerchSubscribe on YouTubeAmerica'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.  SPONSORCAST LISTBill Meeks - Spooky AnnouncerSamantha Crausman - MadisonHadley Williams - FaithLINKSEverly HeightsJoin the EVERLY HEIGHTS ARTS BOARD and support the showBuy Mr. Matheson's Arithme-TIPS Comic CollectionEverly Heights Tales MerchSubscribe on YouTubeThe 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.  SPONSORCAST LISTRebecca Johnson - ClaraSean Siegler - Michael Special/ZarvanSeptember McCrady - Mrs. GableKate Sheridan - Timmy GillWynn Mercere - Mrs. HendersonDean T Moody - Mr. HendersonBill Meeks - Worker/HimselfSkyler Nichol - Prince DreamyAnne Marie DeSimone - HerselfJason George - HimselfLINKSEverly HeightsJoin the EVERLY HEIGHTS ARTS BOARD and support the showBuy Mr. Matheson's Arithme-TIPS Comic CollectionEverly Heights Tales MerchSubscribe on YouTubeUniverse 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.   SPONSORCAST LISTKate Sheridan- Angela CraigDawn Meeks - Great Aunt Mildred's Spirit/Mrs. CraigDallis MacKenzie - Beatrix KnappMandy McCullough - Rebecca/VeronicaSkyler Nichol - Travis HageeLINKSEverly HeightsJoin the EVERLY HEIGHTS ARTS BOARD and support the showBuy Mr. Matheson's Arithme-TIPS Comic CollectionEverly Heights Tales MerchSubscribe on YouTubeUniverse 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. SPONSORCAST LISTBill Meeks - Justin from Wheeling / Ricky Special / Bernie Love (with help from Tripp Rogers)Dave Theune - Michael / Kevin / PatrickTravis Crawford - Announcer/ScottKi Scyne - Bobby from BradentonSeptember McCrady - Prudence LoveLINKSEverly HeightsInfinite Tina: Worlds ApartJoin the EVERLY HEIGHTS ARTS BOARD and support the showEverly Heights Tales MerchSubscribe on YouTubeUniverse 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. SPONSORCAST LISTNarrated by James Romick, with additional voices by Bill Meeks and the Cornerstone Theater Players.LINKSEverly HeightsThe Trials of King Sparrow (EPUB/PDF/AUDIOBOOK)Join the EVERLY HEIGHTS ARTS BOARD and support the showEverly Heights Tales MerchSubscribe on YouTube

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. SPONSORCAST LISTNarrated by James Romick, with additional voices by Bill Meeks and the Cornerstone Theater Players.LINKSEverly HeightsThe Trials of King Sparrow (EPUB/PDF/AUDIOBOOK)James RomickJoin the EVERLY HEIGHTS ARTS BOARD and support the showEverly Heights Tales MerchSubscribe on YouTube

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.  SPONSORCAST LISTSamuel Lewis – Steve Loop (aka Steve the Geek)Sean Weiland– Jerome BentleyRichard Reynolds - LucianLINKSEverly HeightsInfinite Tina: Worlds ApartJoin the EVERLY HEIGHTS ARTS BOARD and support the showWelcome, FreshmenEverly Heights Tales MerchSubscribe on YouTubeUniverse Box - Theater