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

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)
Join the EVERLY HEIGHTS ARTS BOARD and support the show
Everly Heights Tales Merch
Subscribe on YouTube

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
Subscribe on YouTube